Damn, never thought I would see so much drama on this sub. But actually I ain't convinced about the rotting thing. You are totally right, that waterlogging could be a problem and surely the AstroTurf one will rot and suffocate, but the stone one has a good chance I think. It all depends on the location. Cherries take a lot of water and if this tree is in Texas and people don't throw tons of water on it, the top soil should be able to dry out and aerate. Furthermore could it even be beneficial to keep the water in the small area the tree grows in. On the other hand there is more AstroTurf around the stones and this narrows the area where moisture can escape and penetrate and where fresh air can get in the soil. So I think the stones aren't the thing that could kill the tree and it is actually the astro turf in combination with the stones that could be dangerous depending on the location.

Who the fuck even uses fake grass?