One gardener took to the Reddit thread r/LandlordLove to ask for opinions on a debacle with their landlord over tomato plants.
The thread is dedicated to tenants frustrated by the actions of their landlord, and there seems to be a trend of landlords taking issue with their tenants' gardens.
This Redditor's post included a photo of the side of their house, which was strewn with green vines. This was the aftermath of their tomato plants being "hacked to pieces" by the building's maintenance man.
The Redditor confirmed in the caption that they had previously gotten the garden beds and tomato plants approved by the landlord, and that the tenant and their partner are the only ones who use this entrance.
Understandably, they were shocked to hear the maintenance man's explanation for the destruction was that the tomatoes were a "trip hazard" and had to be removed. They mentioned that they'd known the plants were "a little wild," but they had no warning from their landlord.
"I would've zip tied them to the tomato cage if [the problem] was expressed to me," the upset Redditor said in the post. "I don't know if i am overreacting to this but I'm very upset."
One commenter mentioned, "It may not have come from the [landlord]. I had a lawn guy murder my lilies before. But I think he just didn't realize what they were." That is plausible, given that the original poster replied saying that the maintenance man had been cutting back other plants, and that the tomatoes might just be "collateral damage."
The unfortunate situation goes to show just how many people are unfamiliar with what it looks like to let wildlife grow at its own discretion. Growing healthy wildlife, whether it's produce, flowers, or other plants, may not look like a perfectly manicured lawn — it's a different type of beauty.
Remedying this is sometimes a matter of educating, like the tenant who convinced their landlord to allow for a native yard instead of wasting money on grass and pesticides. Other times, it's just landlords or homeowners associations that aren't willing to hear about the benefits yet.
Regardless, commenters were insistent that the landlord and his maintenance man were in the wrong in this case. "He should have to replace or pay you for them," said one user. Others shared similar, frustrating experiences. "What a coincidence. My landlord just poisoned my whole front bed of wildflowers with no notice as well," wrote another.
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