Don’t touch those tomatoes

Every day we walk our dogs past our neighbor’s property and admire her flourishing tomato plants, which are jutting through the concrete wall and onto the sidewalk.

Since we haven’t had much luck growing tomato plants — they last about as long as Bubbie’s mochi ice cream in my freezer — we are often tempted to grab the plump fruits that are just hanging there, waiting for a hungry passer-by.

But we can’t.

Or can we?

It’s an age-old debate between neighbors: If your mango tree has branches in my yard, I should be entitled to the fruit, right?

Actually, no.

According to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, if tree branches dropping leaves and fruits are located on private property, you have to contact the owner first before trimming branches or plucking fruit.

It’s not exactly law; it’s more neighborly courtesy.

But what if the fruit — as in the case with the tomatoes — are on public land — meaning, the sidewalk — then can I grab them?

Again, the answer is not really.

I mean, sure, you can grab them. But the plant — or tree or bush — still belongs to someone else. And the root of said plant is on someone’s property. So those overhanging fruits, no matter how tempting, are technically yours to take.

Then again, those leaves piling up in your yard because of your neighbor’s mango tree isn’t yours to rake up, either.