Farrar Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 So we have no trees on our property. But our neighbors on one side do and our neighbors another door down on the other side have a giant tree that is pretty much their whole backyard. Rowhouses. Urban living. Both trees overhang our yard, which is shady as a result. Over the years, I have basically taken care of the sticks but sometimes, I admit it, I get fed up. I have nowhere to put them. The trash collection people HATE taking them - they fall into this weird category where you're not supposed to bag them up because they're yard waste but they're not big enough to tie into bundles (I got in trouble for that with the trash people). Once I carted a bunch of them into Rock Creek Park, the big national park in the middle of the city. I should probably just do that. I'm sure that's illegal too though. When I'm being good, I pile them up then take an afternoon to break them all up into small enough bits to sneak into the trash or so that they're allowed to go into leaf collection. Except, leaf collection only happens in the fall. These trees drop a ton of sticks. Old, giant, probably dying trees. Anyway, sometimes... I throw them back into the neighbors' yards. What say the hive? Okay? Rude? The sticks should be the problem of the tree owners? Should I hang my head in shame for having done that sometimes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 If the tree branches bother you, why don't you trim them? I believe that you have that right if they are overhanging your property - you can trim up to the property line. Leaves and sticks that fall on your property are legally your responsibility, not the neighbor's. How is your yard waste handled? We collect yard waste in large brown paper bags. If I have sticks I just put them in there. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Do you enjoy the shade the tree provides in the summer? You always have to option to cut the linbs that overhang your yard, no? I think it is rude to toss the sticks back. I would probably buy a little firepit at Lowe's and get out the s'mores. 26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 It might depend on state/local law. I think generally your neighbor doesn't have to clean up after their overhanging tree. I don't know that it's rude to throw the sticks over, but I'm not sure you have a "right" if the neighbors complain. Do the neighbors seem to care? What do they do with the sticks? I assume they have the same disposal issues that you have. Have you asked the city what to do with that sort of trash? I'd probably just pile them up in a corner somewhere and then bury them in the leaf pile on leaf collection day. :P Or as another person suggested, use them to roast hot dogs and marshmallows. (Assuming you are allowed to light a fire.) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I think it would be a bit nutty. ;) Check local law and see who has the responsibility of trimming the limbs over your property. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I'd ask the neighbors what they do with the sticks in their yards - presumably, they have the same problems you do. Perhaps they have a good solution as well. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 The one that's the worst the neighbors wanted to trim it and even cut it down but as a walnut tree, it's protected. They were allowed to trim it a little. I won't even get into the walnuts... that's a whole other thing. Sometimes they all fall in a row and it sounds so crazy. One hit ds when he was little and he was very upset by it. Poor kid. The neighbors don't like us. The neighbors with the giant tree are renters - it's been a group house for ages. I do sort of like the shade. But it also encourages mosquitoes so that's a toss up. Every once in awhile there's a limb the size of my arm (like today as I swept the leaves). Those are the ones I'm extra tempted to return to the tree. :tongue_smilie: I can't imagine asking anyone to take care of the leaves, so it's probably just on me. Our yard waste collection is weird. They used to not do it except for a couple times a year. Now they're supposed to do it when they can. Seriously, that's the policy. Many times I've left stuff out there and it just sits for weeks and weeks. And once I got in trouble for having sticks in the leaves and yard waste. That's why they weren't taking it. They said I needed to call bulk collection. But bulk collection wouldn't take them either. They said they were too small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Oh walnuts... enjoy them! The leaves and sticks are the price for yummy nuts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I would just put them in the regular garbage. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I'd stack them up to dry a bit and make a fire pit. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Walnut tree? Maybe a bbq restaurant wants them for smoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 I should buy a fire pit. Maybe that should be my Christmas gift to the family this year. We should really have it for Solstice and have a fire back there with all the sticks (except, I just broke them and hid them in the trash again!). Actually, I think I like that solution best! 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 Ooh, and... there's no Nutcracker on Solstice this year so we actually could do that. New tradition. Burn all the sticks! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Ooh, and... there's no Nutcracker on Solstice this year so we actually could do that. New tradition. Burn all the sticks! It's what I do with mine. :) Burning stuff is fun, heh. