Arbor Day was established to celebrate trees and their beneficial ecosystem services they provide for humans and our environment. Florida Arbor Day is on January 19, 2024, as cooler months are the best time to plant trees, although trees can be planted all year round in Florida.
If you want to plant a tree, but are not sure which tree species to plant, use our Florida-Friendly Landscaping plant app https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ and search for trees by your zip code.
When planting a tree, here are some tips. Select the right tree for the right place in your yard. Don’t forget to look for overhead and underground utilities or call 811 to have them marked. Dig the hole shallow and wide, 2 to 3x the width of the root ball. Inspect the root ball and trim any circling roots. Locate the uppermost root and use that for a guide, in sandy soils the top root should be at the same level as the soil around the tree. Stake if needed and water in. Staking materials should be removed after 1 year. Watering should continue on a regular basis for one year or until establishment.
More on tree planting and establishment in Florida:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ep314
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/planting/planting-and-establishing-trees.html
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If you have any questions, please contact the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County at 813-744-5519 or email hillsmg@mail.ufl.edu.
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