Neighbor's Tree Encroaching Into My Property. *UPDATE*

Stiffwrists

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My neighbor has a tree that has come over so far on my property that it shades my vegetable garden. Do any of you have experience with something like this? Interested in your thoughts. I'd like my neighbor to trim it back if possible without damaging the tree. I'm torn. I don't know my new neighbor well and don't want it to be a source of contention.






**UPDATE** I went and spoke to my neighbor yesterday. He loves that tree. I brought him over to my backyard to show him how it shades a portion of my garden. We noticed that one lower branch was the one that was doing the majority of the shading. 10 minutes later, it had been cut from the tree on his side. I'd rather see the tree gone, but I'll take this as a small victory.
 

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I moved into my house 4 years ago with something similar, neighbor's tree 80 percent over my property. It blocks the sun from the whole side of my house, which causes mold/mildew to form like crazy. It's older and diseased, and dumps on my deck all year long so every day the deck needs to have a blower taken to it to clear off. It also dumps down on my basement walk out, blocking the drain and causing my basement to flood when the rain is bad if someone isn't home to clear it.

I approached him the second year to let him know how bad it was, and told him that I was going to have everything on my side trimmed out, which would make the tree look terrible. I offered to split the cost to have the tree removed, which actually would be cheaper for me, which is 1,000 to trim or 1,400 to remove, so 700 my cost. He said he wanted to but didn't have the money then, and asked if I could wait. Well, I've been waiting almost 3 years, and now tired of asking, so next week I have the tree coming to take everything out on the fence line. The tree will end up looking like that looney toons character's hair when he gets blown up with the dynamite, but at this point I don't care.
 
My neighbor has a tree that has come over so far on my property that it shades my vegetable garden. Do any of you have experience with something like this? Interested in your thoughts. I'd like my neighbor to trim it back if possible without damaging the tree. I'm torn. I don't know my new neighbor well and don't want it to be a source of contention.



IDK man,..I'm sure you got the right to trim anything encroaching on you. Maybe the neighbor doesn't like it either and you could work out something on removal.
I will tell you this,..my eye tells me that is a Catalpa tree. Those blooms will turn into a "bean" like fruit. Bottom line is they get old and huge so if the tree and you both are staying then get used to trimming.
 
And this is exactly why I live living in the country. I would talk to your neighbor in an open fashion about the problem and how to solve it. Maybe they would live the idea of removing the tree maybe they won't. But if you calmly and kindly explain why it's causing problems, you should be able to see where you stand at the least.
 
This can be a problem with neighbors but you will have to end up talking to them and hopefully find some sort of compromise. If all else fails , see if they will be ok with you trimming the tree back on your side , or offer to pay for all or half the tree removal cost.

You will atleast be able to find out whether you have good or bad neighbors over this.
 
Honestly, I don't think Trimming that tree is going to bring any more light to your Garden.. there is just too much tree on HIS side still perhaps move the Garden as it may be a an easier way to go?

it is however a nice looking tree as is and makes your yard look nice too..

also it would probably look like !!!! if it was butchered on your side
for quite some time.
 
Honestly, I don't think Trimming that tree is going to bring any more light to your Garden.. there is just too much tree on HIS side still perhaps move the Garden as it may be a an easier way to go?

it is however a nice looking tree as is and makes your yard look nice too..

also it would probably look like !!!! if it was butchered on your side
for quite some time.

+1 good point, if the sun is on the opposite side of the tree, the tree is so tall that just trimming what comes over the fence might not make a big difference.

I was just wondering about using something to reflect sunlight into the shady area of your garden and it seems some people have done just that !

I did an internet search using the words:

mylar reflect sunlight garden

and found quite a few links to people reflecting light into their gardens.

The mylar is not that expensive here is one of the links I found -

https://www.amazon.com/Mylar-Reflective-Material-Feet-Mil/dp/B0013LUKR8

Here is just part of one of the reviews -

Top customer reviews

Valerie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tomatoes =Happy campers - Pesty Deer = not so happy
August 14, 2013
Verified Purchase
This was a really incredible purchase for me. First of all in a low sun garden, it is hard to get the full potential out of anything you want to grow. Strategically placed mylar really reflects the light to the areas of the tomatoes and in just a couple of days, what a difference.
 
