Nobody calls and says “I need tree care.” What they actually say is something like “I’ve got this dead tree in the backyard that’s making me nervous” or “these branches have been hanging over my roof for two years and I keep putting it off” or “the stump is still sitting there from when the last guy took the tree down.”
Tree care is just a catch all term people use when they’re not sure exactly what service they need. What they’re actually dealing with is almost always one of a handful of specific situations.
The Tree Needs to Come Down
This is the most common call. A tree is dead, dying, leaning toward the house, too close to the roof or just in the wrong place after years of growing in a direction nobody planned for. The homeowner knows something needs to happen but hasn’t pulled the trigger yet. Sometimes it’s been on the list for a year or two.
Dead trees are the most urgent version of this. Florida heat dries out dead wood fast and what looks stable in April can become unpredictable by July. If a tree on your property is dead or clearly declining it needs to come down before storm season makes the decision for you. We’ve covered what to do when you have a dead tree in Spring Hill if you want to know what to look for and when to act.
The Branches Are Getting Out of Hand
Some trees don’t need to come down. They just need to be pulled back. Branches creeping toward the roof line every season, limbs hanging over the pool cage or driveway, a canopy that’s gotten so thick it’s blocking everything underneath it. These are tree trimming jobs and they make a significant difference before hurricane season.
The mistake most homeowners make is waiting until branches are already touching something before they call anyone. By then there’s usually minor damage already happening to shingles, gutters or whatever the branches have been rubbing against. We’ve covered what to do when tree limbs are touching your roof in more detail if that’s what you’re dealing with.
The Stump Is Still There
Tree removal and stump removal are two separate jobs and a lot of homeowners find that out after the fact. The tree crew came out, took the tree down, hauled everything away and left a stump sitting in the yard. Now it’s been six months and the stump is still there, hard to mow around, starting to sprout new growth and generally making the yard look unfinished.
Stump grinding takes care of it. The stump gets ground down below grade so you can sod over it, landscape around it or just stop thinking about it. It doesn’t have to wait for another tree to come down. You can call just to get the stump handled. If that’s your situation we’ve also covered what to do when a stump is still in your yard.
Something Looks Wrong and They’re Not Sure What
This one comes up more than people expect. A tree that’s leaning slightly more than it used to. A section of the canopy that stopped leafing out while the rest of the tree looks fine. Bark peeling away in spots. Mushrooms growing at the base. The homeowner can’t quite put a name on what’s wrong but something about the tree doesn’t look right and they want someone to take a look before the next storm comes through.
That’s a completely valid reason to call. Getting someone out to walk the property and give you a straight answer on what they’re seeing is worth doing before a tree that looked questionable ends up causing real damage.
Storm Cleanup
After a major storm comes through Spring Hill there are trees down, limbs on the roof, debris blocking the driveway and in some cases a tree that shifted or cracked during the storm that’s now sitting in a position that makes everyone nervous. We’ve covered what happens to your trees after a hurricane hits Spring Hill including what to look for and what to do first.
Getting unstable trees and limbs dealt with before the next storm comes through is always the better call.
Spring Hill Tree Specialists handles all of it throughout Spring Hill. Find out more on our Spring Hill tree service page or call for a free estimate. We’ll come out, take a look and tell you exactly what you’re dealing with.