# A simple question: Why?



## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

Why can't I ever have nice things? I finally got my yard looking decent, and my neighbor decides to scalp the crap out of it. I'm not sure why A. They feel the need to constantly cut grass on my property, and B. Why have a riding mower to cut 3,000 sq. ft of lawn? So frustrating! Now I have to have the uncomfortable conversation about property lines and basic common sense.

Summer



Late August after overseed.



Last Saturday after my mow





Neighbor's Brilliance


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## drenglish (Jun 22, 2018)

Jeez. My stomach feels sick when I read of stories like this. I went through many headaches last year with my neighbor's empty lot that would be mowed once a month in spring-summer...they would scalp and blast all the crabgrass onto my side. I finally stopped them one day while scalping my lawn and said look, can you just stop and I'll mow this field from now on once a week.

So I do, about once a week sometimes every 2 weeks I mow the field (1/4 acre) with my push mower just to keep them from wrecking my precious slice of earth with their riding mower.

I'm sorry for you and the awkward conversation. I'd just start by asking what you can do to make their mowing easier and have a conversation about property lines and what areas you are working hard on restoring from this Summer. See how it goes from there - hopefully they are reasonable.


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## LawnNeighborSam (Aug 14, 2018)

BUILD A WALL!!!!


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Your neighbor probably thinks s/he is doing you a favor by mowing part of your lawn. "Thanks but I've got it," might suffice.


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## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

dfw_pilot said:


> Your neighbor probably thinks s/he is doing you a favor by mowing part of your lawn. "Thanks but I've got it," might suffice.


Perhaps. I will definitely be cordial in my approach.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

I wish these type of situations would be more simple than it should be. But people are just people and it's frustrating when others don't understand eachother. I hope you and your neighbor can meet on good terms.

If it was me I would put up some type of temporary property barrier with wooden property markers and attach ribbon/rope between them given this has already been a repeated conflict without causing too much attention to the situation.


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## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

I think my ultimate plan will be to renovate next year. I plan on extending the beds out a bit, then seeding with a KBG blend and keep it cut short. It's only about 800 sq ft or so, and it will be a good test area before attempting any renovation on the larger area in the front.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

My neighbor was mowing into my lawn for awhile. She had her property surveyed so I used her stakes and ran some orange line from the back to front. She had no idea why and didn't ask either. I left it there for a few weeks. That worked.


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## Mozart (Jul 17, 2018)

rob13psu said:


> dfw_pilot said:
> 
> 
> > Your neighbor probably thinks s/he is doing you a favor by mowing part of your lawn. "Thanks but I've got it," might suffice.
> ...


Important to be cordial. It could escalate quickly if you approach it otherwise. Problem maybe get be solved with a gentle conversation and reasonable request from you.

On a side note: for whatever reason a lot of folks seem to think scalping is a proper mowing technique. Can't they see the aweful results??


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## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

Mozart said:


> On a side note: for whatever reason a lot of folks seem to think scalping is a proper mowing technique. Can't they see the aweful results??


Exactly!


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## zinger565 (Nov 28, 2017)

rob13psu said:


> Mozart said:
> 
> 
> > On a side note: for whatever reason a lot of folks seem to think scalping is a proper mowing technique. Can't they see the aweful results??
> ...


People see long grass and believe it should be cut short "cause that's what the golf course looks like", regardless of how long it is or how it's being cared for. Drives me nuts. Most of my neighbors mow their salad at like 1".


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

I get it can be frustrating but unfortunately most people 1) have little knowledge of lawn care and 2) do not care what their lawn looks like so they mow it short hoping that will keep them from having to mow again anytime soon. Mowing or lawn care is a hassle or a choir for a lot of people. Like someone else said he probably thinks he's doing you a favor my cutting part of your side.

If he still keeps coming on your side then just keep that area as nice as you can and move on. Make sure the rest of your lawn looks awesome and just chalk that area up to a common area between you and your neighborhood and just try not to worry about it as much. I know that's not easy to do but just not worth getting in a heated argument over.


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

ksturfguy said:


> ... I'd just politely tell him, Hey I'm a nerd when it comes to my lawn and I like it a certain way. If you can just try to stay on your side I'd appreciate it.
> 
> If he still keeps coming on your side then just keep that area as nice as you can and move on. Make sure the rest of your lawn looks awesome and just chalk that area up to a common area between you and your neighborhood and just try not to worry about it as much. I know that's not easy to do but just not worth getting in a heated argument over.


+1. The above is excellent advice.

I wish there were an "add to ksturfguy's reputation" button!


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

pennstater2005 said:


> My neighbor was mowing into my lawn for awhile. She had her property surveyed so I used her stakes and ran some orange line from the back to front. She had no idea why and didn't ask either. I left it there for a few weeks. That worked.


I think this is a brilliant idea, and would be the approach I would use. I'd opt for some hot pink mason twine.


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## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

ksturfguy said:


> Don't call the police or take this guy to court over a couple scalp marks. The police and court system has much more important things to deal with. I'd just politely tell him, Hey I'm a nerd when it comes to my lawn and I like it a certain way. If you can just try to stay on your side I'd appreciate it.


Agreed. I said I'd be cordial, not irrational! I'm pretty sure talking to him politely will suffice. They're a nice family. I'm just venting because I've put so much money and time into the yard and it looks terrible! I understand it's not worth engaging in warfare with neighbors over grass, hence the polite conversation.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

I had the exact same issue this summer. The father next door always cut right on the property line but when the son cut he would come 8-10' into my yard. One day he ran out of gas and I took him up a can full. While filling his mower I just said "so how do we want to mow the spot between our lawns?" I explained where I thought the line was and he said he thought the same thing but got confused on which tree was the line. Haven't had an issue since. Cordial conversation goes a long way in these types of things.


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## Mozart (Jul 17, 2018)

rob13psu said:


> ksturfguy said:
> 
> 
> > Don't call the police or take this guy to court over a couple scalp marks. The police and court system has much more important things to deal with. I'd just politely tell him, Hey I'm a nerd when it comes to my lawn and I like it a certain way. If you can just try to stay on your side I'd appreciate it.
> ...


I take exception to the irrational comment! Nothing irrational about protecting your property.

I never said call the cops and sue as a first line of defense. There are situations where calling the cops is absolutely justified and arguably necessary. How am I supposed to know what your neighbor will or will not do to you in the future?

I'm asking for an apology here, or you can edit the irrational comment out. You choose. That's a personal attack and completely uncalled for. :roll:

I was trying to offer you sound advice *if things escalated*!

Try not to take comments out of context!


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Please try to stay on topic.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

I think the OP has lots of great suggestions. Discussing the merits of other's posts isn't needed. Thanks, lets move on.


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