Interested in your thoughts. I don't know my new neighbor well and don't want it to be a source of contention.

You Sir are an admirable good neighbor! Its a good idea to not cause any trouble or bother people needlessly...just take care of the problem without causing any conflict....I'm like that too! In your case, what I would do is, I'd get myself a funnel, a length of plastic tube that fits the funnel, and a half gallon of Tiki Torch oil down at the Dollar Store for about $10 total...

Then, some quiet evening, I'd snake that tube through or under the fence on over to the base of that tree and pour the oil down through the funnel and into its root system!....In less than a month, that tree will be dead as a doornail! I use Tiki Torch oil on account of it smells so nice, and you can put out a few torches if you want to make the illusion complete...diesel works too, but you know that smell would be a big tip off to your neighbor, and he would know you killed his tree...we gotta think about his feelings too ya know...keep the peace in the neighborhood!

You can even offer to help him cut it down afterwards if you want, be a good neighbor and all! Good way to show you are a good neighbor and maybe make a friend in the process! He will shake your hand and give you a cold one even! ...Everybodys happy this way! :laughing:

Annoying barking at night neighbor dogs are also easily dealt with...along these same lines..just swap out the Torch oil with some antifreeze, so you may want to keep that funnel handy just in case he gets a dog someday...

Somebody said: "Good Fences make good neighbors"...Its been my experience that a good funnel also comes in pretty handy too! Never complain or cause a ruckus, just take care of it quiet and innocent...
 
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When I bought my first house there was a huge amount of growth from bushes and trees in my yard and the neighbors. After I pulled, cut, and trimmed everything in my yard I started in on all of the neighbors stuff that was encroaching on my property. Legally, you can trim back anything that crosses your property line. Well, one of the neighbor's bushes had grown so big that it came over a fence, and back down to the ground, into my yard about 10'. I started at the fence and started cutting straight up. By the time I was done I was standing on the top of a 6' A-frame ladder and reaching as high as I could with an electric hedge trimmer. I'm 6'3", standing on top of a 6' ladder, and reaching as high as I could so it had to be at least 15' tall. After the trimming was done it was a huge ugly wall of inter tangled branches but it was done. Within a week however, I noticed the bush had fallen over into the neighbor's yard. Without the counterweight on my side it just fell over. I was waiting for the neighbor to raise hell but it never came. In fact, she never mentioned it at all. She just had someone come cut the bush off at the ground and haul it away.

The back of the property was higher than the neighbors behind and what to me was a 4' wall to them was a 8' wall. They had a tree that had a big limb that came right over the top of the wall out across my property about 15'. I got my chain saw and was out there cutting it off at the property line when the woman came out screaming at me for damaging her tree. I explained that I could legally cut anything that hung over my property and i was tired of ducking under it when I cut the grass. She said to her it was a very high limb and she never considered it was in my way. She said it was a shame though to have to cut a limb off such a nice tree. I agreed and started the chainsaw back up.

Two down, one to go.

The neighbor on the north side had a very large tree that grew very close to the wall. The bigger it got the more it pushed on the wall until the wall started to bow out on my side. I went over and told him it was going to be an issue and he would end up paying for the wall to be replaced but he said he rented the place and wouldn't have to pay, the owner would. So I said fine and went home. Six months later I came home from work and the wall had fallen down. When I went into the back yard the neighbor's viscous dog was in my yard and made like he was going to come for me. I managed to scare it back into his own yard and headed back over to speak to the neighbor again. This time I was a little less friendly. I told him about the wall and what his dog did and said if the dog ever came at me again I would throw his lifeless body back into his yard. I then told him he was going to fix the wall but I was willing to help on two conditions. 1. The tree needs to come out completely. 2. The dog is chained up until the tree is gone and the wall is repaired. he agreed.

I don't think any of my neighbors appreciated what I did. But none caused any issues or held a grudge because I was only trying to live my life without any infringement from them.
 
IDK man,..I'm sure you got the right to trim anything encroaching on you. Maybe the neighbor doesn't like it either and you could work out something on removal.
I will tell you this,..my eye tells me that is a Catalpa tree. Those blooms will turn into a "bean" like fruit. Bottom line is they get old and huge so if the tree and you both are staying then get used to trimming.

