Invasive species of plants are taking over homeowners' yards and threatening local ecosystems.
One homeowner shared photos to r/GardeningUK of roof-level bamboo shoots that weren't there when they last saw the house months ago before buying it.
"I'm worried it's running bamboo," the homeowner wrote in the caption. "I don't know how to maintain it. I don't have the finances currently to get a professional. I'm really scared."
This type of bamboo is taking over the homeowner's landscape and is not native to where the homeowner lives in London.
Non-native species are a problem because they often grow quickly and make it impossible for native plants to get the water, sunlight, and nutrients they need. They also throw vulnerable ecosystems off balance and make it more challenging for native animals to thrive in their natural habitats.
Invasive plants don't benefit local wildlife like native plants, and they limit habitats for pollinators that help native plants grow.
This plant growth is unfortunate for the homeowner because it will likely require substantial manual labor to remove and prevent it from regrowing in the same spot. However, that work will be worth it in the long run to promote natural yard growth with low maintenance.
Gardening enthusiasts responded to the original poster's concerns and offered suggestions about handling the towering bamboo.
One Redditor described it as a "nightmare" and wrote, "It should be classified as vermin!"
🗣️ Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?
🔘 Absolutely 💯
🔘 It depends on the species 🤔
🔘 I don't know 🤷
🔘 No — leave nature alone 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
That homeowner had to pay thousands of dollars to have overgrown bamboo professionally removed from their property and rechecked for regrowth for two years.
"Bamboo is so invasive it will shoot into neighbors' gardens, so be prepared for that discussion," warned another Redditor.
"Buy/borrow some good loppers and take out the tallest stems as low as you can for now," one Redditor suggested in the comments. "If you are brave/fit, you can root out a bit at a time with a pickaxe or mattock and a crappy old handsaw."
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