Question:
Several years ago, our neighbors planted two Oleander bushes along our shared fence. They have become quite large, and the branches hang over the fence into the vegetable garden. I'm concerned as Oleander is a poisonous plant. Last summer, we stopped eating the vegetables to be safe as the spent flowers were all over the ground. Is the soil contaminated? How about the water in our well? Would the apples from a nearby apple tree about fifteen to twenty feet away be a safety concern? What should we be doing this year to safeguard the area?Answer:
- Oleander has been planted extensively throughout the Bay Area in gardens, public areas, and highway dividers. They have been a growing part of the landscape for over fifty years.
- Oleander plants are poisonous and pose a threat: however, no health issues or deaths have been reported in the past two decades. The Oleander toxin has to be ingested orally for problems to occur. Toddlers who like to put things in their mouths are at the greatest risk. The casual contact or handling of the plant parts will not produce any adverse side effects. Although, breathing the smoke from burning Oleander debris can be fatal.
- Other examples of plants with similar toxic characteristics are tomatoes, potatoes, and rhubarb. The leaves of these plants are poisonous when ingested.
- Oleander roots rubbing or touching another edible or non-edible plant will not transmit the toxins. The spent flowers are not a threat unless they are eaten.
- And finally, I wouldn't be concerned about groundwater contamination from the roots. If you cut down the plants, you should treat the stumps as new growth will reappear.
- Your options include moving the vegetable garden to another location, renting space at a community garden, leaving it where it is, and cutting back the overhanging branches.
Question:
We have a sixty or seventy-foot Redwood tree in our backyard that concerns us when it's windy. An arborist has looked at the tree and says it poses no threat, but we are still concerned. We are wondering about topping the upper third of the tree. How would this affect the tree's future growth?Answer:
- Topping a Redwood would not affect its growth, but the natural tapering shape is gone forever.
- The new growth would develop off the flat base, so the new shape of the tree would be a box, which I find unappealing. So, I wouldn't be eager to top a Redwood. You could thin the canopy to allow air circulation and reduce stress. The canopy acts like a sail preventing the wind from flowing through.
- Also, a point often overlooked is how much the aesthetics of a majestic tree adds to the property value. Altering its looks could cost thousands of dollars in its resale value.