Yep, this is one of those myob situations.

If you choose to speak to her about it, I would just very casually tell her what a beautiful tree is is, but mention how quickly it will grow and the problems the location will likely cause for her (I wouldn't mention the problems it might cause for you...)

If I were in her shoes I'd be very grateful that a more knowledgeable gardener offered advice that would save me from pain and anguish in the near future! She may have no idea that the tree is likely to be a problem.

Then again, if your relationship with your neighbor is distant at best and prickly at worst, I'd take the advice of dottie and bumblebeez above... if she's likely to be offended just keep your head down and say nothing!

I was outside earlier today and she knows that it is in a bad place. Her dad is a gardener and will chew her husband out for planting it so close to the deck. Personally I don't think it is an appropriate tree in our neighborhood at all but what can I do?

So many people plant weeping willows out of a sentimental memory and have no idea the problems.
If she is looking for an interesting willow with less problems for her deck and her drainage fields you could suggest a curly willow. Grows vertically,not crazy invasive roots and wonderful winter interest with the gnarled branches and twigs. The twigs,like other willows root quickly in water and with just a twig, she can root her own tree and get it in the ground this fall. Speedy grower.Just a thought.

Keeping my head down too with a kinda similar problem. Builder of my little subdivision, in his infinite wisdom, parked Bradford Pear trees in most every front yard. The house to my right was originally owner occupied by a garden novice who put his BP on steroids - it is gargantuan now - biggest on the street. House to my left buzz cut their huge BP last fall and it's of manageable size now. This house to my left always has been a rental (but w/an excellent landlord/owner).

House to my right is now a rental and as long as the rent is paid, landlord doesn't give a flip.

My lot also included a BP which I promptly removed, replacing it with a Shackleford Serviceberry. Poor Serviceberry is now totally enveloped by the massive BP next door - my garden elves pruned the BP a bit last winter (it is encroaching on my yard and they know what they're doing) and will continue to prune the BP so the Serviceberry can survive - please don't tell! I'm right and justified, but don't want to hassle w/the absentee, investor owners.

Meanwhile, tho' we haven't had a good ice storm in a few years, we're probably due and I predict massive damage to the BPs in the 'hood - just hope the steroidal tree to my right doesn't splinter in my direction!

That's the above ground issue ..... below ground is another, much like the OP's concern. One homeowner in the 'hood just cut his BP to the ground as the roots were heaving his cement driveway, and he had concerns about the roots messing up his water line located close by. Hearing this, the light bulb came on in my head. Further reinforcement of the bizarre-ness came from the plumber who just replaced my water heater - he was dumbfounded that my water meter was next door. Yeah, me too, now that you mention it.

So ... get this ........ my water line/meter is fully two feet into the neighbor's lawn, and frighteningly close to that monster BP and its' aggressive root system. Since the house to my right was finished and occupied months before mine, I think the builder made a boo-boo and sodded part of my land for neighbor's lawn. When I got here, I just trusted that the established lines were correct and did my landscaping thing based on the apparent, existing boundaries.

Short of calling for and paying for a full re-survery of the lots (which I can't afford), I'm not sure what to do. This may never become a problem, but if the BP roots compromise the water line to my home, I'm toast.

Get the survey done. Don't hesitate as soon as you can afford it..get'er done.

Dottie .... thanks, but you just made me very nervous.

I have a call in to my realtor (involved in my purchase) who works w/a former builder/home inspector guy gone real estate shop - he knows what's up. (He did the inspection on my home so has record of my house and the 'hood). Since everybody's been involved since early on, I'm hoping to get some good advice/info from them.

If there is a boundary problem, the good news is that my developer is still in business (this week!)and my team has been in place for awhile. I just need to figure out who pays for what and what, if anything, I need to do to straighten this thing out.

