Just Wondering? Several years ago we planted a hemlock to hide an ugly yard next door. The hemlock was on our property close to the property line but not close enough for limbs to grow over the neighbors property. It had been growing quite successfully along with another hemlock that we had planted at the same time. One thing though--The hemlock that died and died quite suddenly was blocking the late afternoon sun for some new plants that the newly married neighbor's wife was planting in her back yard. She is a fanatic about getting her grass to grow everywhere. We had been in the neighborhood much longer and had planted the Hemlock long before she showed up to live in sin with the man. So I discover an oily feeling residue in the dirt where the roots were. I can't smell anything but is feels a bit oily--a bit. It isn't the normal feel of dirt. So What do You all think. Did she use Kerosene or Gasoline? Also about two years ago a mimosa died very suddenly. It was a new plant sprouting on it's own. It was about 2 feet tall. It was on the side of the yard close to but not on the property line where she is a fanatic about her grass to the exclusion of everyone else's needs. I was letting it grow because I had one in my yard as a child. I sat in it to daydream. It was poisoned I'm quite sure because there was a circle around it at the trunk that will not grow anything to this day.

How long after a plant is poisoned can you get effective lab tests? Wonder who does them?

The old man who is her husband is smiling and conniving about getting his way.

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the woody adelgid insect kills eastern hemlocks and a hemlock looper kills the western, but you would notice the insects on the tree, not the ground.
Mimosa vascular wilt has killed most of mimosa trees in my area.
It is possible that she did something to hurt the trees, especially if you notice something greasy. How about motor oil used for her precious lawnmower for her precious lawn, but you could never prove it.

The algid was killing some hemlocks in this area at least in the Great Smoky Mountains. I ruled those out though because the other hemlock which was just a yard or two away from it was untouched. It was also in a position where it wouldnt block the sun for the new landscaping around her back porch. I'm sure that the mimosa sprout was poisoned. I just wish that I had gotten tips or a testing kit from our local ornamental horticulture department at the local university at the time that it occurred. I guess that they have things like that. I could talk about other behaviors and characteristics of the neighbors but I need to keep this on the plants. I didn't think that law enforcement would come out to test the soil for petroleum products. The character who's wife or her son did it used to be high up in law enforcement in a big well known city many miles from here. He's kind of sexist too. Sheesh. Thanks jvelo

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Many residues stay in and on the soil for quite a while. It wouldn't hurt to get a sample in a sterilized jar. Your county extension may do the testing for you.

You still wouldn't be able to prove who actually did the poisoning unless you caught them red-handed, or should I say, greasy-handed!

But, if soil testing did show a contaminant in the soil, you could have a little conversation with them under the guise of neighborly concern, because it could certainly leach into their soil and cause damage to their plants. Guilty or innocent, your message will be heard without the ugly accusations.

It might be worth contacting an arborist to determine what killed the tree(s).

quote:

Originally posted by lmccrore:
But, if soil testing did show a contaminant in the soil, you could have a little conversation with them under the guise of neighborly concern, because it could certainly leach into their soil and cause damage to their plants. Guilty or innocent, your message will be heard without the ugly accusations.

That's a good idea. I don't need the proof. I know in my heart who did it. The testing will confirm it. Formal action will not be taken

The hemlock died 3 years ago just before the plants, sun loving ones, were planted for her backyard renovation.

There are times that "fencing fakes great neighbors". And in this instance, I would have a soil test out of concern for drinking water. It does not take much contamination to cause a problem.

I love those 6' privacy fences, but they do shade out nearby grasses.

I have planted some new plants, a small ornamental tree --2 of them actually-- on that side recently to replace an Oak tree. Her husband was pushy with his successful efforts to get us to cut a very large old Oak Tree -60 years old. He started out by sending an u n c o u t h t r e e cutting person to my front door. The man made about 5 or 6 visits over here banging on my door trying to get us to pay for it. He was sent by the neighbor I'm sure. When that didn't work the neighbor sent him over and offered to pay for it himself. We agreed reluctantly. We still miss that tree. He was supposed to get the stump ground down. Guess what? He did call the stump grinders and they fixed his stumps but not ours. ! ! Her tactics make me worry. I've thought of a fence to protect my plants. That is one thing that she can't poison. She has improved their yard greatly but she didn't need to poison my plants to do that. The Being upstairs will punish her sufficiently for that I hope. I've even thought of a camera aimed at the property line. Those are probably expensive. We do have sewers here. There aren't wells around here. We are near a lake though. Sheesh The husband started going to c h u r c h prior to the above described escapades. I hope he learns something about what is t a u g h t there because he doesn't have a clue how a person is supposed to conduct himself if he buys the m e s s a g e taught there. I think it is for a p p e a r a n c e. He sits at a table to had out info once a month. I had to laugh up my s l e e v e when I saw that. His 'wife' or live in L o v e r rarely goes. She doesn't seem happy when she is there. Guys like him give the ones who are serious about the message taught there a bad name.

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I did have a little conversation with the neighbor prior to the good suggestion above about neighborly concern. It was a conversation without accusations in which I said someone one has poisoned the mimosa. Could you help us keep an eye out. I have just planted new plants and I don't want the same thing happening again. The old Man is so S E X i S T. I can't describe his actions here. He comes around later when I'm sitting on my bench in my yard trying to shame me. He did this right after he saw my husband drive out of the drive way. "You don't really think that we did that do you. We always discuss things with you." I kept it polite instead of getting very angry with him at that point. I was thinking but didn't say "oh yeah you discussed it with us alright when you sent the trashy acting tree cutting man over 5 to 6 times to try to get us to cut our Oak. ANd you also said that you would grind the tree stump. --So P h o n y.

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