Top-rated landscapers in Orlando, FL

Orlando yards answer to several layers of local rules: the city for trees, Orange County for fertilizer and lakeshores, the St. Johns River Water Management District for watering, and OUC, the city's utility provider, for power lines and water rebates. For statewide topics such as lawn grasses and licensing, see the Florida guide.

Tree removal permits

The City of Orlando issues tree removal permits so that only unhealthy, dead, hazardous or problematic trees are cut down. The rules apply inside city limits only, and the city notes that an "Orlando" address may actually be in unincorporated Orange County or another city.

• No permit needed: on residential property, if a TRAQ-certified arborist or a Florida-licensed landscape architect reports that the tree poses a danger. State law then bars any permit, fee, mitigation or replanting requirement.
• Otherwise: the residential fee is $25, and a city arborist inspects the tree within three business days.
• Replacement trees: if the permit requires one, plant it within 60 days and notify the city.

Questions go to [email protected] or 407.246.2283.

Street trees and power lines

The city trims or removes right-of-way trees that are a risk to the roadway or sidewalk, such as low or broken branches and dead or diseased trees. It trims crape myrtles only to remove hazards, and can't trim branches over houses.

Near power lines, OUC trims only trees on its easements and rights-of-way or trees endangering its lines, and trims trees crowding the cable to your home at no cost. Call (407) 423-9018 or request it online.

Fertilizer: follow Orange County

UF/IFAS says Orlando's ordinance is less strict than Orange County's, so follow the county's. Beyond the summer ban, Orange County's rules cover lawns, turf and landscape plants:

• October 1 to May 31: no phosphorus unless a soil test shows a deficiency. Nitrogen must be at least 65% slow-release, no more than 1 pound may be applied per 1,000 square feet, and no lawn may get more than 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
• Near water: no fertilizer within 25 feet of waterways, plus a 10-foot planted zone beside water bodies with no fertilizing or mowing.
• Any time: keep fertilizer and clippings off streets and storm drains, and don't fertilize during a National Weather Service severe thunderstorm, flood, tropical storm or hurricane advisory.

See also when to fertilize your lawn.

Lakes and stormwater ponds

Orange County's Lakeshore Protection permit program doesn't cover the City of Orlando. It tells residents to check their city's code, and notes that a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission permit may be needed. Where the county has jurisdiction, owners can keep a vegetation-free access corridor of 30 feet or 20% of the shoreline, whichever is greater, without a permit, and native trees can't be removed from the shoreline.

For a stormwater pond on private property, the city's pond guidance makes the owner responsible: no fertilizer within 25 feet of water, no leaves or clippings in the pond, and no shrubs or trees in dry ponds.

Watering in Orlando

The St. Johns River Water Management District says all of Orange County follows its restrictions, except the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which follows South Florida's:

• Daylight saving time: odd-numbered or no address, Wednesday and Saturday; even-numbered, Thursday and Sunday.
• Eastern Standard Time: odd or no address, Saturday; even, Sunday.
• Never between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and no more than one hour per zone.

Orange County says the rules cover private wells too; repeat violators pay $25 per violation.

OUC water customers can get up to $200 back for a new WaterSense-labeled smart irrigation controller, and up to $200 for Florida-Friendly plants and drip or micro-irrigation. Neither applies to homes irrigating with reclaimed water, which parts of the city can get. See drip irrigation vs. sprinklers.

Cold snaps

UF/IFAS Extension Orange County says Orlando-area gardeners occasionally see freezes, and flags palms, avocados and mangoes as cold-sensitive. Cover plants with frost cloth or sheets (not plastic) that reach the ground, and water just before the cold front. Afterward, wait for new growth before any heavy pruning.

Local help: Orange County Extension

The UF/IFAS Extension Orange County office is at 6021 S. Conway Rd. (407-254-9200). Its Plant Clinic, staffed by Master Gardener volunteers, is open Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A soil pH test costs $2 per sample (cash or check), and a fuller UF/IFAS lab analysis is $10. See how to test your lawn soil.

What it costs

These national ranges from our cost guides are a starting point; Orlando 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 Orlando

• Get two or three written quotes with the scope and timeline spelled out.
• For tree removal, confirm the property is inside city limits, then ask for the arborist's report or who is getting the permit.
• Near power lines, leave the work to OUC.
• For fertilizing, ask whether the company follows Orange County's summer ban and 25-foot water buffer.
• On a lakefront lot, ask who will check the city's or county's shoreline rules before any plants are cleared.
• For irrigation upgrades, ask for a WaterSense-labeled controller and an itemized invoice, which OUC asks for with a rebate.
• Put debris hauling in the quote. The city's yard waste pickup doesn't take contractor or landscaper waste.