It’s an easy solution.
Tell them you’re willing to cut it down, but they pay 100%.
They had their chance to get a deal. It’s their problem, not your’s.
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Ethical question about a tree in my yard.
- Thread starter hbarcat
- Start date
It’s an easy solution.
Tell them you’re willing to cut it down, but they pay 100%.
They had their chance to get a deal. It’s their problem, not your’s.
Here where i live, when the neighbors limb falls and goes thru your roof, it's your insurance that deals with it, not the neighbors. They are only responsible if it's been deemed a hazard by a licensed arborist beforehand and they don't act. I had to get our city (lexington, ky) arborist to sign off on our removals.
My neighborhood was founded in the 1930s and nearly all of the houses now are original to that time. As you might imagine, there are a great many large, mature trees here and a lot of us value that.
Two years ago, the house just across the street sold, and the new owners promptly cut down all three mature maples and a mature oak on their ¼ acre property.
I asked them the reason why and they said because they didn't want to have to rake leaves in the fall and pick up twigs.
That's how little some people value nature.
We spent 6-8 hours burning downed branches this past open burning season.
Didn’t even clear the backlog of branches on our property.
No desire to cut down the trees. Nor scare away any of the wildlife. We’re fortunate to have nature as our neighbors.
An arborist might be able to inject hormones into the tree to stop the shedding. They can do this with certain trees. For example, they can "treat" sweetgum trees to stop producing (and dropping) gumballs, which are a nuisance to most homeowners that have them.
If that's possible, it would be a great solution.
If that's possible, it would be a great solution.
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Instead of wrapping the tree, is there a wrap than can go around the air conditioner unit? Something fine enough to keep out the cotton, but leave the airflow mostly unhindered? build a frame with a small standoff around the AC unit and wrap it. You still may need to clean off the wrapping now and again, but much less a hassle (and more leeway) than cleaning the AC unit. As far as the neighbors' "gets in their car and house" problem -- Roll up your windows (for the cars); use those screens that came with the windows? These are solved problems.
Save the tree. The person who suggested you poison it is perhaps unaware that would in no way change the cost of removal, actually it would be more hazardous. If the cotton falls at certain times you could hire a team to clean up. If it's constant, never mind.
I just had a groundhog eat all of my new echinacea. boo-hoo. I knew I was taking a chance, groundhogs Love echinacea, even the flowers. I'll put in stokes asters which they don't touch because they are too prickly.
I just had a groundhog eat all of my new echinacea. boo-hoo. I knew I was taking a chance, groundhogs Love echinacea, even the flowers. I'll put in stokes asters which they don't touch because they are too prickly.
Your tree, your yard. Tree was likely there before the neighbors moved in. If they want it removed they can pay for the removal and insure against property damage in the event of an accident during removal. Otherwise, sleep tight.
If their dog takes a crap in your yard, would you have the right to ask them to kill it?
Tree stays.
Tree stays.
The tree predates your neighbors, and you!
Let it live.
Your lawyer says it can stay, the neighbors can just deal with it.
If the city has no legal way to force the issue, the neighbors can get the money together and pay for the removal. You are not obligated to act against your wishes!
As a matter of fact if they want it out, and you don’t- they should PAY YOU on top of the removal fee!
I have a tree filled property (mature California Valley Oaks, Ash and Elms) myself. We bought the property at least partially because of the trees because they provide privacy, shade and beauty. Some neighbors don't like the "mess" the trees cause over the course of a year, but none of the trees pose a safety risk to any of my neighbors properties. We've been here for over 35 years and most of the neighbors bought after us, in some cases a long time after us. The neighbors are free to cut any branches that go across their property lines, but I am not compelled to cut trees on my property because my neighbors don't like them.
my vote is the tree stays!
my vote is the tree stays!
I love trees and am all in favor of keeping them in almost every situation. Your tree that big that's healthy and has deep personal meaning shouldn't be up for debate. It's actually kind of ballsy, IMO, for your neighbors to ask you to remove it and even more ballsy to complain and not help you pay. Jeez.
