Things Not To Plant in your yard.
 

Just my opinion, however, I do have some experience with the following.

These are some things I highly recommend you Do Not plant in your yard in The Villages. Please add whatever else you feel is appropriate.

1. Live Oak. Well, you may not have a choice here as one may already exist on your property. I love oak trees, and the shade they offer is welcomed from the heat of the sun.

However, you be forever dealing with relentless and testy little leaves and acorns that are difficult to control and clean up. They will ruin your lawn.

Personally, I would resist buying a home that already had an oak tree in the yard. And your nearby neighbor's live oak tree will also add to your endless yardwork.

They grow slowly but will eventually become enormous and offer yet more leaves and acorns.

2. Magnolia trees. These also grow very large and add to your relentless yard work. The flowers are lovely but I'm not a big fan of the huge leaves.

3. Citrus trees. Don't do it. It's tempting I know. Citrus trees take more care than one might imagine. So many of these grow unattended. There may be exceptions with some folks but the fruit will be beyond your ability to process or give away. It will fall and rot and attrack rats. And, in turn, the rats will attract snakes. Fruit trees are especially problematic for snow birds to manage.

The upside is that many citrus trees are quite attractive and the scent of the blossoms is exquisite.

4. Palm trees. I have four sylvester (king) palms, one pindo and one European fan.

The king and queen palms will grow beyond your ability to prune yourself. You will have to hire a crew annually to do that for you. Also, all palms have incredibly nasty thorns. You could lose an eye if not careful. The immature leaves are sharp spikes. Queen palm pods are extremely heavy and they will fall. The fruit from the king palms is significant to clean up.

European fan palms are full of needle like black slivers.

Face it, these trees evolved to protect themselves. It's tempting but don't plant palm trees. You'll thank me some day.

5. Anything else with nasty thorns unless you want a barrier between your home and your neighbors.

Oak Trees, I bought a new home in Pinellas Park Florida in 1976, that's between Clearwater and St. Pete. Since it was new, the developer had cleared out all the trees as so many do. So I left one year later in '77 there only shrubs in the front yard.

A couple of years ago I googled the address and on google maps street view the front had the biggest oak tree you can fit. I just took a screen shot of the home. This tree did not exist in 1977. A little extra info, I paid $35,500 for the home new and it sold a couple of years ago for $212K, and it was tiny, only 1200 sf, it was tan with dark brown Bahama Shutters over the front two windows.

https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...17&oe=6055B696

When I was looking for a home I eliminated every house with a live oak

My mother's first home in TV(on Gonzales in Mira Mesa) had a Live Oak. We never heard the end of it. She was out there sweeping every day.

My sister bought her a new house, got mom moved into it. Guess what we never heard the end of then? How much she loved that other house. lol

Do not plant husband/wife in garden.
Police these days have dogs trained to sniff out cadavers!

We bought a home that has a magnolia and queen palm. The OP is correct on both his points about these trees. The magnolia dumps its huge leaves twice a year and makes a lot of work (for my husband). The seed pods from the queen palm can kill someone, they’re so heavy, and woe to anyone who lets those pods open up to dump the seeds!

Also, if you’re going to plant Mexican petunias, make sure you plant them in a container. These plants are so invasive it took me three years and a lot of roundup to get rid of them.

We also inherited a growth of bamboo. We cut it all down and dumped roundup on all of it, and now we are dealing with a thatch of interwoven roots that are impossible to dig out, and are slowly breaking off the base of each shoot as it rots. Still don’t know what we’re going to do with the root thatch yet. Set it on fire? Don’t know yet.

We are careful with the roundup, but it definitely has its uses.

Live oaks are probably my most favorite tree. However, they grow a minimum of 50" tall and 50' wide, and the postage-size lots in TV are not large enough to accommodate them. They will cause a problem as they mature.

Don't worry about leaves from trees ruining your grass. Invest in a blower and you will be happy. You probably have a lawn guy doing your property, so the leaves aren't an issue for you, anyway.

Palm trees??? Rats live in their canopy. Need I say more?

There are many varieties of Magnolias that can be planted here because of their smaller size. Their leaves are easy to simply pick up when they shed.

Sorry, but citrus trees are easy. They don't require a lot of water and only need to be fertilized a couple of times a year. Your neighbors will thank you for what they produce.

One word: Bougainvilleas.
They have thorns, invade everything, and are impossible to remove unless they're dug up.
Word has it that the crown of thorns placed on the brow of Jesus Christ was the bougainvillea. I believe it.

Bougainvillea plants are quite beautiful, at a distance. I meant to add them to my original list.

The thorns on these plants are hard to imagine. I agree with not planting in a small yard.

I love our oak tree. (Might be Laurel Oak.) And it’s far enough from our house it’s no threat. Yep, a little leaf raking or blowing for a short time each year. But it’s beautiful and well worth it. And it provides shade and filtering of direct sunlight for our west facing house. We sit on our porch and watch the sunsets regularly. Beautiful. :)

I agree with every one. Good advice.

