Anyone else feel very guilty killing certain plants?

[Heruga]

I just feel very bad and guilty and sympathetic for the plants that I occasionally have to remove. Like the other day, I had to take down 2 large yews for reasons and I just felt so bad... the yew was very healthy and has been there for at least a decade. And I had to kill it. I also had to remove 2 healthy ferns today and they have been there for such a long time. Now I feel awfully guilty for the plants. How do I stop feeling this way? Is this normal?
Btw I don't feel bad removing any weeds at all.

 

[Chuck]

I consider everything I can't eat a weed and I don't think plants know any difference anyway. I am also sure they don't hold a grudge. So cheer up.

 

[marlingardener]

We just had a very large hackberry tree taken down--it was threatening our roof, and a large part of it had fallen into the lawn with the last storm that went through. I'm still feeling its loss, but realizing that sometimes plants have to go to make us safe.
I've found that planting something else--even if it's just a small annual-- makes me feel that I'm making amends for removing a plant.
Yes, your feeling of guilt and remorse is normal. That shows you are a true gardener.
Removing weeds, well that's another matter. I think it's called revenge!

 

[Heruga]

Well I know they won't hold grudges but I just feel sorry for ending their life. They have cells and are technically considered living things too even if they don't have a mind. Well yea, after removing that big fern today, I planted a much smaller variety of fern in the same spot so I guess that makes up for it. Lol I just completely savage the weeds, even after pulling them out I make sure to crush the roots to ensure that they really die even though I know its going to die even if I don't do it.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I have removed plenty of healthy purple coneflowers and orange milkweeds simply because the seeds were too successful and I had more seedlings than I needed. Luckily, I started a new section of garden this year, so I was able to move many over, but some still had to be removed.

 

[digger]

This thread made me think hard. I've never intentionally pulled out plants and I know I'll feel guilty, too, if I did specially if they've been in my yard for years. Plants, after all, are living things. I feel the same way about weeds, but plants that have been thriving are different. I hope I'll never be placed in such a position in the future where I'll be forced to remove a plant from my home.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

the feeling of "feeling guilty" is subjective. but in any event. When I need to pull a plant from an area I usually find another home for it . So it is not killed, it is relocated. It may be another area on my property or to neighbors or friends. I would say, it is rare I kill anything.

 

[CrazyConure]

Sometimes we got to to what we got to do. I know it's hard, but not doing so would risk overcrowding which will put ALL the plants at stake.

I usually remove the weaker ones...unless they're all healthy, then, if nobody wants it, I'd have to bin it.

Also, I just remembered, you can compost your plants so it's not going to be going to waste. You are basically just recycling nutrients. No guilt there.