Yard Waste Removal in South Florida: Palm Fronds, Branches, and Everything Your Trash Service Won't Take
You did the yard work. You trimmed the hedges, cut back the palms, finally dealt with that dead tree. You felt productive. Accomplished, even.
And now you're standing in your driveway looking at a pile of palm fronds, branches, and debris that's taller than your car.
Your regular trash service won't touch it. The pile is too big for those little yard waste bags. And you're pretty sure if you leave it at the curb, you're going to get a passive-aggressive note from the HOA.
Welcome to yard waste in South Florida — where everything grows faster than you can cut it, and getting rid of what you cut is somehow harder than the cutting itself.
Why Yard Waste Is Different Down Here
If you moved to South Florida from somewhere up north, you might remember yard waste being... manageable. A few bags of leaves in the fall. Some branches after a storm. Nothing crazy.
South Florida doesn't work that way.
Everything grows year-round.
There's no winter dormancy. No season where everything stops growing and gives you a break. Palms drop fronds constantly. Hedges need trimming every few weeks. That ficus you planted three years ago is now trying to consume your fence.
The volume of organic debris a South Florida yard produces is genuinely shocking if you're not used to it.
Palm fronds are awkward.
A single palm frond can be 10-15 feet long. They're bulky, they don't compress, they don't fit in bags, and a mature palm can drop 20+ fronds per year. Multiply that by however many palms are on your property.
Now try fitting them in your trash can.
Tropical storms add chaos.
Even a minor storm can dump branches, coconuts, palm boots, and debris across your entire property in one night. What was a manageable yard becomes a disaster zone that takes days to clean up.
Your trash service has limits.
Most municipal waste services in Palm Beach County have specific rules about yard waste — size limits, weight limits, bundle requirements, separate pickup schedules. Exceed those limits and they'll skip right past your pile.
Which brings us to the central problem: you have a mountain of yard debris and no obvious way to make it disappear.
What Your Regular Trash Service Will and Won't Take
Let's get specific about the rules, because they matter:
| Item Type | Typical Limits | What Happens If You Exceed |
|---|---|---|
| Branches/limbs | 4 ft length, 4" diameter max, bundled | Left at curb |
| Palm fronds | 4 ft length, bundled, limited quantity | Left at curb |
| Grass clippings | Bagged, 50 lb max per bag | Left at curb |
| Hedge trimmings | Bagged or bundled | Left at curb |
| Tree stumps | NOT accepted | Never picked up |
| Root balls | NOT accepted | Never picked up |
| Sod/dirt | NOT accepted | Never picked up |
| Coconuts | Policies vary | Often left at curb |
Note: Specific rules vary by municipality. Check with your local waste service for exact limits in your area.
The common theme: anything that doesn't fit neatly into their system gets left behind.
And here's the frustrating part — they don't always tell you in advance. You put out your pile, they take what fits their rules, and you come home to find half of it still sitting there. Now it's your problem again, except now it's been baking in the sun for eight hours.
Your Options for Getting Rid of Yard Waste
Let's walk through the realistic paths:
Option 1: Stay Within Trash Service Limits
If your yard waste is modest, you can work within the system.
What this requires:
Cutting everything to 4-foot lengths
Bundling branches with twine (not wire)
Bagging clippings and small debris
Spreading the load over multiple pickup weeks
The reality: This works for routine maintenance — weekly grass clippings, occasional hedge trims. It does NOT work for major cleanups. If you've trimmed three palms, removed a dead tree, or done any significant landscaping work, you're going to exceed the limits.
Time investment: High. Cutting and bundling yard waste properly takes hours.
Option 2: Self-Haul to Transfer Station
Load it yourself, drive it to a county facility, pay to dump it.
What this requires:
Truck or trailer
Physical ability to load heavy, awkward debris
Time during facility operating hours
Cash for disposal fees
Cost: Approximately $5-15 per load at most Palm Beach County facilities, depending on volume.
The reality: If you have a truck and the debris isn't too heavy, this is cost-effective. But palm fronds are awkward to load, branches scratch your truck bed, and you'll probably need multiple trips for any significant pile. Factor in your time and gas.
