Cabling a tree is an important part of winter tree care. It protects weak branches on your tree from strong winds, hail, and snowfall and makes it easier for you to care for your trees during the winter months.
Whether you have one healthy tree or several in your yard, safely caring for them during the winter will require some hands-on work. If you’re looking for fast and effective tips on how to cable a tree from a professional tree service in Massillon, OH, read on!
What Causes a Tree to Weaken in Winter?
Winter naturally has harsh conditions. It can be difficult for a tree to withstand the cold, and it’s not uncommon for the branches to weaken during the winter. This is especially true if your tree:
- Has not received enough water.
- Has damage due to insects or disease.
- Has codominant stems (two or more stems that emerge from the same place on the tree’s main trunk).
If your tree is weakening during the winter, you may want to consider cabling it.
How to Cable a Tree in Preparation for Winter
When thinking of how to cable a tree for winter, you’ll first need to assemble the required equipment.
To cable a tree for winter, arborists typically use:
- A single strand of galvanized steel tree cable (3/8-inch is usually appropriate)
- Strong enough stakes or posts to drive into the ground
- A spool of wire or rope to secure the cable to the ground
The process involves cabling the tree and wrapping it with a heavy-duty plastic cover that protects the tree limb from breakage, cracking, and other damage during the colder months. Then arborists follow this procedure:
1. Arborists first determine if the tree needs cabling for winter by looking at the tree’s species, size, location, and potential risks from colder weather.
2. If the tree needs cabling for winter, the arborist will use an aerial lift to reach its canopy and install cables around its trunk at several points up its height.
3. After installing the cables, arborists wrap them with protective plastic sheathing and secure them with staples or nails. This fastens them to protect against ice accumulation and wind damage during rainy weather.
4. The final step in how to cable a tree is to cut off the excess rope on the ground so that there’s just enough left over to ensure that no part of it gets caught up in any machinery during the installation process (i.e., lawn mower).
Contact Your Local Tree Cabling Experts for More Winter Tree Care Tips in Massillon, OH
After the fall season is the perfect time to evaluate your trees and prepare them for winter. If you need assistance preparing your trees for winter, contact the arborists at Petrarca Land Care, Inc., for a free assessment.
We know that caring for your trees is important to maintaining your property’s aesthetic appeal and value. Our experts come fully equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to ensure they address your concerns in a timely fashion.
We’re experts in providing tree care services and treating different species of trees to industry standards, including:
- Trees susceptible to disease and pests
- Trees with damaged or diseased branches
- Trees damaged by storms or other natural disasters
Contact Petrarca Land Care, Inc. at 330-933-0562 for a free fall assessment of your trees. We can provide valuable advice for tree cabling in Massillon, OH, and, importantly, explain the steps on how to cable a tree properly to maintain your tree’s health through the winter season.