Homeowner debates warning neighbor after spotting issue on property: 'They probably don't know'

Sharing garden advice with neighbors can be a difficult balancing act. How can a person be helpful and instructive without coming across as condescending?

A Redditor was grappling with that question after observing a neighbor's mulch volcanoes around their oak trees. They took to the r/gardening subreddit to solicit some input.

"Beautiful live oaks with 3' of mulch volcano choking the life out [of] them," they wrote of the scene. "Hurts my heart and I think I'm going to print up an article and put [it] in their mailbox, or is that not my place?"

Indeed, the mulch volcanoes seemed stacked to worrisome heights for the oak trees. The article the OP was referring to was on Alabama-based AL.com. The writer, Harvey Cotten from the Huntsville Botanical Garden, advised using a maximum of two to three inches of mulch around the tree base, ensuring it does not pile up against the trunk.

Cotten noted that excessive mulch can prevent oxygen from reaching the roots, thereby suffocating the tree. It could also lock in too much moisture that could allow insects and disease to enter into the trunk.

While the OP was hesitant to jump in, fellow users encouraged some form of intervention and suggested that the neighbors might appreciate guidance.

"They probably don't know and they obviously try and do something good for the trees," one user remarked.

Spreading the knowledge would also be for the long-term good of the neighborhood. Trees play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, contributing to better air quality and providing shade to reduce energy costs. Maintaining their health can also mitigate issues like flooding and purify water.

While, as the community noted, the neighbor was trying to nurture their trees with mulch, their treatment was simply too much of a good thing. Fellow Redditors had pretty much full consensus that the OP should step in. 

"I'd be offended if my neighbors sat back and watched my trees die instead of saying something," one wrote.

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"Maybe frame it like you made this mistake once and it cost you a tree, (even if that's untrue it puts you on the same level) and wished someone had told you before it's too late," another suggested.

The OP liked that idea and revealed that they were crossing their fingers after leaving a printout of the AL.com article.

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