Issue 66 | October 2024

Sunrise Good and Green News & Updates

Sunrise Fruit Tree Giveaway

The City of Sunrise will be giving away FREE fruit trees at the Cultural Festival on November 9, at City Park. Trees will be available first come, first serve. You must be a City resident with your photo ID in-person to get a tree. One tree per household. Scroll to the bottom to see the list of trees available and learn to grow your own fruits!

City Calendar

Take Action this Month

October 24 is International Day of Climate Action, a call to action for everyone to work toward minimizing climate change, to maintain a more livable world through more sustainable choices. The first International Day of Climate Action was organized by 350.org in 2009. The Sunrise Sustainability Advisory Board asks you to start by pledging to Pass Up Plastics.

10 Things You Can Do

A Plant Affair to Remember

The annual Broward County Plant Affair is presented by the Plantation Historical Society, and a favorite of indoor and outdoor gardeners - there's a wide range of plants from native plants to tropical and indoor plants, and garden art. The event will be held at Volunteer Park (12050 W. Sunrise Blvd, Plantation) on October 26 & 27 from 9 am to 4 pm. The event has free entry and free parking.

Plantation Historical Society

BOO-RIFIC Bathrooms

Consider replacing that scary old toilet for a new water-saving model. Sunrise Utilities offers $125 Toilet Rebates to replace old toilets that use 1.6 gallons or more of water per flush (gpf) with a WaterSense® certified, High-Efficiency Toilet that uses 1.28 gpf or less. Apply for the rebate before you replace the toilet. Sunrise Utilities also offers free water-saving devices and toilet leak detection tablets.

Conservation Pays

Volunteer in the Markham Park Butterfly Garden

Whether you are in need of some community service hours, want to learn more about butterfly gardening, or just enjoy volunteering outdoors Markham Park needs volunteers to help tend the Butterfly Garden. They have multiple dates this fall, but there may be park entry fees. Volunteers need to preregister through Hands On Broward.

Broward Parks Calendar

The Time to Plant (Fruit) Trees - is Always Now!

Don't miss our Growing Your Own Amazing Tropical Fruits workshop, with special guest speaker Julieta Ross, where you will learn the basics and improve your confidence in planting and nourishing fruit trees. Download Workshop Flyer and Speaker Bio [PDF]

Harvest Fruit Year 'Round in Your Sunrise Yard

Growing fruit is an interesting and rewarding hobby, and fruit trees are an attractive addition to many landscapes. Since different plants yield fruit at different times, with proper planning you could harvest fruit from your yard all year!

Selecting a Tree

Here in Sunrise, we’re fortunate that we can grow a variety of fruits. For best results, look for subtropical and tropical plants— those that do well in USDA Hardiness Zone 11. Fruit trees that are not adapted to local conditions will generally fail to produce regardless of how much care and attention they receive.

Continue Reading (Horizons page 4)

A Sustainable and Fruitful Future

South Florida provides a unique environment for a variety of tropical fruit trees to flourish.

Not only do fruit trees provide a delicious and nutrient dense crop, but growing them locally fosters a deeper appreciation for the natural world, and benefits the environment:

Fostering Local Wildlife. Fruit trees provide sanctuary and food to for bees, birds – and citrus trees are the larval plant for the Giant Swallowtail butterfly!

Keeping It Cool. Growing fruit trees around the house can provide shade and lower energy costs – especially in hot, sunny South Florida.

Reducing Carbon Footprint. Locally grown fruit needs only to travel a short distance, from your backyard to your table, resulting in fewer fossil fuels used for transportation, shipping, and packing material.

Fruits UF IFAS Gardening Solutions

Video: What is a carbon footprint? | The Invading Sea

This bite-sized video describes what a carbon footprint means and ways to reduce the emissions that it includes.

Watch Video

The City of Sunrise Good and Green Team and volunteers are excited to see you at the Cultural Festival Fruit Tree Giveaway! Click the image below to learn more about each of fruit tree species we're planning to have available at the event (species may be subject to change).

Dwarf Mango Varieties

Avocado

Meyer Lemon

Sugar Apple/Sweetsop

Lychee

Finger Lime

Soursop/Guanabana

Pink Guava

If you have questions about the different fruit tree species above, or want to learn more about growing your own fruit trees - register now for the Growing Your Own Amazing Tropical Fruit Workshop on 11/2!