Uh, I'm no lawyer, but spraying weed killer on your neighbor's property is not within one's rights. That being said, I don't think burlap or weed fabric would work as they are both permeable. I think some big, ugly corrugated plastic sheets made for cheap shed roofing would be more appropriate. Preferably in the ugliest lime green I could find, or maybe the ugliest brightest blue tarp I could find, but that's just me. Boy, I would be some kind of hopping mad.
-Stephanie

That is horrible----I once had a neighbor who had a lawn service who sprayed----It was terrible---I couldn't stay out in the yard-----Thankfully they finally moved---
I wonder what the laws are about this kind of a situation--
the lawn service had to notify me when they were going to spray but that doesn't help your poor roses.

I agree with Stephanie-----

Florence

I'm sure it is not legal in any country of the world to spray other people plants with a weed killer!! On the other hand, how could you proove that... or stop him...
Well, you could place some sheets of transparent and rigid plastic, much like a transparent window. You could put them now without frame, to save time and money, and then build a nice wooden frame when you've time.

{{gwi:252636}}

This is NOT his right. Maybe you could reccommend to him to brush the weeds with Roundup instead of spraying if he is so insistant. How can he do this if it is killing your roses? There is no reason for you to have to make a barrier. This makes me really angry.

What about getting a large supply of large used cardboard boxes, the very sturdy kinds that I often find free at grocery or box stores. Insert a flattened box into a heavy duty plastic trash sack and duct tape it closed. Then use more duct tape and tape it to the fence. Since it's a chain link fence you shouldn't have too much trouble getting it attached through the openings.

Is that too weird? It's cheap, anyway. Good luck.

Thank you all so much. Those are all some really good ideas. I was worried that the spray might be able to get through the fabric , esp. if it was under pressure or sprayed really close to the fabric which it would be. Using something plastic would do the trick. Lowes or the Depot would probably have something heavy duty, which could stand up better in the wind. Maybe stretch it between some 2x2Âs. And if it was clear, then the neighborÂs wouldnÂt fuss too much.

Scardan  I love those windows, they are so pretty! Wish I had those on my porch.

My neighbor is really a nice man, but it does stink that he is so unbendable on this subject. He is quite particular about his lawn. He has no trees, shrubs, or anything  just grass. I have to make sure none of the rose canes touch MY fence or he cuts them off and even cut all the branches off of my tree that faced his side of the fence just so no leaves would touch his grass. So yall see what IÂm up against :)

Thanks again, and I'm sure my roses would be thanking you too if they could :)
Liz

I'd return the favor and spray grass killer onto his lawn. "Ooops, so sorry, I was just trying to kill off the grass around my plants..."

I like the idea of the bright blue tarp, too. Maybe even paint a hideous mural on his side of it. Make it ugly enough and maybe he'll spring for a fence.

You know, I like to paint murals. I get some plywood and some little cans of paint in red, blue, yellow and black. One can mix a lot of colors. Hmm.... what to paint? A snake? "Don't Tread On Me?"
"If You Outlaw Roses, Only Rosarians will have them?"
Perhaps some eyes, staring out of a forest, on his side?
Then, get out some rap music and turn it up loud.

Catsrose - That thought really did cross my mind. :)
Unless I can find heavy enough plastic, may have to make due with the brightest colored tarp I can find. :)

Kaylah - That is too funny. I could just picture his face when he came outside in the morning with a big ole snake painted on a mural saying don't tread on me. Man, that would be priceless.

You can go to a lumber store and ask for their "lumber wrap". These are the tarps that the lumber is wrapped in during transport. I find them to be stronger than the tarps you buy and they are Free...at least where we are. You can cut a small hole and feed some rope through it and tie it to the fence. Even without grommets it holds up. Just make the hole a 3-4" from the edge. Usually comes in black, sometimes beige on one side and white on the other and anywhere from 8-20' long. Good luck.

It is definitely against the law for your neighbor to cut trees in YOUR yard because leaves from that tree might fall on his grass. Think of property lines as if they extended up into the sky to form a box around your property. He cant go into your box. If trees are hanging into his box, then he does have a right to chop it back to the property line, but no more. I'd seriously sue him. He also doesn't have a right to send poisonous fog into your box. Sue.