Option 3: Burn It
Some areas of Palm Beach County allow burning of yard debris with permits.
What this requires:
Agricultural or large residential property (typically 1+ acre)
Burn permit from local fire department
Safe conditions (low wind, proper clearances)
Someone to monitor the burn
The reality: Not an option for most residential properties. HOAs prohibit it, neighbors complain, and in subdivisions it's usually illegal. If you're on acreage and have a burn permit, great. Otherwise, this isn't your solution.
Option 4: Professional Yard Waste Removal
Someone else shows up, loads everything, and takes it away.
What this requires:
Phone call
Being home (or not — we can handle it either way)
Payment
Cost: Varies by volume — see pricing below.
The reality: This is the path of least resistance. No cutting, no bundling, no trips to the dump. The pile in your driveway becomes someone else's problem. Your Saturday stays free.
Yard Waste Removal Pricing
What does professional yard waste hauling cost in Palm Beach County?
| Load Size | Typical Volume | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Small pile | Few bags + small branch pile | $100 - $200 |
| Medium pile | Several palm fronds, hedge trimmings, debris | $200 - $350 |
| Large pile | Major trim job, multiple palms, tree debris | $350 - $550 |
| Full truck load | Significant landscaping project debris | $500 - $800 |
| Major cleanout | Storm damage, property clearing, multiple loads | $800+ |
What affects pricing:
Volume matters most. A small pile of palm fronds costs less than a driveway full of tree debris. We price based on how much truck space your waste occupies.
Weight is a factor. Green, freshly cut debris is heavier than dried-out branches. A pile of wet palm fronds weighs significantly more than the same pile after it's dried for a week.
Location on property. Debris piled at the curb is faster than debris scattered across a backyard. If we need to haul material through gates, around pools, or up slopes, it takes more time.
Special items. Stumps, root balls, and large logs require extra effort. These are heavier and more difficult to handle than standard yard waste.
What We Take (and What We Don't)
Yes, we take:
Palm fronds (any length, any quantity)
Tree branches and limbs
Hedge and bush trimmings
Grass clippings and bagged debris
Coconuts and palm seed pods
Dead plants and shrubs
Small stumps (under 50 lbs)
Bamboo (yes, even bamboo)
Landscape fabric, old mulch, edging materials
We can take with advance notice:
Large stumps (may require equipment)
Root balls with dirt attached
Logs over 6" diameter
Large quantities from commercial properties
We don't take:
Hazardous materials (pesticides, herbicides, chemicals)
Construction debris mixed with yard waste (that's a different service)
Living plants you want transplanted (we remove, we don't relocate)
The Specific Pain Points of South Florida Yard Waste
Palm Fronds: The Endless Battle
If you have palms, you have palm fronds. There's no escaping it.
A healthy palm can drop 15-25 fronds per year. If you have ten palms on your property, that's 150-250 fronds annually. Each one is 8-15 feet long, awkward to handle, and won't fit in any trash can ever made.
The "cut them to 4 feet and bundle them" advice from trash services is technically possible but practically ridiculous. Cutting a palm frond into thirds, then bundling each third, then repeating 200+ times per year — who has time for that?
Most people let them pile up. The pile grows. Eventually it becomes impossible to ignore. Then it becomes our call.
Storm Debris: The Overnight Disaster
South Florida storms don't announce themselves politely. You go to bed with a tidy yard and wake up to branches everywhere, palm fronds scattered across the lawn, and coconuts in places coconuts shouldn't be.
After a significant storm, everyone in the neighborhood has the same problem simultaneously. Municipal waste services get overwhelmed. The "special debris pickup" they promise takes weeks.
Meanwhile, your yard looks like a disaster zone and you can't park in your driveway.
This is when professional yard waste removal becomes not just convenient but necessary. We're not limited by municipal schedules or pickup limits. Storm debris today can be gone tomorrow.
