Homeowner panics after neighbor unleashes invasive pest into yard: 'How do I defend my lawn?'

A homeowner can do everything right in their eco-friendly garden. Perhaps they keep a wild yard rich with native plants, or maybe they use exclusively organic fertilizers to keep out hazardous chemicals from their space.

No matter what efforts a homeowner may go through, neighbors can still throw a wrench in someone's eco-conscious plans. Invasive species planted on a person's lawn can affect their neighbors' yards, as can the use of herbicides and pesticides.

One Reddit user came to understand this loss of control when their neighbor planted invasive flora in their lawn.

"My neighbor planted bamboo," they posted on r/lawncare. "How do I defend my lawn from incursion?"

In a place where bamboo is not native, it is typically only planted for ornamental purposes. There are no environmental positives to planting bamboo in places where it would not naturally be found. In fact, there are only negatives.

Bamboo is considered an invasive plant in the United States. The plant's rhizomes, the underground stems bamboo plants grow from, are extensive and can spread up to 20 feet away from the original site of the plant.

An invasion of non-native, invasive plants like bamboo can cause environmental harm by displacing native plants, clogging waterways, increasing soil erosion, and decreasing plant diversity.

While bamboo's rhizome systems impact the growth process for native plants, they also bring potential harm to a home's foundation, plumbing systems, and cracks in cement. A new bamboo plant can shoot up from some points in these pervasive rhizomes.

"You are in for years of aggravation," one relatable Redditor commented. "My neighbor did that and I've tried everything."

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

As hopeless as this sounds, there are some solutions for when a neighbor plants a harmful, non-native plant. Bamboo barriers can be installed along the fencing of a yard to contain its rhizomes.

Another user commented a piece of advice: "A few thin sheets of a durable plastic that stretch over 3 feet down into the soil along your fence line will keep the roots from hitting your yard."

A properly installed bamboo barrier must be installed 2-3 feet below the soil surface and could be made of plastic, concrete, or metal. There are bamboo barriers available for purchase. If the plant has already infiltrated the lawn before a barrier has been installed, dig up the plant and cut the roots to avoid further damage.

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