who's responsible for invasive plants?

[kzin]

Hello,

My neighbor's ivy is extremely invasive. It has already damaged a rubber tree pretty severely and is doing it's best to take over the rest of the side yard that abuts my neighbor.

Who is responsible for keeping this in check? Does it become my problem the instant it crosses the property line, that is at the center of a 4 foot width of hedge?

I have a friendly relationship with my neighbor but she didn't seem to grasp how much of a problem this is.

Anyone have experience with successfully and hopefully amicably resolving a similar matter?

thanks ml

[kzin]

Yes I talked with her. That's how I was able to determine she didn't grasp how much of a problem it is. I did not get into her face and say that she has to do something about it. I told her that her ivy is killing everything it gets into.

I have since spoken with her daughter, who does appreciate that it is a problem and we'll most likely come up with something. Unfortunately I'm probably going to be the one who pays for it though as money seems to be a bit tight for them atm.

[Norminn]

What is on your property is yours to maintain. If the neighbor has dandelions, and the seeds blow onto your lawn, is your neighbor supposed to come over and pull up those that grow?

Just cut the runners, cut what has wrapped around the tree. When you have cut all that you can, then spray regularly when new sprouts arise with Roundup or some such. I've seen ivy strangle sizeable trees, so it should be controlled.

[ransley]

You would be suprised , people with invasive plants have been forced to pay all damages to the harmed. Its her plant, Round UP will kill it, at night you can say you are spraying your weeds. Roundup does not have to be sprayed on her property, only the plants leaves, on your land it will kill it. But Talk to the neighbor first, and have her trim it, or it might just die misteriously, from something like Roundup and you dont know about it.

[Ken]

Have you talked to your neighbor about your concern? I will bet if you do you can both arrive at a solution that won't ruin a friendship.

[Oren]

I've never seen an ivy invade a "rubber tree" Are you thinking Banyan tree.

Leave the Ivy alone.

[Oren]

Her Ivy IS invasive to the OP's rubber tree?

[bigjimpack]

Not very likely. Just kill what is on your property. You cannot expect her to clean up your property.

[Norminn]

clipped

Just a note that ivy is waxy, so Roundup is most effective on new growth. There are lots of folks who bring their houseplants to Florida and love that they can stick anything in the ground and see it take off. Ivy, asparagus fern, wandering jew, etc., are really crappy in the landscape here. Asparagus fern, like ivy, is just about impossible to get rid of by digging/pulling. Cutting it down and spraying new growth with Roundup is suprisingly effective. It might mean crawling around under hedges, but once under control it's no big deal.

I would be sure to make lots of cuts on the stems of the ivy surrounding the tree - the dead vines can persist long enough to strangle a good tree as it grows. Be sure it is all cut at the base as well.

When you get down to just a few sprouts, just spot treat when there are two or three new leaves. Keep at it and you will be able to keep it contained.

[kzin]

I'm not sure what it is. It was called a rubber tree by the neighbor's daughter. It's not a tree. It's some sort of hedge. It doesn't really matter what it is. The ivy has complely invaded it and several other abutting plants.

Leave it alone? So it can continue killing my hedges? Generally you give pretty good advice from what I've read.. any rationale for just doing nothing and letting this ivy take over all my plants?

[kzin]

thanks for the suggestions, i will certainly give them a go. ml

[RobertPatrick]

"kzin" wrote in news:2pednVxPhPScRdzVnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

In my experience, a neighbor such as yours is a big fake. They smile to your face and all the while are backstabbers/do nothings.

[RobertPatrick]

Norminn wrote in news:HrSdnQk0HcEldtzVnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

If it kills your hedge, then put up a solid wood fence. Because if you have to do so much work and she doesn't care or help, then the heck with her and she can look at a fence.

[Joseph Meehan]

You will need to contact YOUR local authorities. In general you get to do most anything you want with any part that grows onto or over your property line. However some areas will not allow you to do anything that will kill or damage their pants and I would guess there are areas where they might be responsible for keeping their plants from growing into your yard.

Is your neighbor only a woman or are there other adults in the household? It might make it easier talking to a second person.

[Dan Espen]

The authorities?

Geez, glad I don't have a neighbor like you.

You got the second part right. Anything growing onto your property you can deal with. That's what the OP has to do. Cut the stuff off at the property line.

I'm sure the neighbor has a right to her ivy ground cover no matter how ill advised it is. I wouldn't be calling any authorities about it. Live with it.

[kzin]

Yeah, I won't be bringing the authorities in. The problem is that the property line in 2 feet deep into hedge. So for me to try and cut it off means I have to go over to her property. Most likely what will happen is that her daughter and I will come up with a new landscape plan that involves removing the existing hedge, and invading ivy, and replanting with plants more amenable to ivy prevention maintenance.

I guess it just irriatates me that people plant stuff without thinking even the slightest bit ahead to what it might lead to.

[Dan Espen]

Ah, now I see the problem.

I suppose that's why most places specify that fences must be 2 feet from the property line.

I'd be surprised if your neighbor objected to you getting on her side of the hedge and pulling out the ivy. It's got to look like hell.

A hedge spanning a property line pretty much means someone has to cross property lines to take care of it.

Neighbors with crab grass and dandelions aren't that uncommon. Some people want a perfect lawn and others just hope it stays green.

Hope you can work something out. I think I'd just say, "mind if I take care of the hedge?" and do what I want anyway.

[Norminn]

Prune the hedges so that there is clear space below them, no branches touching the ground. Just clear at least 6-8". Gotta crawl around a bit to cut back the ivy, but then you have room to work. Use weed whacker back to the property line to get the ivy and cut it down to the soil being careful not to chop the hedges. Now you have clear space to put down some mulch. Use Roundup to get the new growth when it has

2-3 open leaves. These are tender growth and much more susceptible to herbicide.As was said before, once you've got it down it really isn't a big deal to keep it out of your yard.

I think ivy is a really attractive plant, but hellish to keep contained and can do a lot of harm.

Folks make lots of bad decisions about what and where they plant stuff. And now we have pythons in the Everglades :o)

[Wayne Boatwright]

On Sat 31 May 2008 07:07:39p, kzin told us...

We once bought the proverbial ivy covered cottage. It was charming and quite pretty, and the ivy was lush. However, I was very irritated when I found ivy growing through the wall and behind the range in the kitchen.

We ultimiately had every bit of ivy eradicated from the property. After it was removed from the brickwork, it all had to be repointed.

[aemeijers]

That's for damn sure. At work, on the 1902 wings of the building, after

70-some years of picturesque ivy covering the yellow fired brick outside walls, they are spending probably a million bucks of your tax money stripping the stuff off and repairing the brick. Some areas, they are actually having to remove the outside layer of brick (which involves interesting uses for angle iron and braces to keep wall from collapsing on them), and laying in new brick, because the old stuff was spalled so badly. Ivy is pretty, but it flat-out destroys masonry walls.

-- aem sends...