Advice needed

I’d put a note through the door to the effect of “Hi - I hope you are all well! I have noticed that the sycamore sapling between our houses has sprouted again this year, and it’s getting bigger every time it does. Before the roots get too deep & start causing problems, it now probably needs a tree person to look at it and dig out the existing root system, I think. I know how busy life is for you, so I can organise for someone to do this if that’s OK with you, and we can split any cost” (assuming it’s on the boundary so is a shared thing).

Could you speak to her again and nicely ask her if she would like you to arrange for someone to do the work as her husband is so busy. Reiterate the possible damage to both your houses.

I would first write a note and see if anything is done. If not would you be willing to have it taken down if they will allow someone in their garden.?

I'd wait for autumn then give the sycamore one last prune and a lovely drink of contact weedkiller.

I also would give the Sycamore a hard prune and a dose of SBK bought from B and Q for £7 .
Your neighbours probably won't address the problem.
Perhaps they don't comprehend the seriousness of it .

Over the last few days my reclusive neighbour is now hiding from me .
My parents had very polite discussions with him about his overgrown garden and broken fence .
I resumed nearly 19 years ago .
He's very charming to me -it's all ĺovie ,sweetie and darling and a lot of empty promises.
He told me that his house had been sold and it was no longer his problem That was about 18 months ago
I calculated that he's lived in his house for coming on 40 years .
What amazes me is the way that he's charmed some neighbours including the new ones in the adjoining house into believing him.
I have never told any of them that he has a criminal record and has been in prison .

I can only sympathise BlueBelle - I’m in exactly the same position with a row of sycamore saplings in the narrow space between my neighbour’s house and mine, in her garden. We have given up explaining to her what a serious potential problem we’ll have on our hands in next to no time, pointing out a twenty-foot sycamore across the road, but to no avail. So every year we reach over and chop them down to ground level. This, of course, encourages them to grow faster and spread. We’ll soon have a sycamore forest between our houses. We’re on very good terms but this is a tricky problem.

Good suggestion stillawipp.

I’ve just seen your advice Esmay. Although we avoid using weed killer, I think we’ll speak again to our neighbour & make an exception in the case of these sycamore saplings. Thanks.

We used to have a Sycamore tree and it made dozens of seedlings a year -that's why I'd advise a draconian method of getting rid of it !

I've completely failed to get my neighbour to remove his weeds and repair the fence .
Sometimes people knock on my door and ask me if his house is derelict .

One thing that I'm going to have to accept.
HE IS NEVER GOING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM !
Wishing you better luck .

Sadgrandma

Could you speak to her again and nicely ask her if she would like you to arrange for someone to do the work as her husband is so busy. Reiterate the possible damage to both your houses.

This is goid advice. You talk to your neighbor out of helpful, kindness, not nagging or secret notes.

Obviously, they have other pressing needs larger than the sycamore tree so be helpful, have it properly once-and-done (and make sure you have permission). It is good of you to be concerned with the well-being of BOTH of the homes - keep that kind attitude when you speak with her him.

If they won't deal with the issue, I would ask permission to go into their garden and cut it as low as you can. If you have heavy duty loppers it's easy to deal with the shoots, then paint with SBK weedkiller as suggested upthread.
Stillawip's letter might work, but it may be easier to deal with the problem yourself.

I wonder if you cutting them back is making the problem worse ? Perhaps when he has eventually gone to do something he can't actually see the problem, some people are not actually aware how invasive these trees are, could you print something off about how to deal with the problem and put it with your letter, but honestly I think you need a tree surgeon to deal with the problem efficiently.

You say this self sown sapling has several 3ft shoots, they will probably be around an inch in diameter each. There’s no need to ‘get a sledgehammer to crack a nut’. If you can get access, chop the five shoots down to the base and paint stump killer ( as suggested up thread) on the cuts, making them rough first, if you can.
The roots of such saplings are quite immature and won’t be causing damage, yet.

Delila

I can only sympathise BlueBelle - I’m in exactly the same position with a row of sycamore saplings in the narrow space between my neighbour’s house and mine, in her garden. We have given up explaining to her what a serious potential problem we’ll have on our hands in next to no time, pointing out a twenty-foot sycamore across the road, but to no avail. So every year we reach over and chop them down to ground level. This, of course, encourages them to grow faster and spread. We’ll soon have a sycamore forest between our houses. We’re on very good terms but this is a tricky problem.

If they are in her garden tell her that if the roots do any damage to your house she will be liable to meet the full cost of repairs as you had warned her regulalrly of the danger. You could put it in writitng so if it does happen she cannot wriggle out of it.

On the other hand, cutting down and SBK ing is a tactic I used in our last house where we had a very nice neighbour who never gardened

Legally, you cannot do anything if the tree is on the neighbour’s land other than to trim branches and roots that intrude onto your land.

After three years it sounds like the partner is not going to do anything. Nobody is that busy that they can’t deal with something that would take all of 20 minutes. Why can’t the woman do something about it herself? I’m sure she’s busy with three children but again, twenty minutes when they're at school/in bed?

I’d give it one more try by talking to him directly. If he says he’s too busy, say you are prepared to do it yourself if you can come onto their land.

It does sound like you need to tackle this with a herbicide such as SBK. Obviously make sure that the children and any animals are protected from where the toxic substance is put.

Helpful video here on sycamore control.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOg_CiGO_jM

Key is to cut the stems below the surface of the soil and then paint with herbicide. They drill holes and inject the herbicide where the growth is thick.

Here’s a thought. In my experience, power tools are like dog whistles to many men. If you mention that as a method, man next door might be more inclined to do it rather than the harder work of having to dig it out by the roots.

Monica, we’ll sort something out without any ill-feeling between us. My neighbour isn’t uncooperative, she just hasn’t the first idea about plants, rather like your former neighbour. She’ll be willing for us to do something more permanent than we’ve done so far, & I’ve taken onboard a couple of the suggestions on here.

butterandjam

I'd wait for autumn then give the sycamore one last prune and a lovely drink of contact weedkiller.

so would I

they aren't taking much notice of it, so I don't think they'd be bothered

Why can’t the woman do something about it herself? I’m sure she’s busy with three children but again, twenty minutes when they're at school/in bed?

I was wondering why she couldn't do it too!