Your home and yard are a representation of you and can be a reflection of your personal style. One homeowner took to Reddit to discuss whether their aesthetic choice would be harmful to trees.
If you have a burning question about trees, look no further than the arborist community on Reddit. The helpful folks on the r/arborists forum will help you with everything from city regulations to how to keep your trees healthy.
One person asked the hobbyists and experts on the subreddit for advice on how to keep a tree healthy. The poster is based in California and asked: "Is this 1-2" layer of rocks harmful to my young sycamore? I think rocks look better than mulch or exposed soil, but I don't want to stress the tree out or suffocate it."
The attached photo shows a small garden plot with a couple of cacti and a small tree. The area is covered with rocks. This style of landscaping is neat and tidy but may not be ideal for all climates.
Creating the yard of your dreams can mean different things to different people. Some folks want to create a wild natural space that is welcoming to local fauna. Other homeowners like a grass lawn — if this is your preference, consider an alternative to traditional buffalo grass to save money and water.
Using rocks in your yard is called xeriscaping and can be good for a low-maintenance home and dry climates. National Geographic wrote about an arid city in California's embrace of the technique: "The city's water department estimated that the houses that chose xeriscaping saved 120 gallons of water a day."
However, xeriscaping relies on using plants that thrive in deserts and can handle minimal water and extreme heat. Sycamore trees are from the much more temperate climates of the eastern United States, so this landscaping style may not suit their needs.
Folks on Reddit reinforced that using rocks in this garden bed may harm the original poster's tree.
One person who thought the rocks were a bad choice wrote: "What little pervious area is left will retain zero moisture and will be hotter than the alternative of shredded hardwood bark mulch."
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"I think that having a proper mulch bed would be quite helpful. One major benefit is moderating extreme temperatures, where the rocks will just exacerbate them," another tree fan suggested.
Someone else seemed less concerned about the tree, saying: "In the Bay area, people do this all the time. Does not seem like the sycamores care. Very hardy."
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