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Drought conditions and splitting trees
During the tail-end of the 2009 drought, and during the extensive drought of 2011, we noticed that we were getting many calls for split and cracked tree limbs. Many species such as ash trees and cedar elms were simply breaking apart. Sometimes there was rot apparent, but often the limbs appeared to be rot-free, but split anyway.
All of these breaks occurred during periods of little or no growth or rain, and during the hottest months of each year. Why, then, were the limbs splitting? In simplest terms, when wood dries out from extended periods of drought with no rain and excessive temperatures, it looses elasticity and strength. It becomes more brittle, and is then prone to failure, especially if the limbs are long or as we say ‘overextended’.
Additionally, if limbs were previously cracked or split but had not yet failed, the wood dries out around the wounded area and the limbs become even weaker, then split.
Sometimes with certain split tree limbs, they can be cabled to healthy limbs in order to save them. Usually, however, this is with split crotches. Generally, when limbs split along the length of a limb, they have to be removed to the nearest lateral.
If you are unsure as to whether a split limb can be cabled, give us a call and we can come out and give you a free estimate. If cabling is a viable option, generally some thinning is required before the cable can be installed in order to lighten the limb. Taking weight off the limbs lessens the pressure on the cable and increases the effectiveness of the cable installation/system.
We install a significant amount of cables in theAustinarea. This is because we are trained in professional cable installation to ISA ANSI A300 standards, and my staff are skilled at correctly angling and positioning the through-bolts at the proper place in the canopy and along the limbs. We use only the highest quality galvanized hardware designed for trees.