Top-rated landscapers in Miami, FL

Miami yards grow on limestone rock and face hurricane season every year, and both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County set rules for yard work. This guide covers the local rules and conditions. For the statewide picture, see the Florida guide.

Planting in Miami limestone

UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade's article on South Florida soils describes local ground as some sand, some marl and a lot of Miami Limestone, an oolitic limestone. What that means:

• High pH: the limestone runs about 7.8 to 8.4, which keeps many plants from taking up some micronutrients. Extension applies boron and zinc as a foliar spray and iron as a chelated drench over the roots.
• Poor holding: the rock holds little water or nutrients, so Extension recommends slow-release fertilizer and plenty of mulch and compost.
• No "good soil" in the hole: amending a planting hole can create a container effect, so it isn't recommended.
• Fruit trees: mango, sapodilla and avocado do well; lychee, longan, carambola and mamey have a harder time.

Trees that stand up to hurricanes

UF/IFAS's Selecting Tropical and Subtropical Tree Species for Wind Resistance ranks trees by hurricane damage. Its highest-rated group includes gumbo limbo, live oak, sand live oak, buttonwood, geiger tree, lignum vitae and sabal palm. Its lowest-rated group includes Australian pine, melaleuca, weeping banyan, queen palm and avocado. Native trees survived better than non-natives in three South Florida hurricanes, and pruned trees, trees with more rooting space and trees planted in groups held up better.

Miami-Dade County's hurricane tree preparation page says not to start pruning during a Hurricane Watch or Warning, not to remove more than 25 percent of the canopy, and never to top or "hatrack" a tree.

Tree permits: city or county?

Miami-Dade County requires a tree removal or relocation permit for any tree not specifically exempt, but the City of Miami enforces its own tree ordinance. Inside city limits, you deal with the city.

The City's standalone tree permit covers removing, relocating or trimming a tree on private property or in the right-of-way swale. Trimming needs a permit only when it removes 25 percent or more of the tree. You apply in iBuild with a written reason, a tree survey, a replacement planting plan, and photos or an arborist report. Prohibited or dead trees will most likely not need replacement planting or a permit fee. Questions go to Environmental Resources at (786) 570-2934.

Want a tree in your swale? Request one through 311: the city's Urban Forestry Program plants and waters it, and after the warranty period 311 still handles trimming.

In unincorporated Miami-Dade, the county will tell you whether a tree needs a permit if you email leaf photos, the address and the trunk diameter to [email protected], according to its permit package.

Under section 163.045 of the Florida Statutes, no local government can require a permit or replanting for a residential tree that an ISA certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect documents as an unacceptable risk. The county has also made certain prohibited plants illegal to sell, propagate or plant.

Miami-Dade's fertilizer rules

Miami-Dade's fertilizer regulations apply throughout the county, including inside the City of Miami:

• Rainy season ban: no fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus from May 15 through October 31.
• Nitrogen: no more than 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet a year, and granular products must be at least 65 percent slow-release.
• Phosphorus: prohibited unless a soil test shows a deficiency.
• No-fertilizer zone: within 20 feet of the top of the bank of any water body, including Biscayne Bay, canals, wetlands and seawalls.

Watering in Miami-Dade

The South Florida Water Management District sets the regional rule (see the Florida guide), and Miami-Dade's outdoor water restrictions set the days:

• Odd-numbered addresses: Wednesday and Saturday.
• Even-numbered addresses: Thursday and Sunday.
• Hours: before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
• New landscaping: every day except Fridays for the first 90 days. Keep the receipt.
• Exempt: 100 percent reclaimed water, and drip or micro-jet systems.

The rules cover every water source, including private wells. Single-family homes with a working in-ground system can get a free irrigation evaluation and retrofit rebates of up to $500 a year for five years (786-552-8974).

Local help: UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade

The UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County office is at 18710 SW 288 Street in Homestead, (305) 248-3311. For plant problems, email a Master Gardener at [email protected] or call 305-679-0222. It also offers home gardening workshops and the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program.

What it costs

Quotes vary with lot size, access and the work involved. These national ranges from our cost guides are a starting point:

• 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.
• Landscaping: about $4.50 to $17 per square foot. See how much landscaping costs.
• Sprinkler system: about $1,600 to $3,600 installed. See sprinkler system costs.

Hiring a pro in Miami

• Get two or three written quotes with the scope, materials and timeline spelled out.
• For tree removal, ask who pulls the city permit and handles replacement planting. For a dangerous tree, ask for the arborist's written risk assessment.
• For trimming, keep it under 25 percent of the canopy, with no hatracking. The county advises hiring a certified arborist and checking their license and insurance.
• For fertilizing, confirm the company follows the May 15 to October 31 ban and the 20-foot water setback.
• For new trees, ask how the species rates for wind and whether it's on the county's prohibited list.