You could probably do it with a powerful weed eater. Do you have one of those?? You may have to do it in a sequence of starting at the top and just keep chopping away at it until you get to the bottom. That is how I mow it............by setting the mower blade as high as possible and then just lowering it until I have it as low as possible.........it takes a lot of patience, but it works for me.

miradus, I think the neighbor just doesn't care about either. She is a single woman who got the house in a divorce and it's just too much for her. This area of Johnson grass is in an old dog pen area that she seldom mows, and yes, she would probably let us mow it, but it would have to be done with a push mower or weed eater. The cargo pods are a different matter. She probably doesn't even know they are a mosquito hatchery. I am going to mention that to her because her daughter and two grands are moving in with her at the end of this month. There are no buried utilities in the easement, just an electric line overhead, much higher than any Johnson grass can grow. Jolanaweb, I love your idea and can definitely do that myself. Did you plant the roses in front of the shingles, so about 12 inches away from the fence?

Certainty (sulfosulfuron) claims to control johnsongrass.

I've never seen Johnson grass with such short seed stalks. Johnson cannot stand to be mowed at normal mowing height, so simple mowing will take it out. This looks like something else.