Sarasota · Sarasota County
Palm tree care, tree trimming and tree removal in Sarasota.
Looking for a palm specialist in Sarasota? Ptolemy cares for palms and trees across Sarasota and Sarasota County: health care, palm and tree trimming, and removals, on one written plan: the Palm and Tree Master Plan. ISA Certified Arborists lead every job.
For HOA and POA boards, community managers, CDDs, golf courses, commercial properties and homes in Southwest Florida. Licensed Florida pest control business. Insured: general liability, workers’ compensation and auto.
What we do in Sarasota
- The Palm and Tree Master PlanOne written plan, 10 years, for every palm and tree, with an estimated budget each year built from the counts.
- Palm and tree health careFeeding, monitoring and disease testing on a schedule, palm by palm.
- Palm tree trimmingEverything below the 9-and-3 line off, with dead fronds and seed pods. Nothing above the line cut.
- Tree trimmingTrees pruned by written prescription to the ANSI A300 standard.
- Palm and tree removalOnly after a certified arborist writes down why. Debris out the same day.
- Stump grindingChosen by what goes in that spot next.
- Storm responseAn order of work written before June 1.
- Disease and soil testingA lab test before any disease call, including lethal bronzing.
- Tree risk assessmentRisk calls by the ISA TRAQ method, in writing.
Local rules worth knowing in Sarasota
- Lethal bronzing is confirmed in Sarasota County, according to UF/IFAS (county list revised 2022). A palm that comes down without a test can leave the disease behind.Source: UF/IFAS EDIS PP243
- In the City of Sarasota, fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus is restricted June 1 through September 30. The rest of the year, nitrogen must be at least 50 percent slow-release, and no fertilizer goes within 10 feet of water or wetlands.Source: UF/IFAS Sarasota fertilizer codes, 2025
- The City of Sarasota requires a permit to remove a tree over 4.5 inches in trunk diameter, other than citrus, including a dead one. Routine pruning needs no permit.Source: City of Sarasota tree protection
- Florida law lets the owner of a single-family home lot prune or remove a tree without a local permit when an ISA Certified Arborist documents an unacceptable risk under the ISA risk method. HOA common areas, condominium grounds and golf courses are not covered by that law.Source: Florida Statutes 163.045
- Your county extension office, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, publishes UF/IFAS guidance for local landscapes.Source: UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County
Questions Sarasota asks
- Why is my palm tree turning yellow?
- Why is my palm tree turning brown?
- How often should palm trees be fertilized in Florida?
- What is the best fertilizer for palm trees in Florida?
- When should palm trees be trimmed in Florida?
- How much does it cost to trim a palm tree in Florida?
- How do you test a palm for lethal bronzing?
- Should palm trees be trimmed before a hurricane?
- Why are my palms still yellow after fertilizing?
- Can my lawn company take care of my palms?
- When should you call an arborist instead of a tree service?
- Why are tree removal quotes so different?
- What should a tree removal quote include?
- What should an HOA ask before hiring a palm and tree company?