This is a sensitive question. My neighbor has large trees growing in his back yard. These have grown to the point where they are blocking the sunlight to the north side of my back yard. When we moved in (6 years ago), we had nice grass growing in the north side of the yard-now all the grass is dead, and the spruce trees we planted are all stunted and yellowed. The ground is bare.
Now, my neighbors are nice people (a young couple, with their first child). I have approached my neighbor…I have offered to help him cut the trees down…he isn’t interested.
What can I do? I had the bare earth look…but NOTHING will grow in the area, with all the shade from his trees.
WAG Get a high powered laser. Point it up along the fence/property line and cut off every thing on your side at the line!
Sounds like an insensitive clod.
Check on local ordinances/law.
Seek legal counsel.
Buy the property.
Sell you property.
Live with it.
Depends on your local jurisdiction, but usually you could pay to trim the trees back so that they don’t hang over your property line. I have a similar problem. I called the local park and tree commission and that’s what they told me. The lady said it would be best if I sent a certified letter (even though the neighbor lives right next door) informing him of my intentions. I haven’t gotten around to it due to money constraints.
Don’t just hack away at the tree, of course. Hire a professional.
From what I’ve read, it’s OK to trim the parts of the trees that overhang your property, but not so much that it would damage the trees. But check your local ordinances like spingears said.
No, it sounds like someone who likes his trees. You’d have him cut down his trees so the OP can grow grass? And you call him insensitive?
ralph124c, have you considered looking for plants that tolerate shade?
The replies so far assume that a portion of the trees is encroaching on your land. However, I read the OP to state that all of the trees are on the neighbor’s property, but they are so large that they block the sunlight from the north part of the property. Unless you acquired the property with an easement for light and air, I don’t see what legal action you have. You might try something on a personal nuisance basis, but I doubt if that has any merit. You might want to discuss this with an attorney with experience in these matters. Most attorneys do not charge for the initial consultation.
Well, the tree is on their property and you ask them to cut it down… :o
Have you tried grass that grows in the shade?
I have a tree that is growing across the property line and almost on my neighbors garage roof. I plan to cut those limbs at the tree next week.
If you belong to an HOA, I would contact them first and see what they can do.
Failing that, what about adding rock and a small pond to that area? Maybe a gazebo? 
The trees are on my neighbor’s property-they do not encroach on mine. However, the shade is very dense-only hostas will grow on the land.
As I say, I’d gladly help the guy cut them down-he can’t grow grass in HIS yard either!
When I was a kid we had a similar situation. A neighbor’s trees dropped crabapples on our property. The fruit attracted bees. The neighbors would not willingly alter the trees. My father did something that was kinda shocking. I won’t go into specific details, but in the middle of the night he did a few relatively subtle things to the trees. It was the only time I ever saw him do anything illegal, and he insisted it was due to fear the kids would keep getting stung by bees.
Six months to a year later the trees were dead. My dad went to a lawyer and sued due to the danger the dead trees posed. The court ordered (or the neighbors agreed) the trees be cut down.