Seriously, I thought planting trees in my yard would be chill and low-maintenance, but turns out they're super picky about everything—watering too much, watering too little, pruning wrong... anyone else feel like they're constantly messing it up?
I hear you. When I first started landscaping my property, I figured trees were basically "plant and forget," but nope... lost two maples because I overwatered them, then nearly killed a spruce by pruning at the wrong time. It's frustratingly specific sometimes. I've found sticking with native species helps—they seem less picky about conditions and maintenance. Still, it's always a bit of trial and error figuring out what each tree wants.
"I've found sticking with native species helps—they seem less picky about conditions and maintenance."
Totally agree with this. When we moved into our custom build last year, I was all excited to plant some fancy ornamental trees I'd seen online. But after losing a Japanese maple (ouch, that hurt the wallet) and nearly drowning a dogwood, I realized native trees are way more forgiving. We ended up planting some local oaks and redbuds, and they've been doing great without me fussing over them constantly.
One thing that's helped me is chatting with the folks at our local nursery. They gave me some solid tips on watering schedules and pruning times specific to our area. Also, mulch has been a lifesaver—keeps moisture levels steady without me having to guess so much. Still, like you said, it's always a bit of trial and error... but hey, at least we're learning something new, right?
