Tree Care Basics: A Starter Guide

Tree Bracing: An FAQ Guide

13 January 2021

Johnni Knight

Trees can add beauty and natural appeal to your property. However, when a branch is weak or partially cracked, a tree can become a threat. You don't want it to drop that branch on your roof or on your head! Luckily, tree care companies offer a service called bracing that can make a threatening tree safe again. Here are some frequently asked questions about bracing. Reading through these questions and their answers should give you a pretty good understanding of this technique and how it is used.

What is bracing?

When a tree care technician braces a tree, they are basically using a sturdy rod to secure a certain branch or limb in place. They may, for example, pound a rod through the affected branch. A metal plate will be put on one side of the rod to keep it from passing through the branch. The other side of the rod will be anchored to something secure, such as another larger tree branch, a nearby tree, or, in some cases, the ground. 

Bracing is often used in conjunction with cabling, a technique that involves winding a cable around the damaged branch to secure it.

How do you know if your tree needs bracing?

Your tree may need to be braced if one of its limbs or large branches is partially cracked. This often happens as the result of high winds during a storm. It may also need bracing if one of the limbs is simply too heavy and if you and the tree care technician are afraid the weight will cause the limb to crack and fall in the future.

Bracing is an alternative to simply removing branches or limbs that pose a threat. If the tree would look ugly without a branch, or if removing the affected branch would compromise the tree's health, then bracing is a good alternative.

How long is the hardware left in place?

This depends. Often, the hardware can be left in place for the rest of the tree's life. Your tree care company can come out every year or two and make some adjustments to account for any growth in the braced limb. Sometimes the brace may eventually be removed if the rest of the tree grows in a way that allows it to better support the branch that was braced.

Bracing can help save tree limbs and branches that would otherwise need to be removed. Talk to your tree services company to see if this is a good option for your ailing tree.

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