a property maintenance timeline for hurricane preparedness

Overgrown branches are one of the most common–and least concerning–issues that property owners experience. With that said, they’re worth paying attention to on your property. If you’ve noticed that your branches are starting to grow away from each other and are generally looking unruly, it might be time to get your trees trimmed. This is a purely aesthetic decision to help keep your property looking its best.

With that said, cutting down overgrown branches isn’t always about looks. If your tree’s branches are growing beyond your property line and encroaching on your neighbor’s yard, it’s a good idea to get them trimmed down.

Even more urgently, if a tree’s branches are growing closer to power lines near your house, call a professional immediately. It can be extremely dangerous, expensive, and difficult to deal with branches that touch or become tangled in power lines. We highly recommend that you do your best to avoid this; if you even suspect that this may become an issue for one or more of your trees, call in a pro–with this, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Even in Florida, it’s not abnormal for some trees’ branches to lose their leaves as the seasons change. If it’s the middle of winter and you’re noticing some sparse branches on your trees, there’s probably no cause for alarm (unless the branches in question are displaying other symptoms, like graying or flaking bark).

However, if you’re noticing that numerous branches around the crown of your tree are completely devoid of leaves, we recommend calling a professional. This can be an early sign of disease or decay in your tree; the sooner it’s addressed, the better.

Speaking of signs of disease or decay: if you’re experiencing branch issues with any of your trees, one of the most useful things you can do is inspect them. Signs of decay aren’t always easy to spot, especially if it’s early on, but catching them can make all the difference both for your property’s health and your wallet. Here are some common signs of disease or decay to look out for if you’ve been experiencing unruly, falling, or sparse branches:

• Gray, flaking bark anywhere on the branches or the tree trunk.
• Mushroom growth around your tree’s roots.
• A total absence of birds, bugs, and other critters on or near your tree.
• Large, deep gouges in the tree’s bark that stand out from any other texture on it.

If you’ve been experiencing branch issues along with any of the symptoms above, call a professional right away; you may have a decaying tree on your hands.