You nailed it. And if anyone says their magnolia is “dwarf,” we’re talking 40 feet. I think TV has stopped planting them (and others) in residential yards. Right plant, right place.

Like an up thread poster, I would not buy a home with a live oak.

I agree, I’ve got two. Every time I trim them I pull out bloodily stub of hand along with scratched up arms.

Yep.

It appears your glass is half empty.

Where were you 8 1/2 years ago? I wish I'd never planted palms. What a mess! Can't wait till they are dead and gone but then I might be before they are.

Thank you for all the great advice! So, what trees WOULD you recommend? Thanks!

Hi all, new to FL and TV. So what would you suggest planting in a small area for privacy? The landscaper suggested 2 Bougainville. After reading your comments I told him definitely not. Thank you.

Tree hater
 

You just don’t like or appreciate the Beaty and air they provide the sHade from the relentless sun[how sad a yard without a tree


QUOTE=bobdeb;1904808]Just my opinion, however, I do have some experience with the following.

These are some things I highly recommend you Do Not plant in your yard in The Villages. Please add whatever else you feel is appropriate.

1. Live Oak. Well, you may not have a choice here as one may already exist on your property. I love oak trees, and the shade they offer is welcomed from the heat of the sun.

However, you be forever dealing with relentless and testy little leaves and acorns that are difficult to control and clean up. They will ruin your lawn.

Personally, I would resist buying a home that already had an oak tree in the yard. And your nearby neighbor's live oak tree will also add to your endless yardwork.

They grow slowly but will eventually become enormous and offer yet more leaves and acorns.

2. Magnolia trees. These also grow very large and add to your relentless yard work. The flowers are lovely but I'm not a big fan of the huge leaves.

3. Citrus trees. Don't do it. It's tempting I know. Citrus trees take more care than one might imagine. So many of these grow unattended. There may be exceptions with some folks but the fruit will be beyond your ability to process or give away. It will fall and rot and attrack rats. And, in turn, the rats will attract snakes. Fruit trees are especially problematic for snow birds to manage.

The upside is that many citrus trees are quite attractive and the scent of the blossoms is exquisite.

4. Palm trees. I have four sylvester (king) palms, one pindo and one European fan.

The king and queen palms will grow beyond your ability to prune yourself. You will have to hire a crew annually to do that for you. Also, all palms have incredibly nasty thorns. You could lose an eye if not careful. The immature leaves are sharp spikes. Queen palm pods are extremely heavy and they will fall. The fruit from the king palms is significant to clean up.

European fan palms are full of needle like black slivers.

Face it, these trees evolved to protect themselves. It's tempting but don't plant palm trees. You'll thank me some day.

5. Anything else with nasty thorns unless you want a barrier between your home and your neighbors.[/QUOTE]

I had two queen palms removed just recently for just the reasons you stated. In addition, an irrigation line near the tree had a large leak. I had to use a sawzall to get to the line due to all of the roots from the queen palm. One question - Is there any tree that would be appropriate?

Hemp

We have 3 Sylvesters, a Ribbon palm, and several Sugar palms too around are pool, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. After all we do live in Florida. To not have them would be like not having firs and pine trees in the mountains! Yes there upkeep is a hassle, but if you like them and can afford the upkeep, plant them!

Depends on the individual. I like trees and all they do for the environment. Plus I’m still in pretty good health and am not averse to doing work. Yard work is good exercise that in the long run might contribute to a longer life.

Thanks for the photo. Folks don’t seem to realize how fast trees grow here, including “slow” growth species.

We have a live oak on the property behind us. Although we cut off any limbs coming over the fence to our side, a day will come when we can no longer reach it. The squirrels that it attracts climb our birdcage, are destructive, and like to tease the dog. The tree has grown quite a bit in the 5 years since we moved into this house.

Wish I knew then what I know now!

Agave Cactus is another one that should be added to your list. They multiply, get big and some have sharp points. Also, if they should flower they die and a mess to get rid of.

Black snakes are your friend and harmless, let them be.

Lowe’s & other stores sell palm gloves for pruning. They are heavy gauge & long sleeved. I use them while working with my palm trees & this plant

I went back and looked at my first villa on the golf course in Mallory and could not believe the size of the magnolia that was planted there when I bought it. It would be 16 years old now and it must be 15 feet above the villa fence. No thank u. They are on the golf course I live on, but 50 feet away and are great to look out.

There is a live oak tree behind our house. It’s on TV property but is close enough to shed its leaves on our yard. That happens once a year. It’s a nuisance for about a month but our lawn service removes them when they mow. But the majestic tree is beautiful to look at from the lanai, it provides shade in the back yard, blocks the sun and during storms becomes a wind screen. So yes, the leaves are a bother but the tree gives more than it takes and that is a good measure.

:1rotfl: :1rotfl: :1rotfl: That tree IS ENORMOUS!!!!