The rain has just let up, my backyard beckons .... I'm outta here! Got a few bird feeders to fill .... :o)

zigzag, the buyer always pays for the survey because it is protecting your interests. The survey is key to getting title insurance. The survey discovers whether adjacent landowners are attempting to lay claim to any part of your land by adverse possession.
Your Realtor is not a surveyor and is not expected to know if the property lines/fences/metes and bounds markers are correct.
Surveys can be wrong since they rely on inpermanent markers. This is why a survey is done before each change in title.
An 'inspector' is not a state licensed surveyor and, at any rate, you should have a different surveyor do the new survey.
Please, find out from your records who did the old survey when you purchased and call someone else to do the job. Don't tell the new you suspect the old survey was incorrect. Just order a new survey. It's cheaper than 6 mo. worth of homeowners insurance and worth much more.

Our neighbors had a similar issue when they put up their fence. They had a privacy fence built along the back of their property and they accidentally fell a few inches onto the property behind them. Our other neighbor was real nice about it but let them know that it would become a conflict in the future that would need to be worked out prior to transferring the property. They opted to go ahead and have it moved.

Thanks again, Dottie. I do know/understand what you're saying and I'm calling on my realtor & original inspector just for informed info (and maybe shoulders to cry on if this ends badly!).

I need to dig into my closing packet and find the original survey - the one used by my fence builder on the back and Garden Elves on the front. As I recall, said survey looked pretty kindergarten, but maybe that's par for the course. I'll also check w/City Records before I open this can of worms.

Walking my pup around the neighborhood, so far I haven't seen any water meters nearly as close to trees as mine is - and I haven't detected any meter off the house lot it services - like mine.

I'd just leave this be, but for the plumber's surprise/dismay at my meter location and comments that tree roots could compromise my water supply. And the sewer clean out is right there too - a failure of either would be at cost to me, double jeopardy! And it totally makes sense.

Wish me luck ...... please! :o)

Ok, I have the original, stamped survey and the lines are in order. But, this still begs the question as to why my major utilities are located next door. At this point, I don't think the problem lies w/the survey, it pretty clearly points to siting error by the builder/developer.

Aaarrrrggggghhhhh!

Hi,

I can't help you with all the legalities, but my parents have a small cottage on a lake in Indiana and because lots were small and trees were already planted, tree roots were always a problem with the septic.

My dad used to flush something down the toilet that prevented the tree roots from our gigantic elm tree from getting in the lines. Not sure how environmentally friendly this is, and it doesn't solve your problem long-term, but it may at least prevent damage in the short-term.

Jeanne

copper sulfate flushed down the toilet will get rid of roots in the line IF they are not completely clogged.

Here is a link that might be useful: copper sulfate

Zigzag,
You stated that the plumber who replaced your water heater said that your water METER was 2 feet over on your neighbors lawn.
Just the meter.
Did he specifically state that the main water pipe coming into your home was over by 2 feet also?
They don't have to be together.
In any case, the meter belongs to the company you pay your water bill to.
You can not touch it.
It's the water company's.
You have to call them and ask them to come out and see where not only your meter is, but ask them to mark where your main line coming into the house is.
You may be surprised.
GOod Luck to you!

Update with an apology to Stacette. I really didn't mean to hijack your thread and hope your weeping willow problem is self limiting and doesn't adversely affect you in the long run. Neighbors can be so infuriating!

Also, my thanks to folks who offered suggestions above - this is a great forum! Like many above, I'm pretty well versed in septic, leach fields, well water homesteads, but this whole city water/sewer system was new to me so I was clueless.

Having watched one too many episodes of "This Old House" I had visions of my water/sewer pipes being invaded and strangulated by neighbor's tree roots - but both these houses are nearly brand new so how could that be - or could it? (Insert 'Twilight Zone' music...)

In summation - no doubt the builder and the City (who ratified the plans) made a few boo-boos in laying the water/sewer lines to my home, confirmed by all I've consulted. But, the survey is accurate and my fence and landscaping (the really important part!) are safe. Short of the neighbor objecting to the (flush to the ground) meter servicing my house in his yard (most unlikely, they're clueless too), there won't be a problem in my lifetime.

Got this assurance today from the plumbing company head - in business here for decades - who clarified the difference between the old cast iron water/sewer piping and the currently used PVC buried deeper. He said he's only run into one issue w/tree roots and piping, and that house was 80 years old - music to my ears! He also told me to quit watching "This Old House" - :o)

I'll stop tilting at windmills now ......

