Whether you experience a major storm or it happens slowly over time, seeing a favorite tree leaning crookedly in your yard can be unsettling. Is it possible to figure out how to brace a large leaning tree and save it? When you rely on experts providing tree services in Kernersville, NC, they may be able to support the tree and help it regain its sturdy anchor to the ground.
Learn more about the importance of relying on professionals for structural reinforcement when taking steps to save your leaning tree.
Start By Assessing Why the Tree Is Leaning
An arborist will make a professional assessment and determine why the tree developed a lean. If it has weak roots or lopsided canopy growth, tree care professionals may need to treat the roots for disease. They might need to trim the branches to balance the tree, allowing it to remain upright after bracing it.
If the tree has severe damage from disease or insect infestation, the arborist may need to remove it. However, it’s impossible to know for certain until inspecting it.
Steps to Support a Leaning Tree
Professionals know how to brace a large leaning tree and will follow the necessary steps to ensure safety and tree health.
Place the Stakes Around the Tree
Stakes placement is vital to brace the tree properly. The professional will need to place at least three stakes around the tree, inserting them in the ground at a 45-degree angle to the desired orientation of the trunk. The stakes should be outside the root line.
The professionals will use a sledgehammer to drive the stakes deeply into the soil, ensuring they can support the weight of the tree.
Use Leverage to Straighten It
Professionals may use leverage with static bracing, which involves rigid materials, to help pull the tree back into an upright position. Once the tree reaches the desired position, the arborists can use dynamic bracing that features flexible synthetic materials.Â
The professionals need to work slowly while straightening the tree. Moving too fast could damage the bark or expand a small crack in the tree.
Secure the Cables to the Stakes
Cabling support remains in place for several months after the tree is upright again. Slide an old garden hose over the cables where they’ll rub against the tree to protect the bark and tree from damage.Â
The professionals might need to revisit the property and adjust the tension of the cables every few weeks.
Don’t Panic When You See a Leaning Tree: Count on Summit Tree Care
Determining how to brace a large leaning tree is a difficult job for homeowners to do on their own. Learning how to fix leaning trees is a job best left to the professionals.Â
At Summit Tree Care, our experts understand the importance of trying to save your trees whenever we can. After a thorough inspection, we’ll determine how to repair the tree or whether it needs to be removed. For a free cost estimate, contact us today at (336) 848-1266.