Dealing with stubborn weeds and invasive plants can be a nightmare for any gardener. When the neighbor's yard is responsible, it only makes the situation worse.
One homeowner vented their frustrations on Reddit, while also asking for help to solve the problem.
"My neighbors planted a wall of bamboo as a fence," they said. "This was before I bought my house two years ago."
The exasperated resident explained that bamboo stalks started appearing in their own garden and that they've been especially difficult to remove cheaply and effectively.
After encountering such difficulties, they took to Reddit to see if anyone had a bright idea to keep their garden free from the fast-spreading plant.
One commenter quickly spoke up with advice on how to kill bamboo using vinegar.
"Take time to moisten the soil before digging around the clump of bamboo or bamboo culm," they explained. "Expose as much of the root system as you possibly can. Pour the undiluted vinegar on the roots, ensuring they are soaked. You can also use a sprayer to apply it."
The helpful Redditor added that this approach kills all the roots you cannot take from the soil by hand, and the process should be repeated until the bamboo has been removed permanently.
Bamboo is a remarkably strong, fast-growing plant that has a number of uses. One project in Myanmar, for example, is using the material to construct low-cost, environmentally friendly houses for poor and vulnerable residents.
It can also be used to make toilet paper, diapers, and forms of packaging that are usually made of plastic.
But when it starts growing in a place you don't want, it can be challenging to keep under control, and it's clear to see why this can be annoying if you didn't bring the grass into your garden.
While bringing invasive plants into your neighborhood is one thing, imagine if the folks next door started breeding invasive insects.
That's exactly what happened in Pittsburgh, with a community member flabbergasted that their neighbor was seemingly breeding spotted lanternflies, which have plagued plant populations in the United States since first sightings in 2014.
One Redditor offered advice that would be helpful in either situation, saying, "You can also call your local municipality and find out what the rules are in general for everything from trees to invasive species. You may be able to come up with a plan. In the end, you may have to go to a lawyer."
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