PSA: Saw a huge oak in my neighborhood go from healthy to dead in under 3 months.

Turns out the new owners had a 'landscaper' bury the root flare with over a foot of soil and mulch for a 'clean look'. Anyone else seeing this happen more often?

3 comments

3 Comments

jasonflores1mo ago

Can we just call this landscaping trend "tree murder for aesthetics"?

robin_jones1mo ago

Yeah, "tree murder for aesthetics" is about right... I had to talk a landscaper out of topping my oak last year. Showed him pictures of how it causes weak, dangerous growth. Got him to just thin the canopy instead, way healthier.

the_ryan8d ago

Robin_jones had the right idea with thinning instead of topping. It's like giving a tree a haircut instead of cutting off its arms. Some landscapers just go for the quick fix without thinking long term.