My neighbor is an older widow lady, out of town 80% of the time. There is a strip of grass between our driveways, and the property line runs down the middle of it (red below). I'm on the left, she's on the right.

When her yard guys come over, they mow (yellow below) the whole strip back to where the flower beds start. They cut it very short and leave a wide sweep curve where they turn around. It leaves an ugly, abrupt transition in grass length until my yard guys come mow the rest.

Her guys probably don't speak English, and my high school Spanish is a little rusty. What's the play:

1. Try to flag down her crew and use Google translate to tell them to back off?
2. Call the widow and ***** about it to her?
3. Extend the fence all the way to the street?
4. Tear down the fence?

Pic for reference. Note: the satellite image is from before I bought the house, my yard doesn't look that ****ty.

leave your kids old toys just inside the property line until they get the message

At our last house, the neighbors all had an agreement. We mow from edge of driveway to edge of driveway. No property lines involved. No little strips of grass left long along one driveway while across the property line the grass was short when someone mowed.

Our driveways were all on the left side of the property though. Y'all should just concrete in that strip and be done with it or else turn it into a landscaping feature. Put roses or gardenias or something there. Nandina. Chinese Holly if you want a defensive barrier!

Get rid of that stupid strip.

*don't pave over your property corner. Be nice to the surveyors. Put in a valve cover or something for future access to your property corner*

I had a similar problem. I just told my neighbor to let me mow it so it's all the same height.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Have you tried sleeping with her? That helps in a lot of these situations.

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It would be better if he would offer up a three some with him and his wife. Wouldn't have to worry about mowing the grass, unless the wife and neighbor are into it. Then…. Jackpot.

Poison Ivy makes a lovely topiary.

Fire your lawn guy and hire her guys. Ask for a discount since they're mowing two lawns side by side. Tell them how you want it done.

"Oye Puto! Cortalo!"

Just get your butler to fill the area with decorative gravel.

fc2112 said:

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I had a similar problem. I just told my neighbor to let me mow it so it's all the same height.

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EOT

Update: Did some detective work. They're scalping my Bermuda at 1.5 inches with dull blades while my guys keep it pristine at 2.5. The scalped strip is practically inviting crabgrass to move into the neighborhood. Is it too dramatic to buy a reel mower and just start doing her side myself before they get there?

Considering it looks like it would take you 3 minutes to mow that tiny bit I'd say that's not a bad idea.

Widen your driveway to the property line.

Ogre09 said:

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Update: Did some detective work. They're scalping my Bermuda at 1.5 inches with dull blades while my guys keep it pristine at 2.5. The scalped strip is practically inviting crabgrass to move into the neighborhood. Is it too dramatic to buy a reel mower and just start doing her side myself before they get there?

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bermuda should be cut short

Correct while St. Augustine is a ***** and needs more care. Usually the preferred sod in Houston.

Simplest solution is to build a 10 ft privacy fence down the property line.

Congrats on assuming the guys can't speak English without attempting to talk to them like normal human beings.

These first world problems will be the death of us!

Take out the grass on your property add edging, and turn it into a landscaped, mulched pollinator area

I think I'll stick a note to their windshield next time they're over. How does this sound:

Oye muchachos,

No mas scalping mi cesped.

Yo se que unos pendejos de Texags creen que no soy manly porque no corto mi cesped mi mismo, pero mis guys corta la at 2.5 inches, no 1.5 inches. Es horible y invitado el crab grasso.

Respeta la linea or voy a llamar ICE y voy a poner un pinche wall en el driveway.

Gracias amigos,
El Vecino