When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what do you do when the arid Los Angeles climate is making the lemon tree in your backyard dry and/or dead?
That's the current predicament posted on Reddit in the r/Arborists subreddit, as the distressed homeowner asks for advice on the lemon tree in their new home that was "thriving" a few months back when they moved into the Los Angeles residence (but clearly not anymore).
They captioned their post: "Help! I'm getting the runaround." They also mention that they've had three gardening experts come out and water it three times per week, to no avail.
One Redditor commented: "I don't know where lemons are originally from. But I can't imagine they like being in pea-stone gravel as much as they'd like being in soil/mulch."
This brings up a valid point: Lemon trees are native to Asia and grow best in sun with well-drained soil. A gravel plot in Los Angeles is far from the optimal location for the plant. While everyone would likely welcome a beautiful lemon tree in their yard, there's no denying that trying to grow plants, trees, and grass not native to your area can have ramifications involving time and money.
Hence the push for shifting the gardening mindset to rewilding and natural lawns: a technique that is proved to have benefits for your time management, wallet, and the planet.
With vanity-driven lawns that house artificially green grass and foreign plants, the upkeep is an endless cycle of fertilizer and water. In fact, 30% to 60% of potable water in the U.S. is spent trying to hydrate lawns, according to the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Pristine lawns are a "literal battle with nature," according to an Outside article.
Rewilding and natural lawns don't need as much fertilizer or water to keep them healthy and growing. Not to mention, they enrich biodiversity and enhance the ecology of your community.
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If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 But if you aren't convinced yet about the benefits of a natural lawn and rewilding and insist on keeping your lemon tree intact, then Reddit is still quick to offer a helping hand with some potential "lemonade making" tips.
As one Redditor suggested: "Make sure your irrigation is working. If not that COULD be the problem OR the stones + hot dry weather could be part of the issue. The tree is definitely up there in age and has some rot issues."
Maybe the new adage should go that when life gives you lemons, you invest in a natural lawn so that the environment and living beings alike can prosper in the metaphorical lemonade bliss.
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