Can You Remove A Neighbor's Plants Growing Into Your Yard?

We all want our yards to be the envy of the neighborhood and our own private oasis. But what happens when your neighbor's plants start to encroach on your yard? Can you remove them without your neighbors permission?

Well, it all depends on where you live and what kind of relationship you have with your neighbors. You will need to check your local ordinances, but in most cases you can actually remove sections of your neighbors plants, be they vines, tree branches, or bushes growing through your fence. The important thing to remember is that you can only ever remove the parts of the plant that have crossed your property line, but you cannot go any further than that. You can only trim what's grown over the property line and into your yard.

There is absolutely no instance in which you should cross onto your neighbors property and remove their plants. This is trespassing, and it is a legally punishable offense. This goes the other way around, too. Your neighbor cannot come into your yard to trim the parts of their plant that have crossed into your yard without your permission. This is why it's critical to know where your property lines are and have good communication with your neighbor.

If you find yourself in a situation where your neighbors plants are crossing over into your yard, there are a few steps you should first take before taking out the hedge clippers. First assess what kind of plant is moving into your yard. Is it something your neighbor planted that just needs a trim, or is it an invasive plant that gardeners should avoid that made its way into the landscaping? If it's an invasive, your neighbor might not even be aware it.A brief conversation may be all it takes to convince them to remove it entirely. 

It's important to know exactly where your property lines are so you don't find yourself unintentionally trespassing on land you think yours, but is actually your neighbors. You can find your home's property lines by reviewing municipal tax maps, looking for marker pins, or hiring a professional surveyor if you really aren't sure.

However, the most important thing of all is that you have good communication with your neighbor. Show them what's going on and discuss what you plan to do. You might even be able to get them involved in trimming the plant on their side of the property, or removing an invasive species. Just make sure you don't use accusatory language. That's the fastest way to get into a real argument with your neighbor and turn what could have been a simple interaction into a potentially long-lasting dispute.