Add "Boston Fern" to the list

after a tour of the canals over in Mt Dora and seeing all the beautiful Boston Ferns along the banks we waited and waited for Home Depot to have them....bought three one quart plants and planted them in the front beds along the house

well in six months they were approaching four feet across....the bark mulch needed to be refurbished and I had a contractor coming to do that, but I figured I'd knock the ferns back with a 'weed wacker' beforehand

trimmed two successfully, when I went to the third for some reason I paused and decided to go at it from the side...within moments
an unseen 5+ foot gator that had been laying under the fern came scooting out across the front walk way (this is within 6 feet of our front door).....

he must have come from two streets over where there's a preserve....scared the living you know what out of me that something that big was hiding in our front bed (my wife is behind me yelling 'pocketbook, pocketbook, I hosie, pocketbook) we laugh about it now, but not at the time

When the landscaper came he told me that gators love to rest in Boston ferns....yes I had him take them out

Ditto about bougainvilleas. The flowers fall/blow all over the place, the bush grows like a weed and is hard to prune because of the thorns. In fact, in California they are considered to be weeds, and they grow wild on the sides of the freeways.


Magnolias--they should be put in parks where they can grow into beautiful big trees. The little ones are ugly in shape. The flowers turn brown after one day, and you will be picking up leaves (of yours, and the neighbors' across the street or next to you) forever.


Depending on the prevailing wind, it may not be a problem; it may be a neighbors' problem. Our garage gets full of them from the tree across the street.

Agreed about the magnolia trees. Their roots busted through the irrigation system's pipes of my villa and created a nice little flood around the house for days until I figured out the new hissing sound wasn't coming from my neighbours. Who knows what might be busted under the house too!

I have one king Sylvester, one Robollini and 6 queen palms. The Sylvester has surpassed my ability trim off the never ending dying limbs that have thorns 4 to 6 inches long. The Robollini is a much smaller palm but it's limbs have very sharp 3" thorns. It's limbs are constantly dying and need cutting. The queen palms are starting to become an ongoing problem as well with those huge seed pods and limbs occasionally needing cutting. My one live oak was planted by the developers only about 8 feet from the patio of a neighbor behind me. I have to have it trimmed 2 to 3 times a year to preclude encroachment over my neighbor's patio. Since it is a live oak, I'm not allowed to cut it down and it is a significant liability during storms. I am spending around a $1,000+ a years to maintain these nuisance trees. I wish the developer would have included some landscaping advice like yours in that big thick worthless binder they gave us called "How to be a Villager".

If I had oak trees, especially close to the house, I would try to have them cut down, and replaced by palm trees. There’s no shortage of oak trees, and the world will not miss an oak tree. The oak trees also rot from the inside out. So the oak trees could be weak if too much of the inside is rotted. I’d want palm trees because this is Florida, not a snow belt state!

Some people also avoid plants that deer like to eat. If you have trouble with the deer attacking your plants, there’s a solution that I tried and found works. There’s a product called “Deer Scram!” that actually works! You apply the granular product on the ground near the plants you want to protect. The deer hate the smell of the “Deer Scram!” and avoid the area. After the granular product is sprinkled on the ground, humans can’t smell it. You have to reapply the product about every two weeks. It’s sold on Amazon in 5 gallon buckets for about $75. It comes in much smaller sizes, if you want to test the product on your garden. A 5 gallon bucket of “Deer Scram” will probably last for several months. After about a month using the “Deer Scram!” product, the groups of many deer still avoid our property, and eat the neighbors plants instead of our plants.

Robellini Pygmy Date Palm isn't so bad. Has the thorns and berries, but is short and easy to trim.

If you do, be sure to cover them with a "protected" species of flower...

The Police can't dig that up! :police: ;)

My neighbor has a live oak and those pesky leaves even find their way inside MY garage. They are almost impossible to sweep away. They way they cling to the cement floor is amazing and not in a good way. I don't know why we don't have other types of trees here. Is it the weather or the price or what?

Bougainvillea's can be dangerous 1 thorn out of 1 million contain a bacteria that causes a flesh eating sore. After spending 8 days in the hospital on 3 different types of antibiotics on a drip 16 hours a day. I was ok but It took someone from the CDC after 3 days to figure out why none of the antibiotics were working. That one little thorn stick in my ankle had now grown to half of my ankle being eaten and local Doctors in the Hospital in Orlando did mention amputation if they could not figure it out. The cdc doctor said 2 or 3 cases in Florida of this a year usually in Nursery workers. Just a scar now but I did have the Bougainvillea taken out.

The point is read before you buy. Most any plant will have pluses and minuses. The catch all line is the right plant in the right place. We are all guilty. You go to the garden center or the box store and they all look great in the pot ready to be sold to you.

Mistakes? I am growing blueberries. Our soil ph is 7-8 and they need 4.5-5. For success you will need to grow them in pots-really big pots. Read that as heavy.
Truth they produce tons of fruit. The birds? I figure they are welcome to say 10%
First couple of years they took half. A sign that if they want to take more than 10% they should pay part of the expense. Seems they can't read. A few years they did leave me 10%. Now it is a race and they are either getting fast or I am getting slower.

I am an ex-northerner. At least up north the birds wait for the blueberries to ripen before stealing them. Up north the birds always left me more than enough. Florida birds have no class. They will eat them green and do not care to leave me any for my labor.