Condominium Green Space Maintenance in Spring

With spring, condominium greenery starts growing again and requires regular maintenance. Green areas, hedges and trees are not just an aesthetic element: they are common parts to preserve and, above all, to keep safe. Unstable branches, diseased trees and paving invaded by roots can become a hazard for those who use the condominium. Good spring planning, with pruning, mowing and stability checks, prevents damage and liability and keeps the common space presentable.

Common greenery between aesthetics and safety

Gardens, tree-lined courtyards and flower beds, when serving the building, fall among the common parts listed in Article 1117 of the Italian Civil Code. Their maintenance is the condominium's responsibility and their management the manager's. Beyond the aesthetic value and comfort they offer, these spaces carry custodial duties: the condominium, as keeper of the plants and trees, is liable for the resulting damage if it fails to maintain them and make them safe.

Spring, with the resumption of growth, is when problems emerge and when interventions are most effective: it is therefore the key season to plan the care of the greenery.

The typical activities of spring

Spring work prepares the green areas for the growing season and repairs winter damage. The most common activities are:

• Pruning trees and hedges, respecting the periods suited to each species
• Mowing lawns and clearing beds of weeds
• Removing branches snapped by snow and wind during winter
• Checking and restoring the irrigation system after the winter break
• Fertilising and caring for the soil to encourage regrowth

Pruning should be carried out taking into account the plants' biological needs and any municipal rules on greenery, which in some areas restrict interventions during certain periods to protect birdlife or protected species.

Tree safety

Tall trees deserve particular attention. With age and after extreme weather events they can develop instability not visible to the naked eye. When there are doubts about the health or stability of a tree, particularly near walkways, parking spaces or buildings, it is prudent to have an assessment carried out by a qualified technician, who may use stability analysis methods. A tree that falls due to lack of maintenance exposes the condominium to liability for damage to people and property.

Documenting the assessments and interventions is valuable: it demonstrates the condominium's diligence and its promptness in managing risk.

Doing it yourself or hiring a firm

For small green areas occasional intervention may suffice, but in most condominiums it is best to entrust maintenance to a specialised firm under an annual contract. Contracting the gardening service makes it possible to schedule interventions, define costs in advance and have equipped staff for pruning at height and tree management. The manager gathers estimates, verifies the firm's requirements and insurance, and puts the choice to the meeting when the amount or duration require it.

A clear specification, listing the activities, frequency and expected standards, avoids disputes and ensures continuity in the care of the green areas.

Allocating greenery costs

The cost of maintaining common greenery is normally allocated by ownership thousandths (millesimi) under Article 1123 of the Italian Civil Code, unless the regulations provide otherwise or specific tables exist. When the garden serves only some owners, for example in a complex of buildings or where reserved areas exist, the cost falls only on the owners who benefit from it, according to the principle of use.

Distinguishing ordinary maintenance, which is part of current management, from extraordinary interventions, such as felling and replacing trees or redoing the garden, is also important for determining when a resolution of the meeting is needed.

Planning the care of greenery

Greenery maintenance is cyclical and predictable: pruning, mowing and stability checks have a cadence that can be planned at the start of the year. Placing these activities in a calendar, with the relevant suppliers and budget, makes it possible to spread the work across the right seasons and to report it clearly to owners.

With AmministraPro the manager can schedule green-space work, manage contracts with gardening firms, store tree stability assessments and link the costs to the condominium's budget. The maintenance and supplier management features are described on /funzioni, with the plans available on /prezzi.