This house behind me was for sale forever, he could not sell. He finally put up a horrible privacy fence and a weeping willow in the corner of the yard where three yards come together. Now the new owner insists on keeping it, I offered to pay to remove it AND plant a new more reasonable tree. I only have 20 feet of back yard since I am on a pie shaped corner. So you can imagine, this tree has taken over my whole backyard. The neighbor will not speak to me, which I feel very bad about, I was as kind about the tree as I could be. The tree is filthy, drops garbage at least 5 times per year I have major clean up of sharp tiny leaves and these long skinny whip branches. My basement is cracking on the side of the house that I imagine the roots to be under. The third neighbor is very elderly so I have twice the clean up as he can no longer do it himself, he is also upset about the tree. What, if anything can I do about this unfortunate situation. Please help. It is a beautiful tree ......but for a lake.

You should be within your rights to remove all branches that overhang your property.
I would get an official documented damage assessment from a reputable plumber too ...and present that to the neighbor. Let him know that he will be liable for all damage from the willow roots.
I don't know if he would be though but it might scare him into doing something about the tree.

Thank you, I have been checking Ohio Law online but many conflicting stories, I will check with the county to make sure, but what you said is the general understanding. There is even some crazy law saying that I have to offer him the branches back, crazy. Have a great weekend bumblebeez.

What a good idea! Throw the branches over the fence onto his property! He can haul them off.

That is excellent and don't you know I would love that particular confrontation in that situation... with a stubborn person.

"I do believe these belong to you." LOL

How big a willow tree are we talking exactly..at the present time?

I agree, Dottie. I have enjoyed my curly willow right next to the house and 6" from a sidewalk for 10 years. This year it's starting to be time to cut it down and replace with another curly willow cutting. Great trees, and very easy to remove when more than patio-sized.

Brenda, when you cut it down, if you have friends nearby that have caged birds, willow is one of the bird safe woods for perches. Because of its contortions, it's a wonderful wood to use!

I've wanted a curly willow for quite a while and had one in a big pot for a long time that eventually died. I was a bit afraid to plant it b/c of how invasive willow roots are & all, but if they are that easy to deal with once they get too big, maybe i'll look for another down at broadwell's. You should bring some cuttings to the swap- they should root easily enough!

I can bring cuttings, and branches if you want them. I've used them for plant supports for years, and the cuttings promote root formation in other adjacent cuttings. Let me know what diameter you'd like. Once the tree gets large, it's hard to appreciate the curly shape and leaves, so it's a tree meant to be small I think. Mine is a 6" diameter trunk now, so each of the 3" main limbs come off with a handsaw, and then the trunk. A friend told me once that some plants need periodic renewal by replacing them with rooted cuttings from same plant. He told me butterfly bush and caryopteris were also like this, and I've found him correct.

Oh wow- sure, i'd love some, both for rooting (whatever size works best for that), and for the birds. Birds' size would probably be best at about 5/8 - 1" diameter. They can hold onto a perch as large as about 1.5", but if i don't give them good grip if the bark is slick, it's harder. Variance is good for their feet. I use the trimmings off my eucalyptus for them. Amazingly, even with the oils in it, it's another bird safe wood and they love stripping the bark and crunching the dried leaves. Only problem is it gets a little smelly once it dries out- goes from that lovely smell to sort of a cat pee smell, so the perch we made stays on the screen porch for them. :)

I use my curly mulberry branches the same way- as support for other things. Only problem is the wood is weak once it's dead. So it doesn't last long at all.

Good to know about bbush & caryopetris. Good thing they both root easily. I can see that being the case with both of those. I guess i just never considered that way of thinking with a tree. Makes sense for the fast growing ones, though. Though i don't reroot it, i do have to keep cutting back on the curly mulberry and it naturally seems to have large sections that die back on a few yr cycle.

Hello Brenda, near eno

If you are pruning your willow, ..I would love to have a few cuttings in the fall swap..

Let me know what you would like ( see my trade list)