Tree Issue
A beautiful old cherry tree in my backyard has 1/3 of its branches overhanging my next door neighbor’s backyard. They have complained about it to us before: they dislike the pink blossoms floating into their yard. To appease them, we have had it trimmed but for the short time that it is in bloom, the…
A beautiful old cherry tree in my backyard has 1/3 of its branches overhanging my next door neighbor’s backyard. They have complained about it to us before: they dislike the pink blossoms floating into their yard. To appease them, we have had it trimmed but for the short time that it is in bloom, the wind does blow the blossoms into their yard…a pretty high level problem, if you ask me. Today, another neighbor alerted me that the complaining neighbor has now hired a tree cutting service to cut down all the branches on their property. This will most likely kill the tree and at the very least will severely compromise its health. I’ve read the NY Times article on this site but it does not address NY legal laws. What can I do to stop them from cutting a significant number of branches?
I also wonder if anyone has tried to landmark a tree?
In the interim, short of sitting in the tree, which I plan to do tomorrow, what legal steps can I take to prevent them from cutting the tree?
Advice appreciated!
You can’t landmark a tree.
Jlo, have you asked an arborist to come look at it and make sure it would really die if it were pruned to your property line?
There might not actually be a conflict here… they can’t do anything else to you if the branches are cut.
We also have a rear neighbor with a magnificent cherry tree. It rains down pink blossoms that create a two to three inch thick covering. I have to rake up regularly for about a week. I love the look of it, though – so I’d never want the tree to go away. We had some branches that hung over so far they were above the rain gutters on the back of our house trimmed last year. You’d have to really cut away at a mature cherry to kill it. We used Urban Arborists. I advise you call in a professional arborist to trim the tree in a healthy, visually pleasing way that gives your neighbors a break. If they are still upset — offer to rake up for them for the week or so it creates a mess in their back yard.
Call the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to ask about pruning or for a referral to an arborist. The have a free call in help line. If you are pruning that heavily they will probably recommend some kind of fungicide be put on the cuts.
http://www.bbg.org
All of this hysteria is for nought. I can assure you that cutting the branches of your tree will not kill it – it will probably be good for it actually. It may look lopsided and homely, but in terms of health, it will be fine.
8:55: Tried to photograph the yards, but the tree branches are so high, I can’t get them and the fence in the same shot.
Yes 2:21, all this for 2 weeks of pink petals floating into their backyard.
My lawyer says the law is on their side, and that they can cut whatever is in their yard, but that they can’t harm the tree. Anyone know of an arborist who can asses just how much is too much? And the cost of a replacement tree? How sad is this?!
Oh, and i have the exact opposite situation. My neighbors have a huge beautiful blooming tree and I LOVE when it snows in my yard.
Clean up is nothing. htey are meant to mulch out. granted I may have to sweep the small patio so it doesn’t clog the drain on the few sparse days it snows heavily.
what the flying flip?
All this drama due to blooming, then snowing petals that last ALL OF 2 WEEKS? Some people are just assholes, through and through. Give me a break.
11:38 YOU should try reading the post. It indicates that while the OP “trimmed” the tree, they did not cut off all branches crossing the property line. The OP says flat out that these are what the 3rd neighbor said the next door neighbor hired someone to cut off.
I simply suggested that the OP hire someone they trust to do it in a way that won’t kill their tree. The petals will be something the neighbor can complain about but will just have to live with.