Evergreen Trees & Property Line
#1
10-04-03, 02:15 PM
Evergreen Trees & Property Line
I saw a situation that I believe will be a problem in the future. My neighbor, who I have had problems w/ was planting about 20+ young evergrens-norway & blue spruce, white pines, etc just 2' on their side of the property line-my west property line. Which places the trees 7-8' from a portion of my driveway, among other things.
These trees TODAY are 3-4' tall, but will become 20-40' in diameter and 60-90' tall. So, they will eventually be 2-12' ACROSS my driveway!! I somewhat nicely pointed out all this to the neighbor as they were planting the second tree. Also, maybe this would be above and beyond the average neighbors concern, but I also pointed out that this will block winter sun (we have so little of it in Michigan as it is) and that it will block the cooling summer breezes.
I am most concerned about the 8'-18' that will be on my side. I think I am being reasonable??. This neighbor has approx. an acre of vacant land between our line and their house. I asked if this neighbor could move them 10'+ more off the line. The reply was, "We will be dead before they get big!" and "Just trim them when they get to your driveway". We are in our early 40's so I hope that isn't true. Plus, I think that is a dumb arguement.
Legally, I know I can wack at, all day long, anything on my side of the line, as long as I don't kill it. That would look stupid-it would butcher the tree. And they are being planted 5-6' apart-will grow distorted.
What do you think? When can I expect them to hit my drive?
What is the recommended spacing off property line?
Guess I just lost all land west of the drive (250' X 15'=3,750 sq ').
Sparkie
These trees TODAY are 3-4' tall, but will become 20-40' in diameter and 60-90' tall. So, they will eventually be 2-12' ACROSS my driveway!! I somewhat nicely pointed out all this to the neighbor as they were planting the second tree. Also, maybe this would be above and beyond the average neighbors concern, but I also pointed out that this will block winter sun (we have so little of it in Michigan as it is) and that it will block the cooling summer breezes.
I am most concerned about the 8'-18' that will be on my side. I think I am being reasonable??. This neighbor has approx. an acre of vacant land between our line and their house. I asked if this neighbor could move them 10'+ more off the line. The reply was, "We will be dead before they get big!" and "Just trim them when they get to your driveway". We are in our early 40's so I hope that isn't true. Plus, I think that is a dumb arguement.
Legally, I know I can wack at, all day long, anything on my side of the line, as long as I don't kill it. That would look stupid-it would butcher the tree. And they are being planted 5-6' apart-will grow distorted.
What do you think? When can I expect them to hit my drive?
What is the recommended spacing off property line?
Guess I just lost all land west of the drive (250' X 15'=3,750 sq ').
Sparkie
#2
10-04-03, 03:50 PM
You neighbor could be said to be inconsiderate by creating a maintenance chore for you. Legally, you can cut the plants at the property line. So long as you don't poison the trees, their death from pruning is an unfortunate course of nature. My neighbor has the same arrangement with those awful bradford pears which I cut at the property line. I just cut anything even with the fabric of his fence.
Some people seem to never think about the consequences of their planting. Why someone would plant bradford pears in the two foot dirt strip between his driveway and my yard is beyond me.
If the trees will be 40 feet wide at maturity, they should be planted about 20 feet off the property line.
You have my sympathy. Hope this helps.
Some people seem to never think about the consequences of their planting. Why someone would plant bradford pears in the two foot dirt strip between his driveway and my yard is beyond me.
If the trees will be 40 feet wide at maturity, they should be planted about 20 feet off the property line.
You have my sympathy. Hope this helps.
#3
10-04-03, 03:59 PM
Thanks for the Sympathy
Hey Chfite_
Once again, thanks for the reply and especially for the sympathy.
Sorry to hear about the Bradford Pears.
Here is an idea-I hear that you can kill a tree, discreetly, by drilling hidden holes and pour round-up or similar into them. In this case, I can not harm the trees for several reasons.
Also, I hadn't even thought of root upheaval on future concreting of drive.
Sparkie
Once again, thanks for the reply and especially for the sympathy.
Sorry to hear about the Bradford Pears.
Here is an idea-I hear that you can kill a tree, discreetly, by drilling hidden holes and pour round-up or similar into them. In this case, I can not harm the trees for several reasons.
Also, I hadn't even thought of root upheaval on future concreting of drive.
Sparkie
#4
10-07-03, 07:01 AM
actually, I think you require that your neighbor regularly prune the trees to keep them off your property. If you want to get real nasty you can take that as far as you need to.
If theres no way you can ever become good neigbors, I would probably go the round-up route, or find other ways to eliminate them. Its just too bad you can't make nice. I really enjoy most of my neighbors.
If theres no way you can ever become good neigbors, I would probably go the round-up route, or find other ways to eliminate them. Its just too bad you can't make nice. I really enjoy most of my neighbors.
#5
10-09-03, 04:21 AM
be patient
Depending on where he got the trees, nature may take care of the problem for you. I was warned about this by a local nurseryman and then saw the results myself.
If the trees were pruchased from a Christmas tree farm, the root system cannot support the trees for very long. Trees in a Christmas tree farm are sprayed with a growth accelerant to make the tops reach 6-7 feet "decoration" height quickly. The root system can't keep up. Contrast that with trees grown for planting. The tops are trimmed back often when the trees are young. This forces the root system to develop. You end up with a stronger tree.
My neighbor planted about 10 such trees. He was ecstatic over how little he paid per tree. In two years, they were all dead.
I suspect your neighbor got such a deal. Years ago lots of "gentlemen" farmers thought raising Xmas trees was the ticket to fast riches. When it doesn't pan out, they wholesale the trees for landscaping.
If the trees were pruchased from a Christmas tree farm, the root system cannot support the trees for very long. Trees in a Christmas tree farm are sprayed with a growth accelerant to make the tops reach 6-7 feet "decoration" height quickly. The root system can't keep up. Contrast that with trees grown for planting. The tops are trimmed back often when the trees are young. This forces the root system to develop. You end up with a stronger tree.
My neighbor planted about 10 such trees. He was ecstatic over how little he paid per tree. In two years, they were all dead.
I suspect your neighbor got such a deal. Years ago lots of "gentlemen" farmers thought raising Xmas trees was the ticket to fast riches. When it doesn't pan out, they wholesale the trees for landscaping.