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 I used to think of it as something we didn't have room to do in our postage stamp yard, but I've seen people with those portable fire pits and I realized a little while ago that it would be fun to have one and I just keep forgetting to get one. If we're burning things, alley rats and raccoons won't bother us, right...? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Ooh, and... there's no Nutcracker on Solstice this year so we actually could do that. New tradition. Burn all the sticks! and roast marshmallows 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 The one that's the worst the neighbors wanted to trim it and even cut it down but as a walnut tree, it's protected. They were allowed to trim it a little. I won't even get into the walnuts... that's a whole other thing. Sometimes they all fall in a row and it sounds so crazy. One hit ds when he was little and he was very upset by it. Poor kid. The neighbors don't like us. The neighbors with the giant tree are renters - it's been a group house for ages. I do sort of like the shade. But it also encourages mosquitoes so that's a toss up. Every once in awhile there's a limb the size of my arm (like today as I swept the leaves). Those are the ones I'm extra tempted to return to the tree. :tongue_smilie: I can't imagine asking anyone to take care of the leaves, so it's probably just on me. Our yard waste collection is weird. They used to not do it except for a couple times a year. Now they're supposed to do it when they can. Seriously, that's the policy. Many times I've left stuff out there and it just sits for weeks and weeks. And once I got in trouble for having sticks in the leaves and yard waste. That's why they weren't taking it. They said I needed to call bulk collection. But bulk collection wouldn't take them either. They said they were too small. I honestly have no idea what to do if you don't have compost and yard waste collection. That to me is bizarre. Can you compost them? What do other people do with their leaves? The mind boggles. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyS Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I definitely think that a fire pit is your best bet. I also think it's rude to toss them into your neighbor's yard. Presumably these trees were there when you moved in, so you signed on for cleaning up yard waste from the trees. Them's the breaks. I also think tossing it in your neighbor's yard is probably making you enemies over a very minor issue. Not smart, IMO. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I used to think of it as something we didn't have room to do in our postage stamp yard, but I've seen people with those portable fire pits and I realized a little while ago that it would be fun to have one and I just keep forgetting to get one. If we're burning things, alley rats and raccoons won't bother us, right...? Correct. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I'd burn them, or put them in the bottom of the leaf bags. I set mine out in a trash can and the yard waste guys take them along with my leaves, but they're not flaky about what they take and when. Alternatively, you can bury them in your garden. It's a thing. It's good for the soil. http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 A firepit would be nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 What happens if you ignore the sticks? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Our teens like fire, and they really like roasting hot dogs over a fire, so the fire pit has been much appreciated. I can usually count on them to keep the sticks from our old maple trees under control, and especially when the weather is decent. Invite a bunch of teen over from the neighborhood and tell them that if they pick up all the sticks, you'll provide the hot dogs and s'mores. You'll be the most popular mom in the area! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We sneak ours into the trash. Or burn them. Our neighbor has 2 very large trees, both seem to be dying, right on their side of our fence. Most of the tree detritus falls on our property: oak leaves and pine straw and big, fat limbs. It is so very annoying to spend the fall cleaning up from his tree (I also have fears that the two trees, which are growing around each other, will fall on our house since they lean this way, but that's another story). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 What happens if you ignore the sticks? If I ignore them, there will just be sticks all over my patio. There's not really anywhere else for them to go. I have, in the past, piled them up in a bin... but then there's a murky bin of sticks. I've also stacked them in our car spot leaning against the neighbor's garage, but then it infinges on the ability to squeeze a second car back there. I think if anyone has a normal sized yard it's maybe hard to picture that things like this are sort of more of an issue when your yard is the size of a large living room. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 and roast marshmallows Exactly! And hot dogs as suggested above. This actually sounds like fun. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 To be honest, it offends me when our neighbor does that. We live in heavily treed neighborhood - my neighbor is an original owner of 30+ years, and we have lived here 15 years. The trees pre-date both of us. They have trimmed the parts of the tree that overhang on their property, which is their right. Dumping normal products of the tree back into my yard strikes me as extremely petty. I hope they enjoy the clean air my tree provides. