Are Your Neighbor's Weeds Invading Your Yard? Here's What To Do

If you take pride in your lawn, you've probably got its care routine down to a science. You know enough lawn mowing tips to make you an expert, and you're a wizard at weed control. This can make it incredibly frustrating, though, when your neighbor's weeds start spreading onto your lawn. Even worse, if the weeds are rooted in your neighbor's lawn, then they're the one who's responsible for them, and you can't do anything to them without your neighbor's permission. Where things get tricky is when the weeds grow right on the line, and you aren't certain where the roots are located. With trees, you can trim branches that cross onto your side of the property line, but that won't work for weeds. So, what can you do?

The best place to start is by talking to your neighbor. Keep things polite — remember, they're not deliberately planting weeds in the hopes of ruining your beautiful lawn! Your neighbor may not be physically able to weed their lawn, or they may be interested in wildlife gardening and plan on growing a natural lawn. Of course, they could also just be uninterested in lawn care. Either way, there may be a compromise that keeps everyone happy and prevents future conflicts. For example, your neighbor may allow you to take care of weeds that are getting close to your lawn, or they might agree to split the cost of a shared fence between your properties.

How to keep weeds off your own lawn

If you and your neighbor aren't able to reach a compromise, you can always focus on your own lawn. A healthy lawn can keep most common weeds at bay, and any weeds that grow in your yard are yours to deal with as you please. It's a good idea to learn how to recognize common lawn weeds and how to deal with them effectively. Monitor your lawn, particularly near the edges where it borders your neighbor's, and consider treating your side of the property line with a preemergent herbicide to stop any wind-blown seeds from sprouting.

If you aren't a fan of chemicals, or if you just want a little extra security, adding a physical barrier between properties can help. A solid privacy fence with weed barrier fabric, a rocky border, or solid edging can block some, but not all, seeds and weeds, while a strip of bare earth treated with herbicides along the border will slow creeping tendrils. No method is completely effective, so you may want to try combining multiple types of barriers: For example, you can install a privacy fence with weed barrier fabric along the bottom and add a strip of rocks or mulch to your side of it. Think of it like a filter that uses multiple layers to catch as many weeds as possible. No matter which option you choose, be sure it's installed only on your property, or else you might have an entirely different type of neighborly dispute to deal with!