Repeated, regularly scheduled treatments of total vegetation killer, but be really careful with that stuff.

A 12' concrete wall would certainly do the job.

Your oaks are magnificent!

Wow you did a great job. There is a certain satisfaction with actually ripping them out. I am too old and lack a suit of leather clothing, so I spray them and it takes a long time before they really disappear. Painting the ends as they are cut at ground level will slow them down, not eliminate them. Will your neighbor let you spray through the chain link? To be effective the spray needs to coat the foliage, and best when it is growing with vigor. Al

Keep a vigilant eye out for seedlings that will sprout years afterwards. Congratulations! You're really brave, we hired workers to yank ours out, LOL.

Good job! Your arms must be hamburger. You can try a trench. Works for bamboo.
Renee

When you use your brush killer, mix in some sticker (liquid soap will do) like Al says, to coat it so that it takes effect. And keep at it until it is all gone! I am doing the same with English Ivy from next door. So, I admire your progress!

Thanks everyone! It sure feels good looking out at the backyard and admiring our hard work. We had a funny moment the other day when our dog (just 2 yrs old) noticed the more-visible rabbit hutch and thought it was a scary monster, fortunately it didn't take too long for us to convince her it was no threat.

I love those oak trees, I can't wait until the day my bf is ready to tear down that ugly shed so I can have a better view of them!

Yes, you definitely are not done. Get the sprouts early. And often. And diligently.

Dan

Ummm. It's illegal to kill a plant on another person's property.
Applying herbicide -- weed killer -- to the tips coming through the fence qualifies.

Instead, keep nipping as they come through.

Wow, you did a nice job! Your arms and backs must be sore. My first thought is you now have an empty pallet to paint with plants, but the berries will fight for the territory.

We grew some berries a few years ago along the back fence. After a year or two, when they came up in the middle of the path 3 feet from the fence, we yanked them out. I expected to see new shoots emerge later, but we haven't. We didn't spray them and I'm amazed they haven't come back.

"Ummm. It's illegal to kill a plant on another person's property. Applying herbicide -- weed killer -- to the tips coming through the fence qualifies."

Not necessarily. Homeowners have discretionary authority to summarily kill plants listed on the State's noxious weed list. This includes systemic poisoning of the foliage of plants whose roots are located on an adjoining property. In such cases, the State's compelling interest in suppressing noxious weeds supercedes the notional interests of private property owners. It is quite likely that the opposite is true in most city codes: it is unlawful to maintain a noxious weed on your property that encroaches on the property of another.

*Whew* That's good news! Because 'nipping them as they come through' would be a constant chore, that back fence is 110' long.

I haven't spoken with the neighbors yet but I think they will be open to the idea of spraying over the fence because it appears that the blackberries have overgrown their old car/junk pile area, it didn't look they like were being treated as anything other than a weed.

I've been walking the rest of the property and have pulled out plenty of seedlings, they like to take root in hard to see or get to places - like underneath an old rambling rose. I'm very glad I invested in a nice pair of gauntlet gloves :o)

I want to come over and help boyfriend tear down shed so I can see both oak trees. Tell him he has an audience.
Renee

Thank you Renee! I hate that shed and have wanted it gone from day one. Not only does it look bad and block the view of our trees, the floor is half rotted out and the whole thing reeks of gasoline. But my boyfriend is strangely reluctant to tear the thing down... He even built a new shed to replace it, but it got totally filled without the old shed even being emptied of one thing - I just don't get it.

One day my dream of tearing the shed down will come true, and I will post joyous victory pictures of my un-obstructed view : )