Hi—I’m in an old six-story walk-up in Elmhurst. There’s a sad tree pit out front that’s basically dirt, old wrappers, and a few flattened bottle caps. A neighbor two buildings down threw marigold seeds in hers and it actually looks nice now. I want to plant something in mine, maybe hostas or a couple of tomatoes? My super said not to touch it because “the city will fine you.” Is that real? Do people actually get in trouble for this, or is he just being paranoid? I don’t want a ticket, but I also don’t want to live in front of a dust bowl.

lol your super is half right. The city technically owns the tree pit. But nobody from parks is going to cite you for planting flowers unless you're doing something insane. I've had a little sedum and some bulbs in mine for years. Just don't pile soil up against the trunk, don't plant something with deep roots, and don't block the tree. Tomatoes are probably too much—they need more water than you'll want to carry down from a walk-up. Try native stuff or tough annuals.

Yeah agreed. The unwritten rule is keep it tidy and don't create a trip hazard. Also don't put brick edging or little fences unless you want a sticker from sanitation or parks. Some people just toss wildflower seeds and see what sticks. If you're in Elmhurst the dog pee factor is real, so whatever you plant needs to be tough. Check with your local community board too—they sometimes do free street tree care workshops.

Welcome to the street tree pit rabbit hole. A few practical corrections to the above:

The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation publishes guidelines for tree beds. Planting is not prohibited, but you're responsible for keeping it safe and maintained. You shouldn't alter the grade, install high permanent edging, or plant things that interfere with tree roots or the pedestrian clear path. There is no “tree pit fine” for a few perennials, but you can get cited for a dangerous condition—broken pavers, trip hazards, uncovered holes. Level and tidy is your friend.

Avoid edible plants. Street tree soil near old buildings and a heavily trafficked curb often has legacy lead, dog waste, road runoff, and unknown junk from years of neglect. Also, tree pits are not watered consistently. Tomatoes will disappoint you and then die.

Good low-maintenance options: hostas work in shade but they're thirsty. Better in our climate: heuchera/coral bells, liriope, carex, asters, coneflower if it gets sun, or sedum for full sun/dry. In fall, throw in daffodil bulbs. Avoid tulips—squirrels and dogs destroy them.

Do not pile soil against the trunk flare. Keep mulch or soil 2–3 inches away from the bark to prevent rot and pests. Water deeply once or twice a week in summer if it doesn't rain, especially the first season. If the tree is young, watering matters more than anything else.

I've maintained a few tree pits in Astoria for over a decade. The city won't bother you for a tidy planted bed. Your super is probably just afraid of paperwork.

Thanks, this is super helpful. I was literally going to put a little brick border from the 99 cent store because I saw one on my block. So skip that? I'm a little bummed about no tomatoes, but that makes sense about the soil. I do have a shady pit—mostly afternoon shade from the building. Hostas maybe, but you said they're thirsty. Does anyone have luck with those in shade? Also, is it weird to water from a jug from my apartment? I don't have a hose hookup.

Yeah skip the border. Those bricks tend to go missing or get kicked into the sidewalk, and then you're the one fixing it. Hostas can work, but they'll look rough if you skip a week. I'd do carex or coral bells. And no, the jug thing isn't weird—that's just tree pit life. Get a 2-gallon jug and make it part of your walk-down-with-the-recycling routine. Dog walkers will probably appreciate that it's not a dust bowl.

Coral bells have been good in my shady-ish pit. One thing nobody told me: people will steal plants. Not often, but it happens. Don't spend real money on rare stuff. If a neighbor has extra divisions, ask. There's always somebody splitting hostas or daylilies on the block. I've traded liriope for some mint—wait, don't plant mint. It will take over and you'll never get it out. Also, nothing edible is worth the pee.

A minor correction to Jay's post: mint is indeed aggressive, but liriope isn't native; it's commonly used and nearly indestructible. If you want natives that handle shade and dry street conditions, try carex pensylvanica or white wood aster. They won't give you big flowers, but they form a decent green mat and survive neglect.

On edging: the city tends to look the other way on low flush metal or plastic edging, but it can become a trip issue as the sidewalk shifts and tree roots move. I'd skip it entirely. You can define the bed with plants and a little mulch.

One more caveat: don't add a ton of bagged topsoil to “help.” The tree pit should not be mounded. If you need to improve the soil, remove a bit of the top crud and mix in some compost, but keep the final height below the sidewalk edge so water doesn't wash dirt into the curb. The goal is a bed that drains, not a raised planter.

Okay, no brick border, no tomatoes, no mint. I gave the pit a clean yesterday—just picked out wrappers, bottle caps, and a few mystery bones from chicken wings. Planning to grab a carex or two from the farmers market plant guy this weekend. Do I need to tell my super or the landlord first? He's already annoyed at me because I asked about bikes in the hallway. I don't want another “don't do that.”

Don't ask, just do it. If it looks clean and alive, the landlord will probably pretend it was his idea. Worst case you get a passive aggressive note near the mailboxes. You're improving the front for free. If you want to cover yourself, take a before pic and don't put any structure in. If the super says something, say they're annuals and birds will eat the seeds. Nobody argues with birds.

Telling the landlord in advance is not required, but a quick heads-up to a neighbor or your super can avoid a “who gave you permission” conversation later. That said, I agree with Gramercy_G: if you ask formally, you'll get an answer from somebody who has never touched soil and probably says no by default.

Your real obligation is maintenance. Once you start, you're the de facto steward. If it gets lanky in August or fills with leaves in November, don't let it turn into a mulch pile. A messy, half-dead bed attracts more trash than an empty dirt square.

My Astoria routine: spring clean in April, plant divisions in May, water once a week if it's hot, and do a final cutback after first frost. It's less work than a houseplant because you only pass it every day and most street plants thrive on neglect once established.

One last thing—if you mulch, don't let it spill onto the sidewalk. That's the kind of sloppy thing that actually gets a complaint.

“Mystery bones from chicken wings” is the most Elmhurst sentence I've read in a while. Do it. I'd also suggest throwing down a few daffodil bulbs in October—they're cheap and the dogs mostly leave them alone. Next spring you'll have color before you even remember to water. One thing: if your pit is by a parking lane, car doors will clip whatever gets tall. So keep plants low or set them back from the curb line.

Update: I planted two carex plugs and a couple of blue wood asters. My upstairs neighbor saw me with the jug and said her grandmother used to plant zinnias in the same pit in the 90s, so now I'm not the only one with opinions. It already looks less like a litter box. Thanks everyone for saving me from the brick border and the sad tomatoes. I'll do bulbs in the fall.