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The lawn guy chopped down my tomatoes and peppers with a weed whacker. (Original Post) drm604 Jun 2015 OP
Yikes! That's awful. Hope you gave him an earful. Scuba Jun 2015 #1
The amount we owe him for the work is about the same as the cost of the plants. drm604 Jun 2015 #2
Seriously? You don't want to pay someone who made a mistake while acting as your agent?.... marble falls Jun 2015 #4
You forgot the imthevicar Jun 2015 #5
Yes, seriously. He is owed $30. The plants cost $30, so he owes me $30. drm604 Jun 2015 #6
I so feel for you NJCher Jun 2015 #3
Then you know how I feel. It goes way beyond the cost of the plants. drm604 Jun 2015 #7
Wow, I'm sorry for you. Curmudgeoness Jun 2015 #8
I'm thinking about replacing them. It may not be too late. drm604 Jun 2015 #9
oh definitely replace them NJCher Jun 2015 #14
Awww, that is a shame! femmocrat Jun 2015 #10
I haven't spoken to him yet. drm604 Jun 2015 #11
Monarch butterflies need it to survive. femmocrat Jun 2015 #12
I'd pay the fee, then ginnyinWI Jun 2015 #13
No company. drm604 Jun 2015 #15
The damage my landlord pays for twice includes GreatGazoo Jun 2015 #16
horrible. I've had the neighbor's lawn service kill mine with herbicide (drifted). NRaleighLiberal Jun 2015 #17
The stubs regrew. drm604 Jul 2015 #18

drm604

(16,230 posts)
2. The amount we owe him for the work is about the same as the cost of the plants.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 06:26 AM
Jun 2015

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

(62,052 posts)
4. Seriously? You don't want to pay someone who made a mistake while acting as your agent?....
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 07:26 AM
Jun 2015

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

 

imthevicar

(811 posts)
5. You forgot the
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 08:16 AM
Jun 2015
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

(16,230 posts)
6. Yes, seriously. He is owed $30. The plants cost $30, so he owes me $30.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 08:50 AM
Jun 2015

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.

drm604

(16,230 posts)
7. Then you know how I feel. It goes way beyond the cost of the plants.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 08:58 AM
Jun 2015

We were looking forward to fresh veggies.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
8. Wow, I'm sorry for you.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 09:58 AM
Jun 2015

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

(16,230 posts)
9. I'm thinking about replacing them. It may not be too late.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 10:08 AM
Jun 2015

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

NJCher

(37,869 posts)
14. oh definitely replace them
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 11:50 AM
Jun 2015

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

(28,394 posts)
10. Awww, that is a shame!
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 10:14 AM
Jun 2015

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

(16,230 posts)
11. I haven't spoken to him yet.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 10:39 AM
Jun 2015

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

(28,394 posts)
12. Monarch butterflies need it to survive.
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 10:52 AM
Jun 2015

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.

GreatGazoo

(3,955 posts)
16. The damage my landlord pays for twice includes
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 02:50 PM
Jun 2015

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

(60,500 posts)
17. horrible. I've had the neighbor's lawn service kill mine with herbicide (drifted).
Thu Jun 11, 2015, 04:17 PM
Jun 2015

similarly arggggh. Feeling your pain here.

drm604

(16,230 posts)
18. The stubs regrew.
Mon Jul 13, 2015, 12:47 PM
Jul 2015

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.

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