An employee shared a startling image of a tree on-site at their work location.
Until recently, the employee had always thought the tree just had an unusual trunk. After finally examining the tree up close, however, the employee realized it was wrapped tightly in a bizarre fabric.
Since the fabric had been around the tree for so long, lichen started to grow on top of the burlap. Concerned about the tree's health, the employee reached out to Reddit's r/arborists forum for advice.
"I am assuming this was to protect the tree when it was young, but it seems to be preventing the trunk from growing any wider," wrote the employee. "Should we remove the fabric?"
Redditors offered advice on helping the tree.
"Almost feel bad for destroying that tiny ecosystem but you should really remove that," responded one user.
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"Remove fabric and push back the mulch around the base of the tree a bit (until you see the flare or top root at the base)," wrote another Redditor.
Landscaping fabrics are often wrapped around trees to keep the roots together during the transportation process.
However, once the tree is planted, the fabric should be removed from the trunk. Landscaping fabrics can hinder plant growth while leaching toxic microplastics into the soil.
When it comes to gardening, it's best to avoid adding these types of fabrics to your yard. They're not only a waste of money, but they can actually do more harm than good in the long run. Contrary to popular belief, landscaping fabrics don't keep weeds from growing.
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When designing your yard, it's also better to stick to natural lawn options. By growing native plants or clover instead of grass, you'll save both time and money on lawn maintenance.
The employee updated Redditors after removing the fabric. Without the tight fabric, the trunk was able to grow healthily.
"I'm sure the tree let out a huge sigh of relief!" commented one user.
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