Milton, GA
Home MenuPlant! Milton
The mission of Plant! Milton is to engage, educate and encourage citizens, community groups and businesses to plant trees, increasing the tree canopy and thereby enhancing the quality of life in Milton.
read more on this webpage or click on the links below to learn more about this important initiative.
Ready more about Plant! Milton in this News Release
View -- and print to share -- our Plant! Milton brochure
"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Opportunities to learn, engage, and plant a tree
We offer several ways for people to embrace the tree-loving spirit, such as:
- Picking up a free seedling offered at City events during prime tree-planting season (mid-November through the end of February). For the 2023-2024 season, seedlings as well as garden kneeler pads were given away at the Holiday Market, Bring One for the Chipper, and Arbor Day.
- Reading, and learning from, regular tree-relevant posts on the City of Milton's Facebook page
- Attending a "tree tour" (like the one held at Bell Memorial Park detailed here) or other such educational opportunity
- Learning more about the importance and life of trees through this webpage, educational materials, and at events like on Arbor Day and Earth Day.
Do you have questions about trees? Like, when is the best time of year to plant? Where is the best spot in your yard, or best type of soil, to put them in? What species do best in Milton? How can you keep pests away?
You can ask Milton’s City Arborist Sandra Dewitt. In a new monthly feature here and on the City’s social media, Dewitt will answer tree-related questions that residents are asking.
If you have a tree-related question (please, nothing specific to your property i.e., "can I cut this tree down in my yard?") email askthearborist@miltonga.gov. If you have questions specific to tree removal permits, email sandra.dewitt@miltonga.gov.
City Arborist Sandra Dewitt answers tree-related questions from residents as part of our “Ask the Arborist” feature. Below are links to those questions and answers, as originally posted to the City’s Facebook page.
- Of two trees planted side-by-side, one is thriving and the other struggling. Why?
- Should I water my tree and, if so, how?
- How do I know if I have pine beetles and, if so, what do I do?
- What's the impact of a "freeze" after trees start to bloom/produce leaves?
- Should you prune crepe myrtles?
- When is the best time to plant a tree?
- Why do tree roots sometimes “surface”? What can be done if it does?
- Can I cut the top off a tall pine without hurting it?
- Why do leaves change color and fall off?
- If mushrooms are growing out of a tree, is the tree is in trouble?
- Can a tree struck by lightning survive?
- What is -- and what can be done about -- the powder-looking coating on crape myrtle leaves?
- How can you explain the recent discoloration of oak tree leaves?
- Should sod be installed right up to a tree’s trunk?
- Do holes mean that a tree is dying? How can they be explained?
- Does a tree’s bark change as its ages? If it does, should you worry?
- If you have a bifurcated tree, should you cut the smaller, thinner part for the “main” tree’s health?
Why plant trees?
- Filter the air and give off oxygen
- Reduce noise and glare
- Provide wildlife habitat
- Reduce stormwater runoff
- Provide shade and cooling
When should trees be planted in Milton?
- From November-February (colder months, when trees are dormant)
- Trees can thrive after being planted other times of year, but they may require some extra TLC (especially more water)
Examples of trees native to Georgia (that are great to plant in Milton)
- American Holly - Ilex opaca
- Basswood (American Linden) - Tilia americana
- Beech - Fagus grandifolia
- Blackgum (Black Tupelo) - Nyssa sylvatica
- Eastern Redbud - Cercis canadensis
- Eastern Redcedar - Juniperus virginiana
- Flowering Dogwood - Cornus florida
- Loblolly Pine -- Pinus taeda
- Northern Red Oak -- Quercus rubra
- Persimmon -- Diospyros virginiana
- Pignut Hickory - Carya glabra
- Red Maple - Acer rubrum
- Scarlett Oak - Quercus coccinea
- Slippery Elm - Ulmus rubra
- Southern Crabapple - Malus angustifolia
- Southern Red Oak - Quercus falcata
- Sweetbay Magnolia - Magnolia virginiana
- White Oak - Quercus alba
Check out this VIDEO from the North Fulton Master Gardeners titled, "Right Tree! Right Place!" An expert explains how to select trees and shrubs that should thrive in the region, as well as where you should plant them and how you can maintain them. | WATCH
To find a qualified private arborist in our area, CLICK HERE.
These organizations offer insights, resources and passion for trees:
| North Fulton Master Gardeners | nmfg.net |
| International Society of Arboriculture | treesaregood.org |
| Arbor Day Foundation | arborday.org |
| Georgia Forestry Commission | gatrees.org |
| Georgia Tree Council | gatreecouncil.org |
Apps for identifying plants and trees
| iNaturalist | iOS | Google Play |
| Seek (by iNaturalist) | iOS | Google Play |
Mark Law Arboretum
The Mark Law Arboretum at Bell Memorial Park is named after Milton's first and long-time Arborist, who passed away in February 2019. Mark Law began working for Milton shortly after its incorporation in 2006, and became one of the City's most beloved and respected employees, ambassadors and stewards of nature.
Click HERE for an interactive map of the Mark Law Arboretum.