Just because a yard maintenance practice — using landscape fabric, for instance — is commonplace doesn't mean it's beneficial for green spaces, as a recent thread on Reddit's r/arborists forum illustrates.
A decorative ring of rocks around a single tree is a routine sight in American yards.
In fact, it's so familiar that the original poster didn't give a rock-encircled tree in their yard much thought for "a few years." While they'd yet to notice any "obvious ill effects," the feature inspired the user's titular question for tree experts on the subreddit: "Are these rocks hurting my tree?"
Landscape fabric and artificial turf are two popular garden center products that many enthusiasts discourage using, partly because they leach microplastics and other contaminants into the soil. Although rocks are a natural material, their placement was not — and tree experts had a lot to say about it.
The rocks "aren't helping it anything," one user commented. "While it's young it is relatively resilient, but as it gets older and experiences some stressful seasons, the rocks will exacerbate the issues," they explained, recommending mulch to replace the stones.
A few users opined that while the rock ring didn't necessarily pose a grave danger, it wasn't doing anything to facilitate the tree's health. "Mulch would be better," someone replied.
"Does it mean it's going to lose its leaves and die next year? No. Could it mean that you may cut its lifespan in half or cause issues … a few years down the road due to the root stress? Absolutely," another commented.
That user raised an important point about working with your natural environment rather than against it. "This is the mistake many people make … just because you don't see immediate effects doesn't mean damage isn't done."
"The roots are stressed, which is going to affect the tree," they warned.
Other commenters advised sourcing a more nutrient-dense material to replace the rocks, alluding to the benefits of upgrading to a natural lawn.
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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?
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Making it look better 🌱 Rewilding — restoring a landscape to a more natural state — is gaining popularity. Transitioning to native plants and low-mow, low-water options such as clover grass can eliminate the headaches of conventional landscaping practices.
Both approaches save money, time, and effort, conserving resources such as water and requiring much less commercial pesticides and fertilizers. Rewilding encourages pollinators to be active, supporting local biodiversity and the larger food chain.
Irrespective of the tree's health, a few users had other objections. The rock ring was "esthetically painful," one commenter said.
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