I thought about trying to rent a wood chipper to chip up the smaller branches of our fallen tree. My dad was not keen on the idea of me doing that... it got me thinking maybe I could lose a finger or an eye. Plus if I could get a rental, i have a feeling it would be more than the amount of mulch I could even make.

We had a surprise removal of curbside branches and limbs. Fencing, tree logs and other such items were not collected. I was told that bulk trash, scheduled for last week, has been suspended until further notice.

Thank you linda that explains it then. Its gonna suck if i have to end up burning it cause i dragged it all to the front, if i burn it i have to drag it all back to the back.

Here in Ft.laud. I have been told it will be MONTHS before we get ANY sort of pick up, of ONLY yard debris. Let alone any roofing/shingles/tv antennas/anything other than yard waste.

And if ANY other debris is mixed in with the yard debris, they wont pick it up. I am hiding 1 big 39 gallon trash bag at a time in my regular trash container, to get rid of the 25 bags of leaves and small stems and other 'junk' from my yard.

Whatever I could fit into the bags. They wont pick up trash bags!!! Trash company that wont pick up trash!

The mountain of tree limbs and stumps will be sitting out in front of my and all other homes till....who knows when. Perfect for teens to throw a match in and start fires all over town. THEN maybe they will pick it up. Bet the trash bill wont go down, but they are not doing their job, thats for sure!

We had way too much stuff that was way too big for the small chipper/shredder I own, or I would've made mulch too. I consoled myself w/ the fact that there's always more where that came from for the future.

I feel a chipper/shredder is a very good investment if you have a sizable yard with lots of vegetation. My yard becomes a tangled jungle if I don't prune and weeds grow everywhere if I don't mulch throughout the seasons. And at the very least a yearly storm or two allows for fallen tree debris which I have to chip away at or create something with LOL I guess I take "waste not" to a whole different level lol

I saw the first debris truck yesterday in DeLand. Volusia county outsources hurricane debris removal from private out of state companies approved by Fema. Eventually they get reimbursed, but I recently saw in the paper they haven't be reimbursed for our Matthew mess. I think with Texas and so much of Florida being damaged, it will take some time to clean up. In '04 when we were hit with three storms, they allowed locals to form teams for clean up, My son was on one of the crews. It seems they should be able to hire locals first. The debris trucks and trailers are real creepy looking. You will know when you see them.

I heard from a neighbor who has a friend that lives in the small town north of me are using some of the prisoners ( there's a state prison there) to help clean up some of the debris. I would imagine these will be for smaller piles and not the huge giant tree limbs and branches that we have all over our yard. Those will need the "Claw" machine...maybe something like this picture I found on the internet ?

The Orange Blossom Trail in Oakland was first to be picked up, tree roots, limbs and plant debris. The same truck that picked there, was used to clean at my street. Different truck than the posted picture but similar results. We are still cleaning up the garden and for sure I am thankful that the damage was not worse. There is other people in the world now going through a lot of suffering and natural disasters...

Starting the pile at my house

Boy I would love to see that claw truck in my area. I need it here to clean up my front yard pile. And pratically the entire city needs it. They are only a few tiny piles in front of some homes. IF those lucky few would spend the time to cut it up, they could get it in a few bags. They are so small. But most are like mine, they are taking up the entire front of the house on the swale.

I'm not seeing anyone in Lakeland picking up the piles yet. I've got 8 good sized oak trees down. My house is 550 ft. from the road. I'm not about to drag this stuff up front. I make a 15 foot pile and burn it down and start again. I'm on my third pile now, and many more to go.

I dont think the city of Ft.laud. will allow us to set fire to the huge piles of plant material, in front of our houses. I am pretty sure it is VERY much against the law. Hell they are worried as it is,about teenagers setting fires to these piles as it is.

I doubt my fire would legal but if an oncoming storm is threating i want those limbs gone...flying projectiles are never a good thing.

Here in Clay Co. we were told they would start picking up debris last Saturday but it hasn't happened yet.

That claw truck is similar to the the haulers here. They have much higher sides, pulling trailers that are about the size of the truck and most are painted black. Quite intimidating looking, but happy to see. I'm only seeing a few in town and none in the county which is where I live. Luckily they don't care if we burn there. I had just finished burning the last of Mathews mess before Irma hit.

It's been terribly dry here in Pinellas. We've had barely any rain since the hurricane. If it's like that where you are, I think I'd be concerned about any fire spreading where it's not wanted...?

Hmm, we've had plenty of rain over here on the east coast, carolb. But in any case, not to worry; we're all likely to get plenty in the next few days:

Just found out today from a map app put up by the city that in my neighborhood there are 66% of homes yet to be visited for yard waste pickup—including mine. Sigh.