The Neighbor Problem
You know what doesn't improve neighborly relations? A giant pile of yard waste sitting in your driveway for three weeks while you figure out what to do with it.
HOAs notice. Neighbors notice. Code enforcement notices.
In some Palm Beach County communities, leaving debris visible for extended periods can result in fines. Even without formal enforcement, there's the social pressure of being "that house" with the messy front yard.
Getting the debris handled quickly isn't just about convenience — it's about maintaining peace with the people you have to live near.
For Landscapers and Property Managers
If you're a landscaping company or manage multiple properties, your yard waste situation is different from a homeowner's.
Landscapers:
You generate debris constantly. Every job produces fronds, clippings, and trimmings. Your options are:
Haul it yourself — ties up your trucks, takes time away from billable work
Dump fees add up — multiple trips per week to transfer stations
Let someone else handle it — focus on the work that makes you money
We work with landscaping companies across Palm Beach County for scheduled debris pickup. You stage the debris, we haul it. Your crews stay on their next job instead of running to the dump.
Property managers:
Multiple properties means multiple yard waste headaches. Common areas, tenant-caused debris, seasonal cleanups — it never ends.
For property management companies, we offer scheduled service and volume pricing. One vendor for all your properties, consistent pricing, reliable pickup.
The Yard Waste Removal Process
Here's how this works:
1. You call with the details.
Tell us what you're dealing with — palm fronds, branches, post-storm debris, whatever. Location of the pile. Any access issues. If you can text a photo, even better for accurate quoting.
2. We give you a price.
Based on what you describe, we quote a price. That's the price — no surprises when we see the pile.
3. We schedule the pickup.
Usually within 1-3 days. Same-day service available for urgent situations or post-storm emergencies.
4. We show up and load.
Our crew arrives, loads everything, and cleans up the area. You don't have to be home — just show us where the pile is.
5. Your yard is clear.
The debris goes to proper disposal or recycling facilities. You have your driveway back. The neighbors stop giving you looks.
Post-Storm Emergency Service
When a tropical storm or hurricane comes through, normal rules don't apply.
Demand for debris removal spikes. Municipal services get overwhelmed. Wait times stretch to weeks.
We prioritize storm response:
Extended hours during storm recovery periods
Expedited scheduling for customers with urgent needs
Flexible pricing for large-scale storm damage
Coordination with tree services for fallen tree removal
If you're dealing with storm debris and can't wait for municipal pickup, call us. We'll get you moved to the front of the line.
The Math Nobody Does
Here's something worth considering:
Your time has value.
Cutting palm fronds to 4-foot lengths, bundling them, bagging debris, loading your truck, driving to the transfer station, unloading, driving back — how many hours does that take?
If that number is more than 2-3 hours, and your time is worth anything at all, professional removal probably costs less than DIY once you factor in the labor.
Your truck has value too.
Palm fronds scratch paint. Branches damage bed liners. Sap stains everything. That load of yard waste leaves residue that takes an hour to clean out.
Your Saturday has value.
Spending half your weekend dealing with yard waste isn't anyone's idea of fun. You did the hard work already — the trimming, the cutting, the actual yard work. The hauling is just logistics.
Outsourcing logistics is what smart people do.
That Pile Isn't Getting Any Smaller
The yard waste sitting in your driveway right now — it's not going to walk itself to the dump.
Every day it sits there is another day of looking at it, another day of neighbors noticing it, another day of telling yourself you'll deal with it this weekend.
This weekend has come and gone a few times already, hasn't it?
One call. One pickup. Pile gone. Driveway clear. Problem solved.
That's the offer.
Ready to get rid of that yard waste?
Junk Bull provides yard waste removal across Palm Beach County, Martin County, and Broward County. Palm fronds, branches, storm debris — if it came from your yard, we'll haul it.
Call 561-344-6677 or book online at junkbull.com.
Same-day service available. We take what your trash service won't.
Junk Bull — Junk Removal & Demolition Serving Palm Beach, Martin & Broward Counties 📞 561-344-6677 🌐 www.junkbull.com
Your palms don't take weekends off. Neither do we.
