‘It will take about three years’

One user took to Reddit to seek help with his gardening problems, asking what he should do to save several trees he had planted the previous year.

The post attracted a lot of attention from gardening enthusiasts who were eager to share their opinions on what the original author should do to stimulate tree growth.

“A year ago we made rookie mistakes planting these trees. Save them or sacrifice them?” the author of the original post wrote over a photo of the five very small trees at the edge of what appeared to be a patch of grass. The user also noted that the trees weren’t doing very well in their current position.

“It’s very important to create a barrier between the grass and the trees, otherwise they compete for water and nutrients,” one commentator advised.

While this is good advice and the consensus seemed to be that the OP could save the trees, a better option may be to remove the trees and grass altogether, opting instead for native plant landscaping that focuses on plants that don’t compete with anything for water or nutrients.

Because native plants adapt to the local environment, there is no need to spend money on expensive fertilizers or pest control, making them more cost effective and protecting the planet, as many synthetic fertilizers contain harmful chemicals.

Xeriscaping (designing gardens to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation) Using native plants can also help conserve water usage, which is not only great for reducing bills but also helps conserve this vital natural resource.

If you still want some green on the ground, you can replace traditional turf with clover or buffalo grass.

All of these options will save you time and money on lawn maintenance, as well as providing a more suitable habitat for pollinating insects that are vital to protecting our food production.

You don’t even need to renovate your entire yard, as even a partial lawn replacement can help you reap the benefits that native plants provide.

A native plant garden would also help you avoid the problems the OP experienced with her trees, which several commenters agreed needed more space.

“If you don’t have enough space for them, maybe you can ask a neighbor if they would like to adopt one,” one user suggested.

“It will take about three years before we start to see good growth,” said another.

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