# You.. you..Herbicidal Neighbor you! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694 "2003-06-27T03:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694/21 "2003-06-30T18:06:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NurseCarmen \* > \*\*IANAL, but since there currently _isn’t_ a fence, I would think that adverse posession might be a bit tougher for her to claim. If you were to put up a fence, I would go with a nice 6 foot, blot-out-the-sun-kill-a-garden type privacy fence. \*\* Of course, there are often persnickety municipal rules about putting up a fence (especially on a city right of way!), height of fence etc. There are bureaucrats out there drooling over the possibility of jamming you up over the violation of some pissant rule, so beware. Also, you want to be compensated for any loss of privacy etc. if the hedge croaks, but you don’t want a suburban range war. Trust me on this. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694/22 "2003-06-30T18:19:41Z")
Go to your nearest semi-wild park. Bring plastic bags and gloves. Pull up some poison Ivy, gather some buckthorn, etc. Then do a little subtle gardening in her yard next time she’s away for a few hours. Make sure to plant the poison ivy in spots she might not immediately see. You want those roots to set in and start spreading. Or get some local pot head to throw about 8,000 seeds into her yard, wait a couple of weeks and call the cops. ++ Or you could just file charges. Let the Judge call her an idiot and ‘inform’ her of just who owns that land. YRMV (Your Revenge May Vary) ---
**Author:** ![enigmatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@enigmatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigmatic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694/23 "2003-06-30T19:07:40Z")
I agree with **Sionach** , it really isn’t worth getting into this sort of feud. Garden border disputes are quite common over here and always end up escalating out of all proportion. There was a case a couple of weeks ago of one guy killing his neighbour after a long running dispute over a hedge and then killing himself in prison, that has to be just about the dumbest reason to die ever. I’d suggest just ignoring them and consoling yourself with the knowledge that your being about a thousand times less infantile than they are. If they carry on with their behavior regardless until it becomes intolerable you will be in a much better position to do something about it if you haven’t done anything to provoke them. It certainly isn’t worth doing something that’ll get you in trouble (or in the case of some of the above suggestions arrested). ---
**Author:** ![Sionach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Sionach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sionach)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694/24 "2003-06-30T19:25:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cbtcad \* > Why on earth would you even momentarily entertain the idea that it would be perfectly legal and right to **climb our fence** , come into our yard, AND PROCEED TO CUT DOWN OUR 20 YEAR OLD RED TIP BUSHES?! From the OP - just to clear up the issue of whether there is currently a fence or not. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@Fin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fin_man)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694/25 "2003-06-30T19:32:44Z")
As for the advice of killing their lawn, fertilizing some nasty words, planting poison ivy, etc: while I would enjoy doing every single one of those to a neighbor like described in the OP, my concern is the statement “Mind you, he may not be able to prove it but he’s going to know you did it.” can cut both ways. Once you do something, asshat neighbor will most likely do something back to you. In my opinion, best keep it adult (on your part) and use letters and the courts if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694/26 "2003-06-30T20:46:24Z")
Holy cow **Sionach** , that _did_ slip my notice. Well heck, adverse possession may be on the side of the OP, if she turns out to be wrong and it actually is City land (which I doubt) Man, the more I find out, the more I think the OP should press charges. This neighbor is an absolute nitwit to the highest degree. **Jackmannii** also has a good point. No need to get jammed up yourself by not checking what rules the city has for fences, and possibly pulling a permit if required (Since there is an existing fence, any new fence would probably not require a permit) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-you-herbicidal-neighbor-you/184694.md?page=1)