The climate in Chattanooga can be erratic with strong winds and snow while the trees are in leaf. These forces on the tree can sometimes cause severe damage to trees that have been mismanaged or have large co-dominant stems and weak unions.

The purpose of installing a support cable in a large tree is to reduce the movement and force on weak branch unions. Many considerations must be considered before installing a support system. Tree species, health, age, size, and location are all considered before we recommend a cable system for any tree. An unsafe tree cannot be made safe by installing a cable.

Bracing involves drilling through the tree to install a threaded steel rod. This technique is used to support weak unions and split trunks on smaller trees. Fruit trees that have to keep extra weight and multi-stemmed ornamental trees can benefit from this treatment and in most instances will prolong the life of the tree.