Any trees I can put along my fence to block my neighbor's cigarette smoke?

Question

My neighbor goes onto his back patio every evening for a smoke in the evenings right when I want to open the windows to cool down my house and not use air-conditioning. I have a newborn baby so I don't open those windows, but can I put any type of trees/shrubs along our shared fence to help block or absorb the smoke?

Answer 1

I sympathize with you. I also hate cigarette smoke.

Short of keeping your windows closed, I think you can reduce the smell by getting 2 window fans. Put one in a window on the opposite side of your house from your neighbor and make this one blow clean air into the house. Put the other fan in a window on the side close to your neighbor and make it blow air out. The result is an airflow through your house from the clean side to the smelly side so it will be harder for the smoke to come in. It can depend on the direction and speed of outside wind of course. This can also help you cool your house too by blowing out the hot air while blowing in the cool.

Answer 2

Tarp should help some.I like the fan idea. What helped with my husbands office there are apts are down the hall . We went to a local thrift and bought a used hepa with a fan for $5.00 then spayed Ozone spray from the all 1.00 store. They were out every 5 minutes smoking. They stunk up the whole hall even though they didn't smoke there. We started shutting the door so they couldn't run back and forth without their key and it wouldn't draw the smoke in the building. Spraying Ozone every time they come out smoking and hepa with fan did the trick they moved. You must realize by now they don't want the smell in there house thus they smoking outside and blowing towards your house If you blow it back they will most likely move.

Answer 3

In an apt situation I don't understand why its such an inconvenience to smoke on the sidewalk. You have a right to smoke but my family and I also have a right to not smoke. My neighbors don't care that their smoking on the patio aggravates my asthma, that 2 of my cats now have asthma and that I have a young baby in the apt. Our patios are right next to each other. I have to keep the windows and doors closed. I've tried talking to them politely, but it makes it worse. The funny thing is they don't smoke around their daughter but when I brought up the smoke bothering my baby they say "keep your apt closed up or move." WTF I've lived here for 15 years why should I become a prisoner or move? They have only lived here for 1 year! Heartless, selfish jerks!

Answer 4

A quick fix is an evergreen tree for all year green and screening. A deciduous tree could also be planted, but it doesn't have leaves in the winter. We need to know what zone you are in and whether you have sun or shade. One resource is your local extension service for your state. Just google it for your state. They should have a list of trees for screening. Also, your local nursery is a good resource.

You may want to plant a smoke tree (LOL, there really is such a tree and it does look like smoke when it blooms in the spring, but it's a smaller ornamental tree)

Best of luck

Julia

http://flowers-plants-gardening-advice.com/index.html

Answer 5

Unfortunately, where I live there are a house full of smokers who use both the front porch and back patio to fire up. I've tried a few different barrier methods, but have found 2 that are successful in diffusing the smell and taking it over with their own. I planted cedar bushes that have a wonderful smell on their own, but one didn't work, I had to plant a bunch of them. I also planted good old pine trees and their smell permeates the yard enough that I cannot smell the smoke. Just be careful placing the pines, they do get rather large. I thought I'd placed one far enough from the house until we had a rainy season with a bigger than normal rainfall. It tilted over (it grew to almost 2 stories high) and nearly hit my garage roof. I had the aborist tie it back to try to save it and it is still doing well, but will remain staked and secure because I cannot trim the top without killing the tree. I am also going to try juniper bushes because my neighbor on the other side of our smelly smokers planted them along his border and says they also work.

Answer 6

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

If our atmosphere is not absorbing the smoke of a cigarette, we’re in big, big, really big trouble.

If the smoke bothers you, DON’T OPEN YOUR WINDOWS!!!

ALL of your windows can’t possibly face the same direction. Open the windows on the other side of the house. Use some common sense.

I can’t even imagine how you could smell the smoke of a neighbor who is smoking outdoors.

Does his patio butt up against your house?

Answer 7

trees put fence block neighborcigarette smoke

Answer 8

I'm with Red and Mean. You've got some huevos, kid. Get a life.



Don't you realize the ambient pollutants that are in the air we breathe? Lets see, there's vehicle exhaust, jet exhaust, forest fire smoke....SHEESH!!



Oh, gawd, I'll bet your kid will never be allowed to run because it might fall down. Glad I grew up before bicycle helmets and could ACTUALLY BE a kid.



Sure hope you don't fart around your "newborn" oh, my, Methane!

Answer 9

keep your windows shut until he's done and gone inside..... you got some nerve......he's on HIS patio, relaxing with a smoke.... keep your nose in your own yard and leave him alone....



and no, there's no trees that will block or absorb his smoke..... you'd need a wind-tunnel fan to do anything about it..... he's OUTSIDE.....get over it.....



and no, I don't smoke, but I will stand up for the rights of those who wish to do so in their own home.....

Answer 10

call the cops and tell them this story ... cuz a baby is much important than your neighbor and his cigarette. !



you dont need to start planting trees to fix someone else problem