who's responsible for invasive plants?

The fact is there are laws about this and if you violate the law, that neighbor can bring an action against you.

If you think that is not likely because you have nice neighbors, consider this. If the OP's neighbors were nice, why would he be posting the question, when a simple word to his nice thoughtful neighbor would be enough for that neighbor to take care of the problem.

If the OP were to violate the law, which varies depending on where you live, he could find himself in a far worse condition.

These kind of property rights issues are certainly not un-common.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan
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I found by accident that 24D is extremely effective. I sprayed a batch of bedstraw that was invading the ivy on my retaining wall (RR ties). That killed all the ivey for the next 10 ft. Of couse I'm not sure that it was my spray that did it as the farmer behind me also sprays the field edge.

I may spray the whole patch and see what happens - it is spreadign way out into what passes for lawn.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

We have ruled out a strangler fig and rubber tree. A strangler fig (*) WILL kill a tree. People confuse it with ivy vines. Ivy will not harm the tree, but co-exist with the host tree. Moss, Orchids, Ferns, air plants, etc. do the same.

I like Ivy ground cover.

I won't pretend to tell how to go and cut the ivy back with a machete. Instead of "asking" the neighbor; perhaps state WHAT your plans are.

"I'm going to cut these plants back". It gives them a chance to object. A good explanation of the problem and how I intend to solve it. If they object try plan B.

When I bought my home, the neighbor came over during renovations. She was concerned about her Ivy "on the wall" and asked if it "bothered" us. I said no, but see your two trees? "I intend to cut them away from my roof" She says, OK!

The ivy covers now about sixty feet of wall.

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Reply to
Oren

The best plan yet. It gets you access to the property.

A tip I use is to envision the plant or trees at maturity. I purposely tilted a palm tree. In a few more years, at the roof level, it will have grown "away from the house".

Reply to
Oren

clipped

I doubt that there are codes in many places which are enforced in regard to invasive plants. One famous plant, purple loosestrife, is choking out a lot of native plants in wetlands, but it is still sold everywhere for gardens.

Florida has lists of invasive plants, but no enforcement or code prohibiting them.

I did a quick google search for "code invasive plants" and didn't see anything that pointed to specific laws.

I don't consider folks "nice" or "not nice" based on what grows in their yard. My mom was an avid gardener and replanted just about every cutting she took. 17 kinds of trees in her yard, and a very strenuous effort to make the yard private. The OP said the ivy was taking over his hedge and a tree; sounds like he is just a little late in keeping stuff in place. It isn't that hard, and even the grass here in Florida gets "invasive" - St. Augustine grass spreads all over, including up the hedges.

Reply to
Norminn

You would have to be blind to confuse a strangler fig with ivy ... s.f. is a tree with multiple, inter- connected trunks. Ivy will strangle a growing tree.

Reply to
Norminn

"kzin" wrote in news:9MOdnRY3D_w_md_VnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Most people have no concept of how big plants will get. They want a landscape that looks mature the day they put it in, so they get the bigger, faster-growing plant varieties. Five years later, you can't see the house for the foliage.

I can't tell you the number of times I've dug out big plants for people, then recommended to them they look for replacements with "miniature" or "dwarf" in the name.

The same thing happens with all kinds of plants. Creeping Charlie and Yarrow are really pretty, but I would never recommend them, because they're invasive.

Reply to
Steve

On Sun 01 Jun 2008 05:18:56p, Steve told us...

LOL! I would be very happy if you couldn't see the house for the trees. :-)

A year and a half ago we moved into a new house on a barren lot. It is desert land in AZ. Since then we have planted various cactii and desert friendly plants. A few months ago we had an ash, a desert pine, and a lemon tree planted. The ash is in a good place for large growth, and I understand that it can grow as much as 4-6 feet per year. I've been told that the pine is a fast grower, too. The lemon tree is a drawf, but a good fruit producer (my main goal for that). We already have around 20 lemons on it that are about an inch in diameter.

I would like to add quite a few more plants/trees, but fast growers, as we are both older and I can't wait 20 years for something to mature to the size I want. After we're gone I don't care what people do to them. :-)

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in news:4841f95c$0$5137$ snipped-for-privacy@roadrunner.com:

So you are saying you can't shoot 'em in the nuts because it will kill their pants? :-)

Reply to
Red Green

I not convinced ivy "kills" the tree. It is not a parasite that relies on the tree for survival. It does use the tree for support.

I can see how the weight, strong winds, and ice storms would cause branches to break and open the tree to disease.

I'm at an impasse :)

Reply to
Oren

clipped

I've seen ivy kill an oak tree, about 8" diam. The vine surrounds the trunk and as the trunk grows the vine strangles it. Same as girdling.

Reply to
Norminn

Ivy causes Girdling? I'm not convinced...

(I'm learning a new term, "Girdling")

:)

Reply to
Oren

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