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Homeowner battles invasive pest taking over backyard: 'That is going to be a ton of work'

Folks on Reddit were very sympathetic to the battle this person was waging.

Folks on Reddit were very sympathetic to the battle this person was waging.

Photo Credit: iStock

One family has been struggling with highly invasive bamboo and turned to Reddit for advice on how to handle it. 

The helpful folks on r/gardening offer advice on everything from landscaping issues to neighborly disputes. One Redditor took to the page looking for help getting rid of invasive bamboo. They said their grandmother's backyard has been inundated, writing: "The last two springs the cane has started to become more invasive across her yard, any suggestions on how I can get rid of them completely?"

Folks on Reddit were very sympathetic to the battle this person was waging.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Folks on Reddit were very sympathetic to the battle this person was waging.
Photo Credit: Reddit

The original poster included two photos of the fast-growing species. In the first image, viewers can see the bamboo spreading across the yard. In the second, a small shed gives perspective on how tall the weeds have grown.

Bamboo is an incredibly fast-growing plant. One species was designated by the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest-growing plant, growing up to 35 inches a day. 

This speed of growth means these plants can be very hard to keep at bay. The University of Maryland Extension has an extensive page on fighting this invasive species. It explains, "This will be a long-term project that will need attention every year the parent clump exists, and vigilance is key to keeping the plant restrained."

Folks on Reddit were very sympathetic to the battle this person was waging.

One commenter explained their experience with another invasive species: "My grandma's backyard is FILLED with knotweed. … It's a total nightmare to get rid of it."

"That is going to be a ton of work. You need to completely remove the roots," advised one commenter. 

Someone else gave some hope, saying: "Break all the shoot as they come up on your property for few springs. It's not some [volatile] crazy unpredictable devil, its just a plants, manage it. While walking [your] dog stomp them and few years later it wont be coming up anymore(on your property)."

🗣️ What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard?

🔘 Mowing the lawn 🏡

🔘 Controlling weeds 🌿

🔘 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️

🔘 I don't have a yard 🤷

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

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