can you spread crabgrass or other weeds from grass clippings to adjacent properties?

Question

Everyone says that the grass clippings are good for the soil. But now I have a neighbor that is accusing me of the crabgrass in his yard. Even if I do change the direction so the grass only blows away from him, there is no proof that the grass from my mower is the reason for his bad grass.

Answer 1

YES!!! When I worked in the lawn care industry, the people that had the same lawn service had the same weeds... the lawn guy would never clean off the mower between houses and spread all kinds of weeds and diseases!

Mowers are one of the primary methods of spread for weeds. What happens is the weed (both seed and vegetative parts like stolons) accumulate on the mower and as the mower vibrates and bumps all around your yard, then your neighbors yard, off come the bad pieces and spread weeds all over the place!!

The best thing to do is clean the mower off between properties, so this is less likely to happen! Most Lawn services do not do this because it takes too much time and is not convenient when you have to stop and clean off the mower.

You can often tell where the mowing starts and ends in an area, particularly if many properties have a disease because the disease will follow a pattern, where the mower has been!

Answer 2

Yes, you can, depends on if they have gone to seed and how the seed is transported. Everyone has weeds to some degree. To my knowledge you can not hold someone responsible for your weeds or they you! That at best is an act of nature!

Answer 3

Yes, definitely. The clippings will contain seeds.

Answer 4

It is possible; wouldn't it just be a simple remedy to change the direction that you mow so that your clippings no longer blow his direction? It would certainly be the courteous thing to do.

Answer 5

yes

Answer 6

Yup. Have some neighbors you don't like- do you? :)

Answer 7

Yes,you can....