Top-rated landscapers in Lakeland, FL

Lakeland yard work answers to the city for trees, watering and shorelines, and to Polk County for fertilizer. With dozens of lakes in town, most of those rules come back to keeping runoff out of the water. For zones, statewide grasses and licensing, see the Florida guide.

Tree permits in Lakeland

The city's urban forest page points owners to a Tree Removal Permit Application to remove a tree from residential or commercial property, whether it's dead, diseased, damaged or coming out for construction. Applications go through the Building Inspection Division (863.834.6012), which can confirm whether your tree needs one. The detailed standards are in Article 4.5 of the city's Land Development Code.

Under section 163.045 of the Florida Statutes, the owner of a single-family home who has a signed risk assessment from an ISA certified arborist or Florida-licensed landscape architect showing a tree poses an unacceptable risk needs no local permit to remove or prune it.

Street and park trees

The city manages more than 56,000 street and park trees; private trees aren't its responsibility. Report downed limbs or trees on public property to the tree crew, [email protected] or 863.834.2233 (weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).

Fertilizer: Polk County's ordinance

Polk County's fertilizer ordinance applies to unincorporated areas and to cities that hadn't adopted their own ordinance, and UF/IFAS's fertilizer ordinance map lists no municipal ordinance for Lakeland. UF/IFAS Extension Polk County's residents' guide sums up the rules:

• Near water: no fertilizer within 10 feet of any waterbody or wetland, and a low-maintenance zone in that strip is strongly encouraged.
• Rates: no more than 1 pound of slow-release nitrogen, or 0.5 pound of water-soluble nitrogen, per 1,000 square feet per application.
• New sod or seed: no nitrogen or phosphorus before seeding or sodding, or for the first 30 days after.
• Weather: no nitrogen or phosphorus during severe weather or when rain is likely to exceed 2 inches within 24 hours.
• Hard surfaces: use spreaders with a deflector shield, sweep up spills, and never blow clippings or fertilizer into streets, storm drains or water.

The guide lists no summer blackout period like the ones in Tampa or Orlando. See also when to fertilize your lawn.

Lakes and shorelines

There are 38 named lakes within city limits, plus many smaller ones, and Lakeland's storm drains discharge directly to a lake, pond, creek or wetland, not to a treatment plant.

For lakefront lots, the city's lakeshore guidance says shoreline projects need city permits, docks and seawalls need building permits, and other agencies may require their own. All aquatic plant management is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The city encourages keeping native aquatic plants, and unpermitted work can mean restoration requirements and significant fines. Call the Lakes and Stormwater Division at 863-834-3300 before clearing a shoreline.

Watering in Lakeland

In normal times, Lakeland's year-round schedule allows lawn watering up to twice a week, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.:

• Even addresses: Thursday and/or Sunday
• Odd addresses: Wednesday and/or Saturday
• No discernible address (common areas): Tuesday and/or Friday

Hand watering and micro-irrigation of plants other than lawns can be done any day, at any time.

When the Southwest Florida Water Management District issues a water shortage order, the city tightens this. Under its Phase III order, for example, lawns could be watered once a week by the last digit of the address (0 or 1 Monday, through 8 or 9 Friday), and properties under an acre could use only one window: before 4 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Automatic systems need a working rain shut-off device, and violations can bring penalties up to $500. For current rules, check that page or call (863) 834-6193.

The city's rebates page lists a free sprinkler check-up for customers averaging at least 14,000 gallons a month with 12 months of history, and a rebate for switching to a WaterSense-labeled smart controller (email [email protected]). See drip irrigation vs. sprinklers.

Cold snaps

UF/IFAS Extension Polk County says plant-damaging cold reaches the area every couple of years. Use frost cloth and bring containers inside. Leave damaged foliage until around the first of March, since it protects roots from another frost, then cut stems back to green.

Other local rules

• Historic districts: Lakeland has seven historic districts. A new fence there needs a Certificate of Review, and starting without one brings a $350 penalty.
• Grass height: the city's code enforcement FAQ presumes grass and weeds over 12 inches tall a public nuisance.
• Yard waste: city collection takes branches no longer than 5 feet or thicker than 5 inches, and bags or bundles up to 40 pounds; piles larger than 6 by 4 feet must be requested. When you've hired a private contractor, the city says the homeowner or contractor must remove the debris.

Local help: Polk County Extension

The UF/IFAS Extension Polk County office is at 1702 Highway 17 South in Bartow, (863) 519-1041. Its Plant Clinic is staffed during business hours (call or text (863) 519-1057, or email [email protected]) and offers soil pH testing for a small fee. See also how to test your lawn soil.

What it costs

These national ranges from our cost guides are a starting point; Lakeland quotes vary with lot size and access:

• Tree removal: about $385 to $1,070 for most trees, and more for very large or hard-to-reach ones. See tree removal costs.
• Tree trimming: about $430 to $640 per tree on average. See tree trimming costs.
• Lawn care: monthly plans about $100 to $500, mowing about $44 to $71 per visit. See lawn care costs.
• Sprinkler system: about $1,600 to $3,600 installed. See sprinkler system costs.

Hiring a pro in Lakeland

• Get two or three written quotes with the scope and timeline spelled out.
• For tree removal, ask who will check with Building Inspection about a permit, or ask for the arborist's signed risk assessment.
• For fertilizing, ask whether the crew follows Polk County's 10-foot water buffer and rate limits.
• On a lakefront lot, confirm who will get city and FWC approval before any shoreline plants are removed.
• For irrigation, have the installer set the controller to your watering days, with a working rain shut-off device.
• Put debris hauling in the quote, since contractor debris isn't the city's to collect.
• Check licenses for work that needs one. The city notes that a business tax receipt is not a license, though storm cleanup such as removing fallen trees needs none.
• Before digging, make sure someone contacts Sunshine 811, as covered in the Florida guide.