Neighbor pouring salt on my trees?

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Tree trouble

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May 10, 2020
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WV
Early this May 2020, after all other trees in the area had leaves, I realized that 6-8 of my trees appeared fully or partially dead. I have a neighbor who is a fanatic about leaves and other tree "parts" landing in her yard. She moved in 2 plus years ago and started at everyone who faces or abuts her property about cutting down their trees. Hers are all gone now. This is a "tree" neighborhood with by-laws stating rules for cutting down trees over 6 inches in diameter. She called a lawyer who told her that cannot be inforced anymore. She has logorrhea. I just looked that up! Its an inability to stop talking. She is also a narcissist and everyone is out to get her! (Paranoid). Aren't I lucky?! So, she has run her mouth for years and established a provable verbal record among at least 5 neighbors (plus spouses). This record would establish motive if she has vandalized my property. I have a quarter acre city lot with a variety of tall (60-90 feet) maples, a cherry? tree and five dogwoods. There are probably 13 tall trees The affected trees are in different locations in my yard with healthy trees in between. There are four dogwoods together and about 15 years old....all healthy last year. One month after all other area dogwoods had leaves, one of mine is showing some signs of survival at the top.Two look dead and the fourth has some tiny buds that aren't growing. One is green if you bend a tiny branch. One maple, 35 feet from the dogwoods, has two trunks and one trunk looks dead up to the sky. Two other maples are on the opposite side of the yard,150 feet away or so.They are either dead or mostly dead to the sky, One same species maple is in between and it is healthy. They are 15 feet from her property line. There is no overhang into her property but the leaves do partially blow into her yard. (She is outside three to five times a day blowing them back onto the neighbors property.) There have been "words" between us as well as neighbors on the other side. I haven't spoken to the back neighbors yet but their trees are healthy. The backyard neighbors told her they would cut their trees down. So I think she has poured salt or another herbicide on my trees. I have googled everything to see how to kill trees and secretly. Salt is the answer, over and over. All damaged trees are in mulch beds with no grass near the trees so dead grass won't be a clue. I can find no cuts or slashes in the trunks. All other trees in the neighbors' yards and neighborhood are fine...except for a neighbors tree on the other side of her- she hates me and them too. SOOOOO, how do I find out if she has poured salt? I can get one free soil sample from the local extension bureau. How do I hit the right spot? Can any part of the tree show damage that would prove salt was the weapon? or another chemical? I feel like I have to test hundreds of samples and for what substance? She's a crafty woman , quite vindictive and quite smug....The damage done is definitely a felony if she did this. Any suggestions? First photo is dogwoodsIMG_7664.jpgNext is Maple front right side of houseIMG_7607.jpgNext is same tree-leftmost trunkIMG_7650.jpg next is maple trio-cluster on the left side of back yardIMG_7641.jpgNext is leftmost tree of maple cluster IMG_7642 2.jpgnext is two of 5 trunks on large Maple multi trunk tree(S)IMG_7649.jpg
 
I would recommend you pay a consulting arborist to come in and do an evaluation.
Thanks, I am calling one or more tomorrow but just wondered if anyone could shed new light on anything. We do not want to prosecute but need to know why trees are dying and if there is a real nut job next door. If not stopped now, she will probably repeat this next year and so on...difficult on several levels.
 
You know come to think of it , if I had some crazy as@#$%ole living next to me for a couple of years I'd already have cameras up? Especially if I lived in some swanky neighborhood will rules and stuff! Maybe the crazy neighbor posted this in an effort to find out how "not" to get caught!!
And maybe they are just lazy.
 
You know come to think of it , if I had some crazy as@#$%ole living next to me for a couple of years I'd already have cameras up? Especially if I lived in some swanky neighborhood will rules and stuff! Maybe the crazy neighbor posted this in an effort to find out how "not" to get caught!!
And maybe they are just lazy.
Just be careful how you aim the cameras. They could claim you are invading their privacy. My surveillance video program allows you to block out neighboring houses and yards. One neighbor questioned one of my cameras and referenced a pedophile up the street who was discovered and committed suicide. All it takes is one comment and you have a lot of 'splainin' to do.
 
Copper nails are effective at killing trees also , I feel like if salt was used it would have to be in such quantities that you would see crystal in the mulch other wise every tree in Pennsylvania and Ohio would be dead along a road.
Game cameras are cheap.
I will be looking into various security/ camera systems. We go to Florida in February and March along with the other neighbor effected by this dead tree syndrome. If guilty, that was the best time to strike! I will look into a game camera - haven't heard of that before. Thanks for the tip on aiming the cameras...more research to do...
No equipment has been around any of those trees.
I have read up on how to kill a tree. If you google that, you will also find a link on how to kill your neighbor's tree without getting caught! I know tons of stuff now but not how to catch someone who kills my trees! My thinking is that copper nails are a bit much because of the noise to hammer all of them in a variety of locations around my property where she could be heard and seen.Also, I think you have to leave them in? A small hatchet mark and one herbicide spray/spritz will go a long way on a 5"-6 " diameter sized tree...but there are no visible marks on the bark. Salt should be mixed and dissolved in a 2:1 ratio with water (boiling water is best but not that important) I don't know if 6 cups salt and 3 cups water would do the trick or 10 -50 times that or more....But the only telltale sign mentioned is that salt will kill all around it ie grass....but there is no grass if it is poured around the base.To stay in one targeted area, Drilled holes are recommended before pouring and filing them repeatedly but that also requires the noise of the drill over and over again since there are 7 trees affected. I do think that large quantities can be poured and leave no trace. That would take multiple trips over time...Sounds like too much but not if know this woman...she is pure energy and all she has is her yard and her misery. Once combined, she is quite a force!
So, professional arborist and cameras are next on the list of TTD's. If I take more pics, I'll post. Thanks all.
 
Years ago there was a herbicide called spike , one application and it killed anything, I knew a landscaper who would use it when he didn't get paid for a planting 6 months before. I don't know if you can still buy it but it would have been a one and done deal.
 
Soil test for salinity is pretty cheap. Probably couldn't use that as proof of who did it, bit at least you'd know it was in the soil.

Re cameras: any thing you can take a picture of standing in your yard or on a public space is fair game, legally. Might be creepy...but it is legal. Aim the cameras where you need and don't do anything with the images that would cause a problem... (Not to be taken as legal advice - I'm an arborist, not lawyer!)
 
Just be careful how you aim the cameras. They could claim you are invading their privacy. My surveillance video program allows you to block out neighboring houses and yards. One neighbor questioned one of my cameras and referenced a pedophile up the street who was discovered and committed suicide. All it takes is one comment and you have a lot of 'splainin' to do.
he's dead

who cares
 
Copper spikes are used to install lightning protection in trees so I don’t understand how copper nails can kill a tree.
but I do learn something new every day.....
Copper is both an essential micro nutrient and a toxin in large quantities.

Too much copper will kill a tree. But have you seen how slow copper corrodes? It would take a long time. How much copper do you supposed is released as they corrode? (very little). So it would take a LOT of nails to have an impact. Have you priced copper nails? (I assume so, if you've installed lightning protection!). Not a very efficient way to kill a tree. Perhaps if you drive enough in to girdle the tree, they'd work.

Mostly an old wive's tail...based on the truth that copper is toxic, but not thought through about the practicalities of it.
 
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