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Am I the only one who is jealous that my neighbor's tree ISN'T dropping walnuts into my yard? 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I don't know. I would consider that pretty petty. Don't you enjoy having mature trees in your neighborhood? Our neighbors have much bigger trees than us and we pick up sticks and rake leaves from them all the time. I wouldn't think of dumping that stuff back in their yard. It's the price of living in a neighborhood with mature trees. Maybe try the desert next time? :lol: We have a little portable fire pit and it is fun! We do burn sticks in it at times. We finally put a little compost in our back yard too and sometimes haul out to the city compost. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I want walnuts. My enormous stick-dropping tree is a live oak. Sigh. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I don't have your problem but I have been chastised by a neighbor because some of the leaves that fall off our trees blow into her yard. I guess I am supposed to rake up the leaves the minute they fall so the wind doesn't blow them around. She really thinks that everyone's leaves blow into her yard, but none of her leaves go into anyone else's yard. Yeah, she's a bit nutty. We do have a lot of mature trees in our neighborhood. Right now there are leaf piles all up and down the street in anticipation of the leaf sucker truck coming next week. Anyway, the stuff that falls off a tree into your yard - or gets blown into your yard by the wind - is yours to deal with. I love my little firepit. You need to get one. I bet you and your boys will love it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 We have the same issue lots of trees in our mature neighborhood, but there is one close to the Property line, but clearly our neighbor's that drop sticks, branches, and often limbs. The guy has trimmed the tree, my husband has trimmed the tree, but short of cutting it down, there is going to be sticks, and lots of them. We just pick them up and toss what we can, and burn the rest in the firepit . We love the neighbors and it's not worth fighting over. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Am I the only one who is jealous that my neighbor's tree ISN'T dropping walnuts into my yard? You can be extra jealous of me. We collected two 5-gallon buckets of walnuts from the neighborhood park across the street last week. I get walnuts without leaves & sticks in my yard :). 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 My parents have a walnut tree. Good luck with that. We've never gotten one. We'd have to declare a major all out genocidal war against the squirrels, and we haven't had the heart to do it. Mostly those things look up at you with a, "You can have this nut when you pry it from my cold, dead paws, make my day punk" face, and you just let it go. Someday, maybe someday. Darned squirrels. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 You can be extra jealous of me. We collected two 5-gallon buckets of walnuts from the neighborhood park across the street last week. I get walnuts without leaves & sticks in my yard :). NO WAY! I want proof. Where are the maniacal potentially rabid squirrels the size of dogs? Where? We have an entire herd of the dang things! They destroy every chance we have - short of hand grenades lobbed in their direction - of getting near the tree when the walnuts are ripe. It's maddening! I'm beginning to think that walnuts are imported from squirrel free countries! LOL :smash: :smash: :smash: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 NO WAY! I want proof. Where are the maniacal potentially rabid squirrels the size of dogs? Where? We have an entire herd of the dang things! They destroy every chance we have - short of hand grenades lobbed in their direction - of getting near the tree when the walnuts are ripe. It's maddening! I'm beginning to think that walnuts are imported from squirrel free countries! LOL :smash: :smash: :smash: We moved here a year ago right when the walnuts fell. I watched for a couple days to make sure I wasn't going to ruin someone's tradition if I gathered them, but no one came for them except crows. I have yet to see a squirrel in our neighborhood! They didn't find my parents' neighborhood until we'd been living there 10+ years. Then they pried open every unripe apricot, pried open the pits, and made off with the inner seed :(. We were livid. Our only competition for walnuts seems to be preteen boys who use them as ammunition, the little old lady who collected 1/2 plastic shopping bag, and possibly crows. But I didn't see any crows this year so we made out well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 You can be extra jealous of me. We collected two 5-gallon buckets of walnuts from the neighborhood park across the street last week. I get walnuts without leaves & sticks in my yard :). Well, I am officially extra-jealous. But then, we have yard waste collection to deal with sticks and shells besides! I would eat so many walnuts. They are expensive here. We eat tons of blackberries in the summer and yes we have to trim them but it's worth it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 What about getting a wood chipper/mulcher and chipping all the branches? Great for the environment. if you don't have any garden beds to put the mulch on you might fins that there are others that would take it of your