We have been dry here, but I live on a lake and only burn when the wind is blowing that way. They had another article in the Daytona News Journal this morning, stating what a hard time they are having getting debris haulers. They are just so busy. They have three drop off sites encouraging residence to drop off their own debris if possible. Of course with whole trees down not possible, but I see some houses with piles that would easily fit in the back of a pick up.

I do hope we get some rain out of that disturbance...Sept. is typically a very dry month for us here. as long as we don't get torrential down pours some rain is always welcome especially at the end of summer...

I thought September was one of the rainiest months in Florida! That's what sources online claim. But to be fair October is only 2 days away.

You're right lol..actually I meant end of Sept. through Oct :o)...once its the 3rd week of Sept. most of the rain here is over ( unless a disturbance or Tropical depression) is over our area.

We are still wet here. The ground is soddened. I tried to mow the other day and gave up as i bogged down too much.

I got excited this morn when 3 trucks pulled up to the corner...one a yard trash truck, one a shredding truck and a 3rd i have no idea what it was...i thought they would take my stuff...but alas they did not...they were picking up bagged debris...why 3 trucks i don't know, that is unual. The regular trash truck that came ealier didn't even take my plastic bin with a giant hole that i put out last night...it wouldn't fit in my bin so i put it beside it...it still sits there.

I think each county has a different system for the pickup. The neighborhoods that look cleaner have a yard service as part of the HOA supported stuff that can pick up the debris. In Lee County they are encouraging private companies to get started on the removal of debris and are waiving the dumping fee for yard waste disposal. Apparently overtime for the county yard waste disposal drivers was not approved.

Apparent in Charlotte county since our contracted waste removal companies went south instead of honoring thier contract, the county has tranferred public work workers to the task. I hope those contracts allow the county to sue for non performance

Well I got a SHOCK today! I left my house to go to work this afternoon, and my HUGE pile of tree limbs/stumps, was gone! No one elses on the street, just mine! Not a super clean job, ill be out there at 6am tomorrow, with my rake and trash bags, raking up 10 or more 39 gallon bags of leaves small stems,to make my yard look semi clean.and maybe my lawn will grow back one day. But my pile is gone:) No one elses on the street. Only mine is gone!! but mine was ONLY vegetation. No garbage bags, no wood or construction debris,damaged pieces of out homes, etc. I listened to the citys instructions,and they said no bags/or other trash, mixed in with landscape debris,or it wont be picked up.

Everyone else has piles in front of their homes, with mixed with 'trash' that isnt suppose to be mixed like that. The city said LONG ago, not to mix vegetation and storm damaged construction debris together, and no trash bags, even with vegetation in them.

I also by accident found an enormous mountain of landscape debris, that the city or state, is piling up at a 'casino/horse race track', in Pompano Beach. I passed by it, by chance, and there is a massive mountain of dead trees/limbs,etc, at this race track, in the parking lots. And a tiny sign in the front that said something like, 'Hurricane Irma Landscape Debris Drop Off'. And a line of large dump trucks dumping loads of dead tree limbs/leaves/stumps all in this place. I dont know if anyone can just dump stuff of themselves, or not, but that seems to be one place the city/state is piling the dead vegetation. It was a BIG surprise to see my swale again. still have a lot of work to do now, but at least I dont have several tons of tree limbs in front of my house. Just dead grass and a small mountain of leaves. Long day tomorrow. Then i have to hide it, 1 bag at a time ,in my regular trash pick up, twice a week. So 2 bags a week. Going to be a long time, but it will be gone ...by Dec..maybe:)

That's good news for you Poohbear! Our regular trash pick up has 'yard waste' pick up every other week...they started its regular pick up yesterday since Irma. NOT the tree limbs/branches/tree trunks or storm debris, just the 'bagged' stuff and small piles that have been bundled and tied, there is a limit so people that had more than 15 bags were not picked up.

I haven't seen any dump trucks in my area...so all the storm debris are still every where...still waiting. The leaves are now completely brown and mostly falling of the limbs and branches and are laying on the grass. Like you said once they are picked up we will have bags and bags of leaves and tiny sticks to pick up...

Fingers crossed that Nate stays away from Florida **sigh**

i just raked up 11 bags full of the left over debris. I now have a swale that is about 4 feet lower than it was, and is all dirt now. So i get to par k in dirt,and its raining, so its deep mud now. But at least the mess is gone. Maybe grass will grow again.

I don't care about leaves and small twigs...the mower will run over them a few times and they'll be mulch. I'm not a lawn person, i'm more of a mind that if it is green and grows and not rough underfoot then its my lawn.

i found a map online for Charlotte county telling people where they have already picked up: Map

I've been watching the map and i see they are making progress...no pick ups in my neighborhood yet but there are more dots on the map down some of the more major roads.

