[Patrick_McCoy]

My Neighbors Scotch Pine Tree is killing ME !
It has been hanging over my lawn and house since I moved in here 15 years ago. I get nothing but needles and cones all year round. I put 10 times as much lime in my lawn and nothing helps. It seems to have killed 2 Rhodadendrums and also a Pink flowering Dogwood. I get needles everywhere including in side my computer that is on the other side of the room facing the nieghbors house! WHAT CAN I DO?

[wannabeDIYer]

Applying lime every year and 10x as much may not be a good idea unless you know what the soil acidity pH is. You could be doing more harm than good especially if you apply too much lime and the soil pH is to alkaline. Most grasses like the pH around 6.5-7.0. However, many trees and shrubs don't like such a level so it's a good idea to know your soil nutrition levels and know the plants that you are growing. Have you ever collected a soil sample and had it tested (in most states, this is a free service)? This not only will tell you the pH but also soil nutrient levels such as N,P,K and micro-nutrients. I am not sure where you live, but here in the south, typical native clay soils are very low in pH and also in K and extremely low in P. Also, there is a limit on how much of any one ingredient you can put down in a given year or period or you risk injuring plants.

I would almost guarantee however that your problem is not with pH but too much shade that the tree is casting over your property. This is a touchy situation with trees and the law. You have the right to cut off any branches that overhang your proprty (of course you may not trespass or cause damage to the tree by cutting too much off, etc.) but this may not help you at all.

With too much shade it will be difficult to get grass to grow here. Have you considered creating a large landscape bed here and planting shrubs and maybe even a tree. This will cut down on your maintenance costs?

Hope this helps.

[MOWERMAN2468]

Accidentally run over the tree with a bulldozer, just kidding. If the limbs cross the property line, you can have them remove the limbs in most areas at their expense.

[jdpsp]

Easy. Late at night, go to the Pine trees with 3" long copper nails and a rubber hammer. Nail three in using 120 degrees spacing around the trunk... insert at the two to three foot mark.

[Minou1]

Also have a very large pine tree in front yard, probably 60 feet or more, along with a type of Maple at the street and a small tree --- don't know species --- with long leaves that produces yellow flowers in the early summer, as well as carob-like pods occasionally.

These 3 trees co-existed with our sod lawn for several years, but in the last year the lawn just started to wither and die. I don't know if the pine tree is entirely to blame but it is certainly a culprit.

Should I get rid of the pine tree? It produces needles all year, cones some of the time, and only looks good in winter (as we live in LA area, not enough humidity and rain), otherwise brownish half the year. The tree is home to several squirrels and birds, I feel bad about wanting to cut it down, but I am tired of having a terrible looking front lawn (about 40 feet wide, 20 feet deep).

[georgie430]

Easy. Late at night, go to the Pine trees with 3" long copper nails and a rubber hammer. Nail three in using 120 degrees spacing around the trunk ... Insert at the two to three foot mark.

Hi I'm asking this for my own tree, does this stunt the growth? What do the copper
Nails do?

[ma0641]

DO NOT LISTEN TO JDPSP. You could go to jail for doing that. Cut any limb that crosses the property line.

[sharkkiller1]

Pine needles are very acidic and will kill all plants under them your best bet is to trim the tree or rake up the needles

[georgie430]

Thanks ma0641 and sharkkiller, only saw the posts today!

The pines are mine. I have to get rid of them if I'm ever going to be a serious gardner. Not only because of acid pines killing plants.. The needles get in with any leaves I want to use for compost. The worms don't like them and biggest
Problem they are taking over my yard and all the SUN