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Killing roots

catseyecatseye Posts: 6
in Plants
If a neighbour applies root killer to soil, what should I do if it kills my plants planted literally just the other side

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  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,050
    Do you know what exactly it is? I don't know of a systemic weedkiller that would travel though soil. The ones I know of have to be applied to the leaves and the plant takes it down into the roots.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • catseyecatseye Posts: 6
    He's pulling out the whole lilacs as they have damaged my mums walls. Said he intends to remove them then apply stump killer. That's all I know at present 
  • catseyecatseye Posts: 6
    He's in the process of selling the house,  sale on hold because new owner wants that done first.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,050
    edited April 2021
    I think stump killer would only affect the stumps that it's applied to. If what's on the other side of the wall/fence is suckers from the same lilacs, I assume they would be affected too (no bad thing, really) but I don't think it would affect anything else.
    Edit: more info on stump killers on this page.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • catseyecatseye Posts: 6
    Thank you. The lilacs have made a big bow and crack in the wall. If he wants to sell then at least it will be done sooner rather than later.  It may still take time to remove and kill them enough to mend the wall though I would have thought? On the other hand I'm so glad my mums roses will be OK. 
        I also consider it a plus that as a gardener I know nothing about what any poisonous chemicals and stuff do.
        
         
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,050
    Ouch!!
    Personally I only use weedkiller if the roots are somewhere I can't get at to dig out, but I do make sure I know what I'm using and how it works.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • catseyecatseye Posts: 6
    Didn't mean to offend. I've never had the need to use them. Thank you for your assistance. 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,496
    Dodgy situation, I admit.  I presume the said wall, now damaged, is the neighbour's?  These boundary questions can get nasty through ownership.  If it's your Mum's, or is jointly owned, and the damage can be attributed to HIS plants, it may be wise to ask for a written indemnity before he sells up and vanishes.  Otherwise, Mum could be left with a new neighbour and unsavoury disputes that are really nothing to do with him/her.
  • catseyecatseye Posts: 6
    The owner has admitted responsibility. The usual vague way of putting things. Mum has draughted a reply. Saying she will be fine with removal, fine if the killer stuff would not harm and fine to accept whatever the the builders say, as he is using one recommend by the agency. I the buyer told us he would be happy if a 'proper builder' did the repairs as he wasn't impressed with the way another wall had been mortared together by theirs.

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