Tree Cabling And Bracing In Downsview, Toronto

Tree cabling and bracing supports weak joints in a tree so the stems do not split apart in heavy wind. Steel lines go in near the top of the crown, and rods may pass through a cracked fork. Insurance covers it all.

Trees with two or more main trunks growing in a tight V shape are the most common candidates. In a spot as open as Downsview, where wind rocks the crown most days of the year, that joint is under constant stress. Once cabled, the two stems sway as one unit, so the weak joint stops being pried open.

Each cable tends to run $300 to $900 in Toronto, and any rods through the trunk are listed as their own line. We often pair cabling with light pruning to take weight off the stems being supported.

We look at how deep any crack goes, how much decay is in the joint and what the tree would hit if it failed. If the wood is still sound, cabling is often a good choice. If decay has gone too far, removal is the safer answer.

Yes, as long as the wood in the upper crown is strong enough to hold the hardware. Older trees often benefit the most, since they carry more weight.

Steel cable in a Downsview crown can stay in service for a long stretch, provided someone climbs up to inspect it every two or three years. Growing limbs can loosen or strain a cable over time, so we retighten or swap it when needed.

The tree grows around small holes quite well. We size the hardware to the tree and place it where the wood is sound, which keeps the impact small.