Homeowners can reap a lot of benefits from growing native plants, but if the roots are damaged, even the hardiest of plants might not survive. One Redditor shared their concern over another homeowner's mistreated tree.
In the r/arborists subreddit, the original poster shared multiple photos of a tree in someone's yard. The first photo showed that a deep ditch had been dug all around the tree, cutting off many roots and potentially damaging others.
The final photo revealed this ditch had been filled in with a cinderblock wall, which will make it a challenge for root growth. "At least they didn't bury the root flare (anymore than it already was)," the OP wrote.
The root flare is at the base of a tree trunk where the main roots begin to spread out. It's important to keep the flare above ground to help stabilize the tree and allow a proper amount of oxygen and moisture.
Most native plants and trees, once rooted and stable, require much less time and maintenance than non-native plants. They also save homeowners money. Since they don't need as much water or as many chemical treatments, they cut down on water bills and service fees.
Native plants are also great for creating a healthy ecosystem for pollinators — including bees and butterflies — which do the important work of protecting our food supply.
There are a lot of beautiful, low-maintenance native plants to choose from and tons of landscaping designs to consider when rewilding your yard. There are also great options for switching to a natural lawn, such as clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping.
For those looking to take small steps to get started, even a partial lawn replacement can offer benefits to homeowners. With proper initial care — such as avoiding root damage — native plants will flourish in their natural environments.
Other Redditors were also outraged at what had been done to the tree in the OP's post.
"Straight to jail," one user said.
Another commented, "So nice of them to build a sarcophagus for their tree."
"WHY?" someone else simply asked.
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