Saw a 200 year old oak in downtown Nashville that changed my mind about cabling

I always thought cabling big trees was mostly for show or liability. Then last month I walked past this massive oak on 2nd Avenue, roots all torn up from construction. The arborist there showed me how the cabling was actually taking weight off a split crotch that would have failed in a storm. He pointed to where the bark was pulling apart and said "another 10 tons and that limb hits the street." Have any of you had a tree change your mind about a technique you used to hate?

3 comments

3 Comments

max_schmidt779h ago

Man, that's a solid story. But here's what I'm wondering: was the tree actually worth saving? Like, how much did that cabling cost and who paid for it? I've seen guys throw cables in trees that are already 60% hollow, just kicking the can down the road. Did that arborist mention how long he thought the tree would actually live, or was it just about keeping it standing for the next few seasons?

ray5622h ago

Wait, you seriously spent $400 on a cable job for a tree you weren't even sure was solid?

perry.jesse8h ago

I've got 30 years in this business and I still can't tell a healthy oak from a hollow one without drilling into it first. Blew $400 on a cable job last fall for a tree I was sure was solid, only to have the whole thing split right at the cable mount during a spring thunderstorm. Guess I'm the one who needs cabling now, preferably between my ears. That Nashville arborist you met sounds like he actually knew what he was looking at, which is more than I can say for myself most days.