Well so far in Ft.laud. the city is picking up single home yard debris, but not picking up 'construction debris',...like if your house got hit by a tree falling on it. And you have roof tiles and cement blocks all piled up,your out of luck.

So far it has to be PURE vegetation, not even bags of leaves/yard debris are being picked up yet. I have hidden my bags of leaves and yard waste, in my twice weekly pickup,since they pick the barrels up with the truck 'arms',god forbid a real 'garbage man'...touching garbage. So I almost have it all gone now.

The main roads are still full of piles of light poles down, mixed in with tree limbs/stop signs/etc. And in front of homes, it is piles of home damaged debris, furniture/windows/glass. Nothing like that being picked up yet.

Here they picked up my neighbors water soaked mattress and mangled garden tent the first week but it was the regular truck that took it not anything special. Since then my other neighbor has pile some stuff by the curb and it still sits. I put out a damaged window air conditioner and someone took it the first night it was out at the curb...i hope they noticed the wasp nest in the top of it and not put it inside the cab of the vehicle.

Still very slow pick up in W. Volusia. At this point, I don't care about the debris, I just want my insurance adjuster to show up about my damaged roof so I can get on someones waiting list to get it replaced. I know 3 others with damaged roofs that haven't seen their adjusters yet, either.

I applied to FEMA for damage to our front porch roof & website says my area is 'inaccessible' - which it is not, as far I understand that word to mean. Maybe it means something different to FEMA. I understand there's a reported shortage of FEMA inspectors, which is understandable.

Trump seems to forget puerto rico is part of us...and if they owe us...they are still part of us. I heard today he forgot he was the president of the the Virgn Islands.

my experience with fema was the experience i had during hurricane charley...they didn't give us money but gave us a place to live while rebuilding.

They picked up my yard debris yesterday!!!! so happy!

FEMA is giving financial relief to help pay for repair/replacement, but it needs to be inspected & of course that may take awhile; think about the other simultaneous disasters they're dealing with right now! They advise taking photos, documenting damage & not doing repairs until they can inspect.

Our Senator Bill Nelson has provided numbers & links for residents who need help. Our city has provided workshop/seminars to help people apply for aid. Check your local gov't sites for what is available in your area.

Here's the FEMA site for those interested:

https://www.disasterassistance.gov/

& yes - Puerto Rico is a heartbreaker! Stepson is currently there, working for a contractor, helping to get the cell towers running & says it is just completely ruined.

He did recently comment that a lot of the other guys in his crew are really suffering over the lack of A/C everywhere, but he feels it's not that bad, saying, "B**ches, I'm from Florida!"

& here's a recent drone video city of St. Pete just posted on FB of a debris collection site here. It was pretty cool. Hope this works...

https://www.facebook.com/CityOfStPetersburg/videos/vb.196596577315/10156653189277316/?type=2&theater

Yay, they were on my street yesterday for 8am-6pm and they were able to clear 3 of my neighbors lots :o)...haven't seen them back today though...

IT'S GONE!

Mine is still out along the road.

Anyone know how I turn off notifications for this post?

Up at the top of the page....your houzz>edit profile from the drop down>advanced settings in the sidebar

Thank you Pea. All I see there is an option not to receive any notifications of replies to any gardenweb posts

Thats the only options they give us...personally i'd like to have the option to recieve a daily digest of discussion activity.

Just saw this & thought of this discussion:
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2017-10-20/gov-rick-scott-demanded-irma-debris-plans-then-state-took-no-action-them

Without having the contracted hauler show up to haul in my county they have pulled workers from tasks like mowing parks and such and put them on debris cleanup. Its going slow and saturday i spent the day in an area my county has labeled 'complete' yet the residents and businesses there says no one has been there to pick up their branches and fallen trees. My area is still labeled 'pending' on the map they have provided online.

There are approximately 50 homes on my block, a circle, in Port St. Lucie. I saw the crew from WastePro start at the other side of the circle from my house at about 10 a.m., and they didn't get to my home until 4:00 pm with about 10 homes left to go. Until I watched them working I didn't realize what took so long, but while observing I saw that the machines can't move as quickly as one might imagine. They had a large claw vehicle which did the picking up and scraping and two trucks to load the debris plus a man keeping on eye on the traffic. Nothing seems as easy as one imagines.

Just about everyone on the block has a good-sized patch of dirt and overgrown grass, but by spring that should all be tidy again.

Honestly, patches of dead grass are the least thing to suffer, IMO. Stepson is currently in Puerto Rico working to help restore the cell towers there & his photos of the devastation are an excellent reality check. I, and everybody I talk to, consider ourselves very fortunate.

The entire curb along the front of my yard will be brown but in florida that is not a worry the grass grows so fast it will be green in a month.

carol- i was reading that apple along with some other companies are turning on an alternate cell phone system to get communications coming up faster.