Apple tree fell in my yard

[fmueller]

A few days ago my neighbor's old apple tree broke apart, presumably due to the increasing weight of all the sour, rotten, little apples it is producing. I have never seen anybody eat a single apple from that tree, so it's no great loss. Unfortunately it fell across the fence, and into a part of my yard that is densely planted with decorative shrubs - azaleas, spirea, Japanese maple, and so on.

Having a company or the neighbors clean up the mess would have meant loosing all my bushes. So I went ahead and did the job myself, borrowing a chain saw from another neighbor. While I was doing that, my wife went up to the neighbors who owned the apple tree, and asked them if it would be ok to put the apple branches in front of their property for the city to pick up. Only the teenage son was home, and he said yes. That family consists of two women and two teenage boys. I know they don't own a chain saw, and last time they had to deal with an apple tree a storm had broken up, it was a huge ado before they brought in friends who had a chain saw, but didn't know how to use it.

So this time, while I was at it anyhow, I cleaned up the mess on their side also, to the point where they just had to move a few branches to the roadside, and take a few pieces of firewood into their backyard. I figured the boys could do that, and I know they like having bonfires there.

Two days later the city picked up the branches I had put by the road. It's a free service and they guys even swept up all the apples and leaves and left the site as clean as could be. So far things couldn't have turned out better.

Only the neighbors never did anything about the branches or firewood on their site of the fence, and they have not said a word to me about the whole affair. It was their tree falling in my yard, and clearly their responsibility to clean up. I did all the work for them, and not a word of thanks. Now I am worried that they are pissed off for some reason about what I did, although I can't possibly figure out what could upset them. I also don't want to talk to them and look like I am fishing for praise. What would you do?

The area the apple tree fell on in Spring a few years ago.

Apple tree lying on top of my shrubs.

Most of my bushes bounced back after the cleanup. Yes, the red Japanes maple was completely buried!

Photo from the neighbor's side with the tree down.

Chopped up wood left for the neighbors.

My wife helping me with the cleanup on our side.

 

[Sandy G]

You did a very good thing. I guess, sometimes, the doing of a good deed like that is its own reward.

 

[Urizen]

You did a very good thing. I guess, sometimes, the doing of a good deed like that is its own reward.

Ayep.:thmbsp:

I'd have saved some of that apple wood, though. It's an excellent smoking wood for BBQ.

 

[butch4695]

You did the right thing . It does not seem like too many people these days even know what the right thing really is . You need not worry about a thing , good karma too ya .

 

[Oerets]

We had a few apple trees when I was young and know how much of a mess they are .

Do your neighbors clean up the apples and control the bees and such . All I remember is the smell of vinegar and the big mess we had to clean up .



Barney

 

[usedto]

From the looks of the inside of the tree trunk, I don't think they pay too much attention to it.

 

[blhagstrom]

you're clear

From what I've learned about trees falling in neighbors yard (it happens a LOT out here). UNLESS you officially complained about a dangerous tree on the neighbors property, you are totally responsible for everything that happens on your side of the fence.

I've heard it said that an "accident" is considered avoidable. So complaining means it was noticed and something could be done to avoid the problem. "Act of God" or "Force majeure" is something that could not be avoided.

SO, if there wasn't a complaint (and it sounds like that is not the issue here), then you were actually responsible for the clean up on your side, which you did. No harm, no foul.

What you're conversations are like with the neighbors is the question. If they are not chatty anyway, I guess this won't bring you to more friendly terms. Let it go and enjoy quite peaceful neighbors.

I would have taken all the fire wood and even asked to bring the whole tree down.

I cleared the neighbors back yard for firewood since they couldn't and didn't need/want to. I enjoy a better back yard now. The house went forclosure and now a flipper has it and I am going to take out a lot more trees this fall. I just need to tell him they are considered dangerous and send him a certified letter and fire up the bulldozer and chainsaws.

Some neighbors are just useless.

 

[moinau]

Hi,
This apple tree has or had I should say, a split (leaders) and now that the left leader has fallen it shows what appears to be black rotted wood at the split ( photo before last ). Am I right to assume that this tree is rotted on the inside, and if so by how much. If it is rotted, maybe a qualified experienced arboriculturalist will give you advice and look the tree over and tell you if this tree will keel over next storm, if not, no more problem.

 

[usedto]

maybe a qualified experienced arboriculturalist will give you advice

Unless he's your insurance agent or someone who's going to write the check when the NEXT branch does something serious, I wouldn't waste my time.

 

[moinau]

You might be right, I don't know what the law is in Ohio like, whose really responsible when a tree falls on someone else property, and if you took mitigating precautions and are able to prove it to insurance co.

 

[treserious]

I had a big (14" thick) maple branch fall from one of the trees in the front yard last weekend during a thunderstorm.
it is a three trunked tree, as it splits at about the 4' mark.
the branches rub up against the power lines, and the top line being wound steel rubs against it, stripping about a foot of bark off, and leaving the branch to rot there. that's where it split, and about 35-40' of tree fell down across the street.

the other remaining branches look to be in as bad of shape and are just waiting to fall.

as its on the first dozen feet of the property off the street, it's the city's responsibility.

so I was in the kitchen making a sammich, and i feel this big thump, I look out into the backyard, and see nothing amiss. I take my newly completed sammich to the front, and promptly put it down, as there was this tree blocking the street.

I call the city, and they tell me they're going to send someone by to have a look "when they have a chance"....

so I went to visit my neighbor who has two strapping capable lads, and a nice husq chainsaw, and he burns wood in the winter.

15 minutes later the tree was cleared, the small branches by the curb, a cord of firewood in my neighbors carport, I thanked them, they thanked me, everyone was happy.
and still no sign of the city guy.

he showed up 30+ minutes later.

I told him that I want the city to take the rest of the tree down, as it has barely any foliage left, and it looks like its about to drop.

 

[fmueller]

Thanks for all the good advice. I feel better now. These neighbors are not the chatty type. I have talked to them, but rarely, and it was usually me who initiated the conversation. I guess part of my goal with cleaning up on their side as well was to get them to say something and get on a little friendlier terms with them. That obviously has not worked but I am happy to let the good deed be its own reward. Only I got worried they might actually complain - no good deed goes unpunished - but as long as that doesn't happen I am OK.

Do your neighbors clean up the apples and control the bees and such . All I remember is the smell of vinegar and the big mess we had to clean up.

Nope, the apples roll down the slope into my yard, and I clean them up. All in all, I don't mind the trees though, because they block the view into my yard, and the blossoms in spring are awesome!

Let it go and enjoy quite peaceful neighbors.
I would have taken all the fire wood and even asked to bring the whole tree down.

They are indeed great neighbors in that I see very little of them, and I truly appreciate that! Regarding firewood, I get more than I can possibly burn from the trees in my own yard. Granted, it's not all applewood, which makes for great firewood, but I have enough of it that it rots quicker than I can burn it.

If it is rotted, maybe a qualified experienced arboriculturalist will give you advice and look the tree over and tell you if this tree will keel over next storm.

My dad used to be a landscape gardener in Germany, and the work he did back in the 70s would be done by an arboriculturalist today. From looking over my dad's shoulder, I know about trees, but it doesn't take an expert to see that this apple tree is completely hollowed out in the middle. It might keel over at any time without the need of a storm. With the apples growing bigger every day now, there is a good chance that it will fall over this year. The good news is that the side that hung over on my property is gone now. The rest is leaning heavily over to the neighbors, and will undoubtedly fall onto their property. I think the know not to park a car under it

Again, many thanks for all the advice.