to poison the roots of a huge tree overgrowing on my property?

[spegal]

OK so I won't actually do it, but this tree is so fucking big, neighbour likes it but I think its anti social.

I get the branches growing on my side chopped but that just makes it look ugly.

If I decided to just weedkiller everything in that corner of my garden and happened to infect the roots on my side and kill it, would i legally be in the wrong?

[angelohsodelight]

Did you mean to say oops, I accidentally spilt weed killer all over next doors tree roots, will their tree now die !!

[thedancingbear]

yes

[Walkacrossthesand]

I think trees are harder to kill than that - their main roots go deep and they won't even notice a bit of weed killer on the ground round them.

[gutzgutz]

I believe that would be criminal damage! If they could prove it was you it could get nasty! But can't you speak to the neighbour about chopping the top off (get it done professionally) so you get more sunlight or whatever? You would have to offer to pay I suppose but may be worth it.

We have the same with our neighbours ugly conifer. We spoke to them and offered to chop it down considerably when we were having some other work done but they did it themselves in the end. I wish they'd just cut the whole thing down, fugly tree.

[spegal]

It was there before me, but wasn't expecting 2-3 ft a year

[TheBloodManCometh]

YABU, trim it, move or get over it.

[PetraArkanian]

More relevantly, if it's that close and that big if you kill the tree it could fall on your house. Or when it has to be cut down the removal of the root system is very likely to cause subsidence....

Better to get them to agree to cut it back!

[broomseed]

I think walkacross is right. I think they would be much harder to kill than a bit of weed killer.

[MrsWinnibago]

Is it actually shading your garden too much or just...you don't like it?

YABU. I hate the way people think trees are something to be got rid of!

I moved into my flat only three months ago and there's a lovely few trees in my garden....the garden was very neglected and when my neighbour saw me sorting it all out she was pleased....and said "Ooh do you want to borrow some equipment to cut those trees down now?



Erm..no...they're trees! I like them! Why the feck do people cut them down all the time?

[Cirsium]

I'd be careful about doing anything that will damage the roots. Our neighbours cut down large conifers when I was a child and as the roots shrank it caused subsidence to our home. I could slam a door at 4-years-old and make the walls shake! We had to be Rehomed by the council.

[spegal]

Well I want the top cut off, its shading my house too much.

Don't think people with tiny gardens should be allowed huge trees.

If I had the power I would make it an offence to have a tree taller than your home or one that casts a big shadow on other homes.

[grobagsforever]

selfish tree, supporting the ecosystem and making oxygen for you to breath. YABVU.

[Gruntfuttock]

Some trees are protected and even the owners of the property they're on aren't allowed to do anything to them without permission.

[dexter73]

If you killed it then you would just have a dead, big, ugly tree next to your house!

[CruCru]

Problem is, there are some trees that are older than the houses. We have a few which are taller than the house (massive garden) which are protected.

[TulipOHare]

I hate the way people think trees are something to be got rid of!

THIS, in spades!

Trees are beautiful and useful and should only ever be cut down if they present a danger IMO.

[spegal]

But some trees are a nusience, I like trees but not fast growing ugly conifers that block my light, increase my heating bills, suck all the moisture and nutrients from my veg patch.

[keepyourchinupdear]

YABVVVU

That's just what the world needs: less trees.

FFS

[keepyourchinupdear]

*fewer trees

[spegal]

The world needs more trees in fields, not ugly un non native species that decrease the bio diversity in tiny estate gardens

[Pagwatch]

If its very close to your house and growing fast might it undermine the foundations?

I've just been through months with the council to get loads of our trees chopped back. They are all under preservation orders. It's a pain. I ave to jump through hoops just to look after some of them.

[hellskitty]

'I think trees are harder to kill than that - their main roots go deep and they won't even notice a bit of weed killer on the ground round them'

yes this is absolutely true because I have tried it and I drilled a hole in a root to 'inject' the weedkiller .It made a few leaves on our side curl up and die and that was it .

[autumnmum]

What sort of tree is it?

[StanleyLambchop]

Conifers are not necessarily ugly! We have a row of them in my garden and I have a lovely border of plants growing underneath. It can be done. What are you trying to grow in your veg patch, and how close is it to the trees?