That's exactly what type of tree it is. Has these 1 to 2 foot long pods.
 
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Honestly, I don't think Trimming that tree is going to bring any more light to your Garden.. there is just too much tree on HIS side still perhaps move the Garden as it may be a an easier way to go?

it is however a nice looking tree as is and makes your yard look nice too..

also it would probably look like !!!! if it was butchered on your side
for quite some time.

My house faces west and the garden gets good sunlight coverage except for the back row near the fence. This is the first year that I have noticed the tree actually shading some of the garden. I swear that tree has gotten a lot bigger just this year.
 
My house faces west and the garden gets good sunlight coverage except for the back row near the fence. This is the first year that I have noticed the tree actually shading some of the garden. I swear that tree has gotten a lot bigger just this year.

Well the good news is that atleast it aint getting too much sun. Partial shade can be a good thing in the dog days of summer , as long as its getting enough sun for a couple hours a day during the longer days of the growing season. It gives a break on watering and heat at times when the plants are stressed.
 
You Sir are an admirable good neighbor! Its a good idea to not cause any trouble or bother people needlessly...just take care of the problem without causing any conflict....I'm like that too! In your case, what I would do is, I'd get myself a funnel, a length of plastic tube that fits the funnel, and a half gallon of Tiki Torch oil down at the Dollar Store for about $10 total...

Then, some quiet evening, I'd snake that tube through or under the fence on over to the base of that tree and pour the oil down through the funnel and into its root system!....In less than a month, that tree will be dead as a doornail! I use Tiki Torch oil on account of it smells so nice, and you can put out a few torches if you want to make the illusion complete...diesel works too, but you know that smell would be a big tip off to your neighbor, and he would know you killed his tree...we gotta think about his feelings too ya know...keep the peace in the neighborhood!

You can even offer to help him cut it down afterwards if you want, be a good neighbor and all! Good way to show you are a good neighbor and maybe make a friend in the process! He will shake your hand and give you a cold one even! ...Everybodys happy this way! :laughing:

Annoying barking at night neighbor dogs are also easily dealt with...along these same lines..just swap out the Torch oil with some antifreeze, so you may want to keep that funnel handy just in case he gets a dog someday...

Somebody said: "Good Fences make good neighbors"...Its been my experience that a good funnel also comes in pretty handy too! Never complain or cause a ruckus, just take care of it quiet and innocent...

Hahaha. Thank you. This is just what I needed. Laughing! You're daily good deed is complete.
 
Well the good news is that atleast it aint getting too much sun. Partial shade can be a good thing in the dog days of summer , as long as its getting enough sun for a couple hours a day during the longer days of the growing season. It gives a break on watering and heat at times when the plants are stressed.

I appreciate that. You're right. I just realize that the tree isn't going to be getting any smaller without some sort of intervention.
 
I would just talk to the neighbor about it..

Looks like it will eventually out grow it's welcome..

Your neighbor very well might not want it there either...

<°)))>{
 
That thing needs to go. It is only going to get bigger. Talk to your neighbor to get an idea of how he feels about it. If he isn't in love with it just explain the expected size of that tree and see if he won't agree to remove it. Offer half If needed.

BCD
 
I’d rent, not buy, a pole trimmer. Problem solved, for the moment.

Or move everything inside, using the square foot gardening method, with lights. Much more yeild than what you’d have outside.
 
Neighbors shade tree

Actually this year I built a raised garden planter and put it where it will get partial shade from my peach and nectarine tree. Last year the sun baked everything and didn't get much in the way of tomatoes and peppers , or egg plants. This summer we have had really hot days and little rain. With some shading and watering the plants are doing great this year really growing. Under the shade of other fruit trees I have sweet potatoes and cantaloupe growing. Plants are still getting plenty of sun light to grow ,but also getting some protection .
 
One other thing to consider that I forgot to mention that I had going on in my yard is that the roots will start wreaking havoc on that whole part of your property. In my yard it pushed my fence up, pushed through the weed barriers, and made 1/4 of my yard look like a lumpy mess.
 
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