The lawn guy chopped down my tomatoes and peppers with a weed whacker.

[drm604]

I planted them, put a little fence around them, and cared for and watered them for weeks. In a few seconds time he destroyed them.

[Scuba]

1. Yikes! That's awful. Hope you gave him an earful.

[drm604]

2. The amount we owe him for the work is about the same as the cost of the plants.

So he's not getting paid. Of course that doesn't make up for the wasted time and work, and the frustrated hopes of having fresh veggies.

[marble falls]

4. Seriously? You don't want to pay someone who made a mistake while acting as your agent?....

Do you similarly think the kid at the fast food who forgot the mustard on your hamburger shouldn't get paid?

[imthevicar]

5. You forgot the

Because if you didn't Forgetting the Mustard is not the same thing as destroying hours of work and $$$$$ of lost produce. you simply go back and get your mustard.

[drm604]

6. Yes, seriously. He is owed $30. The plants cost $30, so he owes me $30.

We each owe the other $30. Should I pay him $30 and then take him to small claims court to get the $30 cost of the plants?

Would you feel better if I handed him $30 and he then handed me a different $30?

The plants actually cost a little more, but I'm willing to call it even.

He didn't leave mustard off a hamburger. He destroyed property.

If he objects and insists on getting paid (I don't think he will) then we'll pay him and find someone else to do the lawn in the future.

[NJCher]

3. I so feel for you

I had something like this happen to me, so I know, I know.


Cher

[drm604]

7. Then you know how I feel. It goes way beyond the cost of the plants.

We were looking forward to fresh veggies.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. Wow, I'm sorry for you.

I had a similar thing happen when the water meter was replaced and the guy from the water company trampled all my plants. When I yelled at him he asked why I was worried about a bunch of weeds. Gads, people who don't do gardening haven't got a clue! But I would expect a "lawn guy" to know good plant/bad plant....guess I expect too much. At least you have recourse since you pay this guy, I had nothing.

Maybe you can find some plants still at the nursery to replace them.

[drm604]

9. I'm thinking about replacing them. It may not be too late.

I think I'll also need some signs. "TOMATOES. NOT WEEDS. DON'T CUT BEHIND THIS FENCE!!!".

[NJCher]

14. oh definitely replace them

Go get plants the size of what yours had grown into. If there is a cost over $30, they should pay it.

It's important that they pay, because if they don't, they think they're entitled to careless work. Then some other gardener down the line will be going through what you are going through. Let's not forget, also, that putting in plants takes time and effort. You are already out that.

Just an example: I was watching my time yesterday and it took 45" to plant tomatoes and build bamboo teepees for two tomato containers. Twenty-two minutes to plant 20-odd seedlings around wire tomato cages.

Another reason you should plant them is that you are going to miss them all season long and every time you miss them, you'll think about this incident. In my case, I didn't replace them. It was a mint garden that was mowed down with a weed wacker. I thought for sure it would come back. It didn't. All summer long I needed that mint, and I missed it so.


Cher

[femmocrat]

10. Awww, that is a shame!

I have a fit when my husband accidentally weed whacks the wild milkweed, so I know exactly how you feel.

What did the guy say about it? Was he at least apologetic? He should offer to replace them, IMO.

I don't know where you live, but it is not too late to replace them if you get good-sized plants. Those are expensive, though.

[drm604]

11. I haven't spoken to him yet.

I called him and left a message. I'd like to deduct the cost of the plants from what we usually pay him.

Why would you object to cutting milkweed?

[femmocrat]

12. Monarch butterflies need it to survive.

It is the only plant where they lay their eggs and the babies eat the leaves. It grows wild here in one spot along the fence but it is increasingly hard to find.

[ginnyinWI]

13. I'd pay the fee, then

send the company a bill for the damage.

[drm604]

15. No company.

He works for himself.

[GreatGazoo]

16. The damage my landlord pays for twice includes

paying the guy with the string trimmer and then painting, fixing and replacing fence posts, low boards on the garage, etc. I don't get it. There is a weed so destroy the fence posts every week ?! How about bend over and pluck the weed out?

Another great one is the snow removal guy last year destroyed the sidewalks and other concrete by laying down the cheapest rock salt an inch thick about once a week. Killed all the soil next to the walkways too so now when it rains mud flows across the walkways. And guess what they want to do about that? Use the hose (!).

Can you (or the lawn guy) mulch the areas that he is string trimmering?

Leaf blowers are a worthless waste of time but at least they don't cause the damage that string trimmers do.

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. horrible. I've had the neighbor's lawn service kill mine with herbicide (drifted).

similarly arggggh. Feeling your pain here.

[drm604]

18. The stubs regrew.

They came back and the tomatoes at least are thriving. The peppers are alive but they seem stunted and I'm not sure if they'll produce. I decided to pay him since it was unintentional and they grew back anyway. I've spoken to him and put chicken wire around them to make sure that there are no more mistakes.