Thinking About Committing Arboricide ...

[robinb]

I just turned the soil in my very very small vegetable garden and added yummy compost from my composter. The garden is 2 1/2 feet by 16 feet raised bed. I can fit a lot of veggies in a small amount of space since I use a modified Square Foot Gardening method. Until last year the bed got plenty of sun and things like tomatoes and peppers grew well.

Then came the tree.

It's one of those fast growing garbage trees. I have no clue what kind it is, but it seeded itself and is now 15 feet tall in only 2 or 3 years. It's growing in a narrow space between the back of my neighbor's garage and our fence. It is north of my garden.

Last year it grew above the fence and blocked the sun. I noticed that my tomatoes, which usually bask in the afternoon sun until 7:00 or 8:00 pm in the summer, were suddenly in the shade at 4:00 or 5:00 pm. They were losing 3 hours of precious sun! I walked around the block and introduced myself to the owner of the house and asked him if he could remove the tree since it was shading my garden. I thought it was a no-brainer. The tree was gangly, ugly and not even in a spot where he would see it, nevertheless enjoy it. He said "sure" and then just trimmed it. I think it was too much trouble for him to actaully remove it.

I fumed the whole summer.

Now, the leaves are just starting to bud on the tree and I am afraid of how large this monster will get this year. It is sure to shade my garden even more than last year and it had a definite impact on my vegetables. I don't think my neighbor will want to do anything this year since his response was so lame last year.

So ... I'm thinking about having a little "chemical spill" of Round-Up under my fence right at the tree roots ...

 

[Snowwark]

Hi Robin!

Please, please, don't do anything rash, at least not without wearing a disguise!

I don't blame you for fuming, I would be too.....grrrr.

What if you asked again about cutting down the tree and offered to do it for them?

Our neighbours have a tree that hangs over our fence and shades some shrubs we have there. The shrubs under the tree are or course, shorter then those in the sun. Whenever I get the opportunity (when they aren't home...shhhh), I get out the ladder and clip back every branch that hangs over the fence. Those I can't reach I get DH to cut with our telescopic pruning shears. Sometimes he's been known to .....er....ummm....slip a bit with them. So far, no one's said a word. I am so ashamed of myself......lol!

Good luck to you Robin!


Kim

 

[Tiggerkeeper]

Robinb you are too funny! I have been contemplating a midnight walk thru the back yard with a chemical tree killer for my neighbors tulip trees. When caught I thought I'd plead sleepwalking!

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

buy me a plane ticket. I'll take care of it for you.

 

[Tulirose]

Originally posted by Snowwark
..... neighbours have a tree that hangs over our fence .......I get out the ladder and clip back every branch that hangs over the fence. Those I can't reach I get DH to cut with our telescopic pruning shears. ......I am so ashamed of myself......

No need to be ashamed Snowwark. You are in your legal rights to do same!

Rafiki x3 - You are hysterical!

Back to the matter at hand - robinb - I would do as Snowwark suggested. Tell your neighbor you would like to have that tree cut down. Offer to do it, pay for it or whatever. He doesn't care because he doesn't see it, since it is behind his garage. Hey, if you had climbed the fence one time when he was out last year and chopped it down, he never would have even known! But now he knows it's there and you have to get his permission. It's only going to get bigger. It is worth the money and your sanity and if he is halfway decent, he should offer to pay half the cost. Yeah, I know, that'll be the day THAT happens!