RosiePosie
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Keeping neighbor's weed killers out of my garden

I want to start by saying that I like my neighbor. He has every right to spray toxic weed killers on his side of the fence if he wants.

I have strawberries growing in a plot along the wooden privacy fence line. My neighbor likes to spray weed killers on his side. We are 100% non-GMO and pesticide-free over here.

Is there something I can put in the dirt for a barrier to keep the poisons from leeching into my berries? I'm not liking the idea of a piece of plastic and wood would not do the trick. Any ideas? I really appreciate it!!

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

The only thing I can think of is to move the edibles further in and plant a buffer plant there instead.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Yep I agree -- move your edibles away from the property line. There's a tendency to plant ALONG a fence without consideration for what happens on the other side. I used to do that too, but enough tragedy has happened and I'm now a firm believer in buffer zone for edibles -- even cut flowers that I would bring inside the house.

Keep those close to your house and/or guaranteed safe area where you have at least some control. Right next to the fence, you have leaching via the ground water movement as well as wind drift and even accidental or careless (even intentional) direct spraying.

tomc
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Don't garden something you expect to eat along that fence. :(

ButterflyLady29
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I had a neighbor that treated his yard for weeds a couple times a year. I kept my gardens away from the fenceline. Not a great solution since it means you can't use all of your property the way you want it but the only workable solution. Once upon a time there used to be hedgerows between fields for a reason, and not just to define property lines.

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rainbowgardener
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Hedgerow seems like a good solution here. Move the edibles away from the fence and plant hedge along it to block some transmission of the poisons.



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