It's true that sometimes you really have to cut down a tree. We planted a box elder in the back yard. We didn't know that it was female or what that might mean. We planted it because we loved the (male) box elder in the front yard. We had to remove it 25 years later because it came from the nursery with box elder beetles. It turns out they reproduce on the female trees. The tree was healthy enough, but over the years we'd have occasional infestations, no big deal. But one year they were so numerous the fences all around the house were covered with large swaths of bright red nymphs. We ended up with so many, everywhere, that they were even going through the neighbor's vents and ending up in their light fixtures. In this case, the neighbor's request won out. Fortunately, our neighbor knew a guy who removed the tree for $300, which was an amazing price. The tree in the front remains and is bigger than ever.
That tree was also the start of my husband's tree planting "phase." He planted them all over our yard, they all grew fast, and some eventually had to be removed because they blocked the light in the vegetable garden. Fortunately, I started buying a bass every time my husband planted a tree, or we'd have had to remove a lot more trees.
It's true that sometimes you really have to cut down a tree. We planted a box elder in the back yard. We didn't know that it was female or what that might mean. We planted it because we loved the (male) box elder in the front yard. We had to remove it 25 years later because it came from the nursery with box elder beetles. It turns out they reproduce on the female trees. The tree was healthy enough, but over the years we'd have occasional infestations, no big deal. But one year they were so numerous the fences all around the house were covered with large swaths of bright red nymphs. We ended up with so many, everywhere, that they were even going through the neighbor's vents and ending up in their light fixtures. In this case, the neighbor's request won out. Fortunately, our neighbor knew a guy who removed the tree for $300, which was an amazing price. The tree in the front remains and is bigger than ever.
That tree was also the start of my husband's tree planting "phase." He planted them all over our yard, they all grew fast, and some eventually had to be removed because they blocked the light in the vegetable garden. Fortunately, I started buying a bass every time my husband planted a tree, or we'd have had to remove a lot more trees.
That seems like a good idea on paper, but it wouldn't work when put into practice.
1) Trimming the tree would require a professional company to come out with specialized equipment, including a bucket lift, and cutting off and removing a substantial amount of wood.
The logistics of the tree location (inside a fence and in very close proximity to several buildings and power lines) means it would still cost a lot of money to do the job (certainly a lot more than $1,500).
2) The fluffy cotton things sprout in large amounts from everywhere on the tree where the leaves are growing, so in order to stop the cotton shedding, I'd need to get rid of as many leaf bearing branches as possible.
If too many leaf bearing branches are removed, the tree will sicken and die. If too few are removed, it will still shed cotton.
Several posters mentioned chemically treating the tree to prevent it from shedding cotton, so I looked into the idea.
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Apparently, there are ways to spray both physical and biological "fluff" inhibitors to the tree that can substantially reduce the amount produced.
This seems like it might be a possibility that, while not perfect, might placate my neighbors, while not being too difficult or costly for me.
I'll do some more research and see how feasible this is.
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My yard is inundated by the falling leaves from my neighbor's huge oak tree every fall, which I rake up every year. That's how it goes, noboy controls the wind. There are a couple large branches hanging over my yard that, if they came down in a storm, would clock either one of my cars, or my boat. I intend to have those branches cut down, as is my right, but have no expectation that my neighbor will kick in on the cost. Do they have plants on their property that release pollen? Are you allergic to it? If so, you would have zero recourse. We need a LOT more trees to counteract the damege we do to the environment, not less. Leave it be.
Picture or it didn't happen!
I live in the woods and mow the leaves in the fall..
I also have a sawmill. Never cut down a live tree. Plenty of good lumber from dead and fallen trees.
Everything must pass but I vote to keep it!
I live in the woods and mow the leaves in the fall..
I also have a sawmill. Never cut down a live tree. Plenty of good lumber from dead and fallen trees.
Everything must pass but I vote to keep it!
The neighbors would still derive a benefit. I would "offer" to let them contribute toward funding that as well, but only if they bring it up again. Doing the research is fine, but tipping your hand to them would likely only embolden their sense of entitlement over, and presumption upon, you. You're still under no obligation even to do their homework for them, never mind anything else.
By all means, gather your information, but do so quietly. Let them stew.
