A gardener's worst nightmare came true when a city crew sprayed herbicide on the wrong side of an alley, killing half of their carefully tended plants while leaving the neighbor's overgrown lot untouched.
The frustrating incident was shared on Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating forum, where the homeowner posted photos showing their wilted, dying sunflower stalks now slumped against their fence. Photos of across the alley, on the other hand, showed densely overgrown brush.
"The city sprayed herbicide in the alley on Friday. Didn't spray the neighbor's overgrown crap across the alley, but did spray my garden inside my fence instead. Half my garden is now dying," the user wrote.
Beyond the immediate heartbreak of losing a thriving garden, this story shows how blanket herbicide use can harm beneficial plants, pollinators, pets, and even human health. Common chemicals like glyphosate have been linked to declines in biodiversity and water pollution, while also raising health concerns.
City-organized spraying programs are often meant to manage weeds along public rights-of-way, but mistakes like this are devastating for families who rely on home gardens for food or just enjoy spending time in the yard gardening, which has been shown to be great for mental and physical health.
On the other hand, better communication and alternatives, such as mechanical weeding or native groundcover, could help cities maintain landscaping while reducing harm. Not only do native plants thrive with little maintenance, but they outcompete weeds and invasive plants while supporting pollinators, which are essential for our food supply.
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The post quickly struck a nerve, with commenters expressing outrage and sympathy.
"I just can't wrap my brain around why the city worker made the choice to spray that s*** on what is obviously someone's garden inside their own fence and not the freaking urban jungle on the other side of the alley," one wrote.
Others offered advice on filing damage claims or pushing city officials to review their spraying practices.
One person said, "I'd be on the phone with whomever oversees the spraying first thing Monday AM." Another added: "Get those DO NOT SPRAY signs. They're often respected and they'll skip the area."
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