Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Spring Hill?
- 2 Does the City of Spring Hill Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Spring Hill?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Spring Hill?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Spring Hill?
- 6 What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Spring Hill?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Spring Hill?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Spring Hill?
The Nature Coast is called that for a good reason, and that includes trees. Not all trees in Spring Hill are healthy, though, and there are a few diseases.
The most deadly of these diseases is heartwood decay, also called heart rot. Many of the dead hardwood trees in Florida were killed by heart rot. If you see cankers, scars, or rotten wood on a hardwood tree, it’s important to get it diagnosed and treated quickly. The best way to prevent heartwood decay, in general, is to keep your trees from being injured (and letting the rot in). Another type of rot is Annosus root rot, which mostly impacts conifers (such as pine and fir trees). If you have a group of dead or dying trees in the middle of a bunch of pines, or tan to brown rubbery conks at the base of pine trees, you may need those trees removed to prevent the rot from spreading.
In fact, most of the tree diseases that strike Spring Hill the hardest involve fungi, which makes sense considering our general level of humidity. One other common fungus in Spring Hill’s trees is fusiform rust, which is most common on oaks and pines and can cause yellow or orange spotting on leaves. This can be particularly persistent and difficult to remove, so getting an early start is critical.
The other major killer of trees in Spring Hill isn’t a fungus, but a beetle. Ips pine engraver beetles are native to Florida and particularly like to eat the trees along the west coast of the state. They prefer to eat pine trees (especially sand pines) and most commonly strike in the summer. Some symptoms to watch out for on your pine trees include:
- Small holes in the bark
- Conks or cankers near the roots
- Pitch tubes, or small balls of sap
- Sawdust on the outer bark of a tree
- Unexpected browning of pine needles
It’s nearly impossible to remove these pests after they take hold in a tree, so remain vigilant.
Does the City of Spring Hill Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
The city of Spring Hill does not offer much assistance in removing fallen trees, but that doesn’t mean you’re entirely on your own! Republic Services does accept small branches on their normal yard waste removal days, and as long as the branches are no longer than four feet and no wider than four inches at the base, you can tie fallen limbs up into a bundle weighing no more than 50 pounds and place them at your curb for removal on your regularly scheduled yard waste pickup day. If you’re unsure about what day you have pickup or if you have any other questions, you can call Republic Services at (352) 540-6457.
Who Is Responsible for Fallen Tree Removal in Spring Hill?
The general idea behind property ownership in Florida is that you’re responsible for the property you own, and that applies to trees, as well. The trouble with trees, though, is that when they fall, they rarely stay contained to a single lot.
If you’re a homeowner?
This is the simplest scenario, just because it has the fewest variables. If you own the land, you own the trees, and you’re responsible for removal and repairs if a tree you own falls. This doesn’t mean that you’re alone, though. Your homeowner’s insurance policy almost always covers tree removal, so your claims adjuster should be one of your first calls.
If you’re a renter?
If you rent a home, the trees belong to the landlord. In fact, it’s generally illegal to cut down a tree on the property you rent, even if you are a full-time tenant. The fines for cutting down someone else’s tree are generally three times the cost of replacement, and fully-grown trees are expensive to move and replace. If a tree has fallen down on its own, though, your first call should be to your landlord. If the property you own has been damaged, also call your renter’s insurance or car insurance company, as they are likely to cover those repairs.
If you’re a landlord?
If you’re a landlord, you’re responsible not only for removing fallen trees, but ensuring that the trees on your property are safe and healthy. This means you have to do regular inspections and trimmings, as well as cleanup of fallen trees and branches. Thankfully, preventive maintenance is less time-consuming and costly than an insurance claim, so what you do here shouldn’t be too far removed from what you would do for the home you live in.
If you’re a neighbor?
If a neighbor’s tree falls onto your property, it’s fair to want some kind of restitution. But your first call should be to the neighbors who own the tree; it’s likely that their homeowner’s insurance will cover damages to your property as well. However frustrating the situation may be, and whatever your relationship with your neighbor, it’s crucial to approach the situation with an open mind and keep in mind that you have the same goal as them. Depending on your neighborhood, you may also need to get the homeowners’ association involved—just remember that whoever needs to be looped in just wants to get things back to normal, the same as you do.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Spring Hill?
Did you know that Florida has an official state soil? It’s called Myakka, and it makes up more than 1.5 million acres of land in Central and South Florida. Myakka is from a Native American word for “big waters” and comes largely from tidal deposits. As you might expect, it has a lot of sand inside it, which can make planting certain trees difficult, as many trees have trouble putting down root systems in sandy soil. You may want to supplement your soil with an organic fertilizer or worm castings before planting a tree in Spring Hill, or plant native trees that are well-adapted to the local conditions. These can include:
- Maples, especially red, silver, and southern sugar maples
- Boxelder
- White and green ash
- Flowering dogwood
- Oaks, including white, southern red, willow, and black oaks
- Sassafras
- Wild plum
- Coral bean
- Black walnut
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Spring Hill?
Florida isn’t known for being arid, and humidity is one of the major factors in the health of trees. Higher humidity leads to greater fungal growth, which can cause conks and other tree diseases if left unchecked.
The other major climate concern for trees in Spring Hill is hurricanes. Living so close to the coast isn’t always a good thing, as even the 95-mile-per-hour winds of a category 1 hurricane can easily knock down trees or tear branches loose. While there isn’t much you can do to prevent hurricanes, you can mitigate this damage by calling in our arborists to keep your trees well-trimmed and to remove dead limbs regularly.
What If Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Spring Hill?
If a dead tree ends up near power lines in Spring Hill, it’s important to not try to remove it yourself. Even if it’s on your property, the electrical lines pose a hazard to you that should not be ignored. Instead, call your local Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) office. The cooperative also patrols their power lines to determine vegetation hazards in their rights of way. It also maintains a phone line, meaning you should dial 811 for a hazard assessment at least 48 hours before you plant a tree or shrub.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Spring Hill?
Tree removal can be a complicated and costly process. In Spring Hill, it usually costs between $280 and $1,600 depending on a variety of cost factors.
Size and Location of the Tree
A fully-grown cottonwood or white oak will always cost more to remove than a wild plum; that’s just the nature of the work. Larger trees are expensive to remove and replace. Smaller trees will likely get you closer to the $280 end of the spectrum. There’s also the location of the tree to consider: if it’s between two buildings with very little room to safely fall, our arborist will likely need heavier, more specialized equipment, which can drive up the cost of removal dramatically.
An example of how tree removal costs can go up with size:
- Small trees (under 25 feet tall): $280 to $500
- Medium trees (25 feet to 50 feet tall): $500 to $1,000
- Large trees (50 feet to 75 feet tall): $1,000 to $1,400
- Very large trees (over 75 feet tall): $1,400 to $1,600 or more
Surroundings of the Tree
It isn’t just buildings that can pose hazards to falling trees, but other structures, such as fences and power lines, can increase the complexity of tree removal. If the tree has fallen onto your roof (or your neighbor’s roof), then the removal is also increasingly difficult, and you can expect the price to increase, as well. You don’t want to be responsible for a power outage in your neighborhood because the tree you had wanted to remove fell in the wrong direction. This is also why it’s so important to hire a qualified arborist like Tree Triage to remove trees from your property.
Supply and Demand
After major storms—especially hurricanes—expect the price of tree removal to go up. There are so many fallen branches and dead trees after these events that there’s too much work to go around. Also, you can expect our arborists during these periods to charge extra for immediate service. Their top priorities are going to be the fallen trees and branches that block roads, have damaged property, and pose actual hazards to life and limb.
