A newcomer to the gardening world was crushed when their landlord forced them to remove their tomato plant from their front yard, claiming it was a neighborhood eyesore.
The novice plant enthusiast came to Reddit's r/gardening forum asking for tips on what flowers they could grow instead to match the impressive blooms of their neighbor.
"My poor first plant," the original poster captioned the photo of the discarded vines. "I was so happy and got into gardening because of how well this one was doing."
According to the Redditor, they had asked their landlord to allow the plant to grow for a few more weeks so the tomatoes could ripen and be harvested, but the tenant's request was denied.
Not only do these sorts of strict regulations made by landlords and HOAs strip away the personal touches and care that tenants put into making their living space feel like home, but they can also prevent eco-friendly additions to communities that could do a great deal of good for the planet.
For example, gardens can be vital for supporting local ecosystems, especially pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Growing your own produce can even help you eat healthier, save money, and cut down on waste.
There's a deeply personal aspect of cultivating a garden, which can bring a sense of peace and accomplishment, so it can be emotionally troubling for those who are forced to quite literally miss out on the fruits of their labor as this Redditor did.
There are steps you can take to negotiate bylaws with your HOA for those looking to change overly restrictive rules that have to do with earth-friendly changes to your home.
Fellow Reddit users flooded the post's comment section with sympathy and fantastic flower recommendations to help them along in their future gardening endeavors.
"Your landlord is an idiot," one of the top-voted comments plainly stated.
"This is so tragic I want to cry. I'm so sorry," a commenter wrote.
"You gotta wonder how miserable someone must be to make them tear out a productive tomato plant," another Redditor mentioned.
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