How to Cable Brace a Tree

Keep old fruit trees healthy with cabling.

Tree rot often starts in a limb and later spreads to the trunk. In some trees, it is easier to cut the limb off. In fruit trees, however, farmers save a large fruit bearing limb. Cabling is often used to protect the fruit. The cable is used to tie the branch to the trunk, holding it up and extending it's life. You do not need to cut into the tree or use a special cabling kit, cabling can be done with a few simple materials.

Things You'll Need

• Nylon Rope
• Steel cable
• Cable shears
• 2 Inner tubes
• Field
• Field tape measure
• Utility knife
• 3 foot long wooden rod
• 3 Cable clamps

Instructions

1. Cut the inner tubes open with the utility knife. Slice them in half so that they form a long tube, then cut a slit down the edge so that they can be opened as a long flat piece of rubber.

2. Find a location on the branch to rest the cable. This point should be beyond the middle of the branch, on a strong fork in the branches.

3. Find a location on the trunk. This should be higher than the branch, so that a straight line drawn from the trunk location to the branch location will run at a 45 degree angle. Measure this distance with the measuring tape or estimate with your eyes. Cut the wire with the shears to four times this length. If you are purchasing wire specifically for this project, you can ask for the specific length from the hardware store.

4. Tie one of the inner tubes around the trunk location and the other around the branch location. The cable will be wrapped over the rubber to prevent damage to the tree.

5. Hold both ends of the wire. Loop the wire around the rubber on the branch. Pull the wire up to the rubber on the trunk and loop it around this location as well. Pull the wires tight. Attach one of the clamps on the two cables at the top and one at the two tables at the bottom. The clamps will keep the cable straight.

6. Place the rod in between the wires, where they run between the branch and the trunk. Tie the rope securely to both ends of the rod. Turn the rod so that it twists the wires tight.

7. Tie the ends of the ropes attached to the rod to the trunk of the tree.

References

• "Best management practices: Tree support systems : cabling, bracing, and guying"; Edgar Thomas Smiley; 2001