Fights with neighbors can be incredibly frustrating — and doubly so if it's before you've even moved in.
For one homeowner on Reddit, this is the exact situation they found themselves in.
In a post to the site, the homeowner explained that shortly after purchasing a new home on a piece of property, they noticed their neighbor spraying herbicide along a fence presumably along the property line. They asked the neighbor to stop spraying and the neighbor seemingly agreed.
However, a number of days later, the homeowner returned to the property only to find the ground along the fence sprayed again. In a picture attached to the post, it appeared the neighbor focused the herbicide on the homeowner's side of the fence, instead of their own.
"He sprayed very liberally by my flowers," wrote the frustrated homeowner in the post. "I think he is doing this out of spite. Has anyone dealt with this?"
Whether or not the neighbor was spitefully spraying the homeowner's property, users in the comments overwhelmingly offered two suggestions to the homeowner: talk it out with the neighbor and assess the property lines before taking any other action.
Users in the comments pointed out it may have been a simple misunderstanding if the neighbor hired a third party who wasn't informed of the conversation to not spray the homeowner's property with herbicide. Other commenters wondered if the neighbor was unaware of the dangers of herbicide and thought they were helping the homeowner by spraying their weeds.
In that regard, the neighbor would be mistaken: Spraying herbicide, even to kill weeds, doesn't do anyone any favors.
Herbicides contain harmful chemicals that can cause more harm than good. Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide in brands like Roundup, Rodeo Aquatic Herbicide, and Eraser, has many adverse effects on both human health and the environment.
When exposed to glyphosate, humans can experience symptoms and effects ranging from eye and nose irritation to chemical burns and even cancer. As a result, brands that contain glyphosate, like Roundup, have been banned in some countries and U.S. states.
What's harmful to humans is also extremely toxic to plants and animals and can have devastating effects on ecosystems. When glyphosate is used, it persists in soil, where it has been found to seep into crops and harm the creatures that feed on them. When glyphosate-permeated soil washes away in runoff water, it joins local waterways and its ecosystems, worsening biodiversity.
With the knowledge of herbicide's detrimental effects, Reddit users sympathized with the homeowner and wished them the best.
"My neighbor is doing this to us," shared one person. "It looks horrible."
"There's nothing worse than fights with neighbors," wrote another user.
"Have you spoken to this person? It might be a misunderstanding," a third person suggested.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
