Red Mosquito

spike wrote: Wed May 13, 2026 4:34 am Have I mentioned my neighbor’s massive gum tree, aka the absolute bane of my existence?

It looms over my back patio and pool. These things drop leaves, gum nuts, and branches constantly - and at certain times of year, shed their bark. I’m out there every two days sweeping up its crap - and if it’s a windy day (which can be quite common here), the stuff it drops is ten fold.

I had to invest $1300 in a “winter cover” for my pool, just to keep the skimmer basket from filling up with leaves and gum nuts over half a day - which renders the water filter useless. Then I have to power wash my light patio pavers way more often than I should need to due to all the dirt and grime and animal droppings resulting from this beast.

I approached my neighbor last year about an adjacent gum tree that was dying and got that removed, but the arborist at the time said there’s probably no way the local council will allow the other one to be taken out, as it’s protected. I asked around and you basically need a massive branch - or widow maker as they’re called - to fall to get them to consider removal for safety reasons. And that’s another thing, my kid is out there playing all the time and these things, even when healthy, can drop massive branches. Hence the morbid name.

I may need to poison this thing somehow. As beautiful a tree as it is, I can’t deal with it anymore. It just has no place in an urban back yard.