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Storm-Season Tree Checklist for Hernando County Homeowners
By Gary Tantanella · Updated October 28, 2026
I'm a retired mechanic and robotics technician, not an arborist. Decades of inspecting machines taught me that a careful walk-around catches most trouble early. Here's a simple tree checklist for Hernando County yards. Use it before storm season and after any big storm.
Walk-around checklist
- Pines: Look for browning needles, pitch tubes or small holes in the bark (a sign of bark beetles), and lightning scars running down the trunk.
- Laurel and water oaks: These are common here and often hollow at the base. Look for cavities, mushrooms, and dead limbs up top.
- Lean and soil: Watch for a new lean or soil lifting on one side.
- Split or V-shaped trunks over the house or driveway.
- Clearance: Limbs over the roof, rubbing the house, or touching your service line.
- Palms: Remove dead fronds only. Leave the green ones.
What to leave to the pros
Leave anything near power lines, anything that means cutting overhead, and any large tree near a structure to the pros. Ask any company for proof of insurance and a written quote.
After a storm
- Treat every downed line as live and report it to the utility.
- Photograph the damage before cleanup, for insurance.
- Watch for hanging broken limbs.
- Be careful with storm-chasers who want cash up front.
More reading
See lightning-damaged trees and Hernando County tree permit basics.
Need a hand?
Brooksville Tree Removal is a free referral service. We don't do the work ourselves. Call and we'll connect you with an independent local pro, who sets their own prices. Call now.