Contents (Click To Jump)
- 1 What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Ocklawaha?
- 2 Does the City of Ocklawaha Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
- 3 Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Ocklawaha?
- 4 How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Ocklawaha?
- 5 Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Ocklawaha?
- 6 What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Ocklawaha?
- 7 How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Ocklawaha?
What Are the Most Common Tree Issues in Ocklawaha?
Ocklawaha is a city in Marion County, Florida. The residents take pride in their vegetation, plants, and trees and try to do everything they can to ensure that these plants remain protected all year round. However, before residents can take necessary action to protect their foliage, they first need to learn more about some of the most common tree issues the area has to deal with. Some of the most common tree issues we see in the Ocklawaha area are:
Hardwood Decay
Various fungi will attack hardwoods and cause several issues in Florida. Canker-rots, for example, are a severe form of hardwood decay that stems from the fungi entering the tree and growing between the wood and the bark. As it grows, it kills the bark and causes the cankers. Once these cankers develop, they leave the tree highly vulnerable to insects and bacteria.
Ash-plant Bugs
These bugs lay their eggs in tree twigs and branches, and when these eggs hatch, it causes an infestation to the tree. Ash-plant bugs use their needle-ish mouthparts to feed on the sap and pierce the leaf tissues. As a result, the leaves will become discolored first with white and yellow specs and become brown as the leaves start to die. As a result, this infestation will lead to early de-leafing of the tree, and the leaves deform.
Fusiform Rust
Fusiform rust is one of the most destructive tree diseases throughout this area of the country. The fungus called Cronartium quercuum causes this tree stem disease. It often attacks pine trees, as they are especially susceptible to the disease, with the slash pine sustaining some of the most severe damage.
If a tree experiences fusiform rust, some of the more common warning signs you need to watch out for include:
- Yellow and orange blisters eventually form on the galls
- Cigar-shaped galls that appear on the main stem of the tree
- Rust-colored spores found when the infected branch or trunk breaks open
Since trees with fusiform rust pose various safety issues, it is often necessary to remove these trees in urban areas. However, if this condition is found on trees outside urban settings, effective treatment forms can be applied, such as removing the bark from the infected stem.
Does the City of Ocklawaha Provide Any Assistance in Tree Removal Problems?
In Ocklawaha, the city maintains an active community forest program administered by the Public Works Department’s Streets and Right of Way Division. This program includes the planting of at least fifty selected hardwood trees on public property and removing dead or diseased tree debris when they are found on the property line. To remove a tree on your property, the city requires a permit for any trees over 4 inches in diameter to be cut down.
Who Is Responsible For Fallen Tree Removal in Ocklawaha?
Property owners are responsible for maintaining their plants and their private trees in Ocklawaha. However, ascertaining whether you are responsible for the costs associated with removing a fallen tree is not as simple as many people tend to believe. It will often depend on numerous factors.
If you’re a homeowner?
Here in southern Florida, the tree’s health will often determine legal responsibility for the losses that it creates to other properties. What does this mean, in layman’s terms? For example, if a tree falls because of natural causes such as a severe storm, the property owner of the place where the tree has fallen is accountable for removing the tree. In comparison, if the dead tree falls onto another person’s property and results in damage, the property owner of where the tree was initially located is responsible for removal and expenses if they knew the tree was dead, sick, or damaged.
If you’re a renter?
A landlord and a renter will generally enter into a rental agreement before the renter moves into a property. This agreement will discuss how each party will care for the rental property. However, the landlord is almost always responsible for making the necessary repairs to the property. As a result, it will likely go beyond the renter’s responsibility and become the landlord’s issue if a tree falls.
If you’re a landlord?
The landlord is often responsible for taking care of a fallen tree unless otherwise stated in the property agreement. They will be accountable for the costs associated with trees, such as tree removal expenses.
If you’re a neighbor?
The legal theory of negligence is the basis of the laws in Florida. So property owners of where the fallen tree originated will only be accountable for the tree if they knew or should have known that the tree was hazardous. Consequently, if the tree falls onto a neighbor’s property because of a natural occurrence, the original tree owner will often not be responsible for the damages the tree causes or its removal costs.
How Does the Soil Affect Trees in Ocklawaha?
The sandy soil of Marion County can feel grittier than other types of soil, even here in Florida. However, it tends to drain quickly, dry fast, and is easy to cultivate. Sandy soils also warm up quickly in the spring and hold fewer nutrients since they are often washed away during wet spells. In addition, sandy soils often require organic amendments such as kelp meal, greensand, glacial rock dust, organic fertilizers, or mulch to help them retain moisture.
This soil type is often great for bulbs such as tulips and hibiscus, shrubs, and trees such as white cedar, poplar, Scotch pine, white pine, and European Larch.
Does Weather Affect Tree Health in Ocklawaha?
Florida is known as the sunshine state and considered the warmest of all the states in the country. With over 2,800 hours of sunlight a year, the climate in Ocklawaha is often hot and wet in the summer, with cool and windy winters. However, temperatures seldom get to freezing.
As a result, Ocklawhah’s climate makes it an excellent location for planting a variety of trees, including:
- Chinese Fringetree
- Trident Maple
- Red Buckeye
- Eastern Redbud
What if Dead Trees Are Near Power Lines in Ocklawaha?
According to the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), electric utilities are held accountable for trimming trees near power lines. Marion County Utility is responsible for maintaining trees near power lines in Marion County, which include more than 58,000 miles of overhead transmissions and distribution lines. Their vegetation management is part of their power line maintenance program that helps provide reliable and safe electric services for millions of customers.
How Much Does Tree Removal Usually Cost in Ocklawaha?
Tree removal services will range from around $190 for a simple removal to $617 for a mid-range job, and approximately $1,835 or more for larger or more complicated projects, depending on numerous factors. These factors include the size of the tree, the area surrounding the tree, and the amount of special equipment needed to complete the job.
Size and Dimensions of Tree
The size of the tree will play a significant factor in the tree removal costs. For instance, smaller trees can cost anywhere from $150 to $450 to remove. Medium-sized trees that range from 30 feet to 60 feet can cost anywhere between $450 and $850. Tall trees, around 60 feet to 80 feet tall, can start about $750 but cost upwards of $2,000 to cut down in some cases.
Accessibility Factors
Another element that you need to be aware of refers to the tree’s accessibility and the area adjoining the tree. For instance, if the tree is situated:
- behind a fence or garden or next to power lines
- on a small piece of property that is tricky to access
- in an area where it will be tough to remove the debris and become a labor-intensive process
Then these factors can end up increasing the cost of the tree removal project considerably.
General Health of the Tree
If the tree is dying, diseased, or at risk of falling over, it can end up with our contractors having to use increased or upgraded safety measures or special equipment to ensure that injury can be prevented when the tree is being removed. If this particular care is necessary, it can increase the overall tree removal costs.
Scheduling and Timing Concerns
Scheduling and timing have a lot more to do with final costs than many people think. For instance, if you have a tree problem at the 4th of July family picnic, you’ll pay more to have our tree experts come out on holiday than if it had happened the day before. The same concept applies to late night and weekend work.