My Neighbor Grows Weeds

My neighbor grows weeds.  That's 'weeds', not 'weed', though for all the crap over there, 'Who knows?'  I think he fancies himself as a 'naturalist'.

When the former homeowner put the house up for sale several years ago, I was ecstatic.  How worse could a new owner be compared to a crazy woman and her drug-selling teenager?  Weeds.  That's how much worse. 

He uses no fertilizer, no weed-killer, no bug killer, nothing.  Consequently, I spend a lot of time pulling up seedlings in my side and back yard.  Seedling of noxious 'buckthorn'. 

According to the Minnesota DNR the problem with buckthorn includes:
it out-competes native plants for nutrients, light, and moisture;
degrades wildlife habitat;
threatens the future of forests, wetlands, prairies, and other natural habitats;
contributes to erosion by shading out other plants that grow on the forest floor;
serves as host to other pests, such as crown rust fungus and soybean aphid;
forms an impenetrable layer of vegetation;
and lacks "natural controls" like insects or disease that would curb its growth.

Consequences for me?  It pops up everywhere.  Get the seedlings when very small (as I did this morning) or you have to dig them out.  They have quite a root system.  Several years ago it took over the very, wet back corner of my lot.  It took days to cut it all down and then kill the trunks that were left.  At the time there was a product called 'Vinex' on the market that was pretty easily found. 

I am now seeing all the dandelions next door.  Last year he was out there cutting low-growing weeds that border the buckthorn with a pair of scissors.  You cannot make this stuff up.

Other neighbors and I can only wonder why people who do not want to maintain large suburban lots buy houses on them.  And the kicker?  He works in home maintenance and she is in real estate.  I told you I don't make this stuff up.