Oh my-----I just went to your home page and noticed that you have two little girls--
You said he was a nice man------well I would tell him how much the little girls love to smell the roses and it is dangerous for them--(and it is)---If that doesn't work then try some of the other suggestions--it will be interesting to see if he really is a "nice man "

One of the reasons I stopped spraying roses many years ago was because the first thing we do when we see a pretty rose is try and smell it----Just didn't like smelling a bunch of chemicals.

Good Luck--

Florence---(a concerned grandmom)

The lumber wraps is a really good idea, there's a lumber yard right up the street from my house, I'll have to go check it out. Maybe they'll have extras they don't need - that would be perfect. Thanks!

Good news, my roses donÂt seem to be too worse for the wear today. Fortunately, since I was able to water really good right after it happened I think theyÂll be ok this time.
My neighbor and I had another talk today, but it didnÂt go too well. Ahh, the joys of living way to close to your neighborsÂ..Makes country living look so good right now :)

Florence - I totally agree, that's one of the reasons I stopped spraying as well. It is so much nicer to enjoy the roses without that chemical smell or worrying about the effects of the spray.
It is so cute, because my girls and I will make our rounds around the garden and they get so excited when another bloom has popped open. We always stop to smell too, and my youngest always asks, what's the name of this one? then she tries so hard to repeat it :).

Many, many thanks for all your help and support.

Liz

A giant fan........aimed at his side and a "spray alert" in your house. When alerted you could push a button and the fan comes on and blows it all back on his side.

Sorry - this is nonsense and doesn't help you but it's a nice fantasy anyway.

To me, it's like loud music or smoke - you have the right to play your music as loud as you want or create noxious fumes or spray your weed killer AS LONG as you can keep it to your own ear or nose or property. I have a neighbor who constantly burns piles of stinking, smoldering stuff in his pasture and it always blows in my yard (he also does it even when there is a burn ban on.....I'm going to call the fire department one of these times). It's always on a nice day when I'm out working in the yard or have the windows open. Absolutely infuriates me - I don't stink up his property, why should he be able to make all his neighbors miserable just because he doesn't want a pile of wood in his yard?

Lynn

The neighbor needs to be sprayed. He's a pest..LOL. Hey how about gifting him a rose..tell him you will care for it on his property..maybe in a pot and perhaps he will learn to appreciate roses

"Good fences make good neighbors" R. Frost

Although you could do many punitive things back at him the reality is that you need to protect your roses, children and yard without his co-operation.

In these days of angry gun-toting (and using) people we all need to act defensively, not offensively, for self-protection.

I'm sure you've made an effort to talk about it ("it didn't go so well") so now you need to be defensive.

You've gotten good ideas but perhaps if you posted a photo, one from your side looking out and another from his side looking in, you could get the benefit of everyone's brain, and the BEST inexpensive solution.

I went thru this dealing with our HOA landscaping crew when we lived in Naples FL. It took phone calls, letters and yelling (over the noise of their sprayers) to end it. I had to threaten calling the state authorities that regulate pesticide use (they used Round-up as well as pesticide).
Online I found the regulations that they were breaking and called the state office to find out procedure to file a formal complaint.

I don't suggest you do that because you live next to the offender. I was dealing with employees of the HOA.
I now live in a non-HOA home (only reason for selling and moving).

Put up your defense shield (Star Wars?), make a Secret Garden behind it and enjoy your roses.

Denise

What about just politely asking him when he's going to spray, and then watering down your garden heavily during and after the spray session?

And then in the meantime save like crazy for a fence.

I like the cardboard box idea. I would get ones with loud and various printing (baby diaper boxes come to mind) and put the plain side to your yard.

Ealoudermilk-I also just read your profile and I wanted to tell you that I have two little girlies too that are 7 and 4 years old. My 7 year old is the one more interested in rose names. My 4 year old, Sarah, loves the rose I bought named "Sarah" (Clements,floribunda). That one is about the only rose name she knows because it is hers, although she enjoys looking at other roses with me.

Good Luck on your neighbor issue. Annabeth