[Jmattioli]

A guy known as the Tree Barber drives around neighborhoods passing out cards and talking to owners about trimming their trees. My Palms needed trimming and he said since he was already in the neighborhood , he would do them cheap for me. He trimmed my 2 queen palms and 3 other trees for $80. Quite a bargain i thought. He never stopped bragging about how great a job he would do.

To make a long story short, he should be named the " tree butcher " . He quickly does a hurricane cut taking not only the discolored branches of the palm tree but also many of the perfectly good ones leaving them looking like a carrot . He says this is the right way to do them and will not hurt the palm. Experts on the internet (University of Florida IFAS Extension) say differently. Also he is so fast and messy that he cuts into the palm branches he leaves. One has fallen after he left and another is part way cut through that i doubt will make it. I would highly recommend homeowners in the Villages avoid this fella no matter what the price.