hands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jamesbrown Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Ha, sounds like this kind of thing could start a war with your neighbours, with things going back and forth. Maybe just have a chat about it without throwing anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Just a heads' up to anyone suggesting trimming the tree: you need to be really careful about trimming a neighbor's tree. There are statutes and common law rules that, as I recall from property law about a jillion years ago, make you liable for damage you do to their tree. The example I remember is that if a young tree starts growing over your property line, you can keep it trimmed to your property line even if it means that the tree grows up flat on one side. But, once it's established and over your line, you're basically stuck with the general shape and size of the tree. You can maintain that size, perhaps prune a bit to promote safety and tree health (or, of course, remove dead limbs), but you may not get a tree company to come over and make the tree flat on your side, running up from your property line. This is much easier to explain with a picture, but trees are protected pretty well under the law in most states (ask anyone who has ever had a neighbor's tree fall on their roof and had to pay for the repair). I don't know what to do about sticks, but, legally, they're probably your problem. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 This is so funny about the nuts. They're very hard to collect and process. I've tried, but there's nowhere to put them really to dry where they don't get decimated by the squirrels. I've brought a few inside in the past and done them that way, but they have to dry out for a good while. If anyone has ideas, I'm open to them. The wood chipper idea would be hilarious to anyone who saw my yard. Again, size of your bedroom. I think the reason the sticks get to me is that twice limbs have broken my windshield. Sigh. And it's hard to deal with the big ones like that. I do like having the big trees back there. The neighbor's magnolia in the front on the other hand... that could totally go. I love magnolias, but this one is not healthy and the leaves are a pain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Would a dehydrator help with the walnuts? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Klmama may be onto something. I use a dehydrator for grape tomatoes, peppers, celery, onions, leeks, apple slices, peach slices, pear slices (boy are pears a pain in the rear to work with so I have to be in a really benevolent mood to do these for my family which only happens about once every four years when the memories of the last pear process have faded, LOL), and herbs. I think it might work for walnuts. You can get a simple dehydrator cheap from Harbor Freight online. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2015 Author Share Posted November 16, 2015 What happens when you put green walnuts in a dehydrator? Would it really work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 What happens if you ignore the sticks? You can't mow a lawn covered in sticks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I know my neighbor throws them back over to us. We rent and we have HUGE, TALL trees. They are gorgeous and we love them. The sticks are annoying. I make my kids collect them. But the neighbor throws them back over pretty sure based on the pile in one spot ;-) Everyone has trees here....so i can't imagine not having trees. Our oak tree blows leaves all over the street....pretty sure we are the only one with an oak tree. I think it is just part of being close to neighbors. And having trees. I think you could inquire about having it trimmed on your side of the property, but it would be your expense. But maybe the neighbor wants the tree taken down....then suggest splitting the cost? Helps you out in the long run. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Another suggestion: give them to somebody who heats with wood. We had to cut down several dead limbs on our trees this fall, and I felt those were too good to be sent for shredding/composting. So I posted on facebook if anybody was interested in coming and getting them, and lo and behold, somebody was delighted to have them. Not only did they come and get all the larger pieces I had set aside, they also hauled away several large bags full of small sticks I had not thought useful. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 I think the fire pit idea is the best one so far. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 This is so funny about the nuts. They're very hard to collect and process. I've tried, but there's nowhere to put them really to dry where they don't get decimated by the squirrels. I've brought a few inside in the past and done them that way, but they have to dry out for a good while. If anyone has ideas, I'm open to them. My parents have a walnut tree. They collect the nuts, bring them inside and let them dry in wicker baskets or, if possible, spread out flat in the basement. You could put them on trays on top of your kitchen cabinets and let them dry there. Of course you can't dry them outside. Attic would work well if you have one - you just need a space where they can sit. The attic does not even have to be finished. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 Firepit party at Farrar's house! We'll all be there......... with drinks and food in hand. We'll collect the walnuts for KungFuPanda. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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