One desperate homeowner recently took to the r/arborists subreddit for advice after their neighbor planted some highly invasive and destructive bamboo.
"Neighbor planted bamboo before we bought the house roughly 3 years ago and now we're dealing with it. I'm putting in a 'barrier' to help the situation," the poster wrote. "I know I'm essentially screwed but what do you think my chances are?"
The replies were immediately filled with knowledgeable homeowners and gardeners offering the typical advice for how to deal with the dreaded bamboo: go completely scorched earth on it.
"I've dealt with this. I also dug a deep trench and installed a proper barrier with 2 inches exposed above ground. Then I had to trace out every streamer and dig them out plus any hearts they led to. Leave nothing behind and you're going to be fine," wrote one commenter.
"Now is a good time to talk to your neighbor about invasive species. It may take a few months, but try to convince them that bamboo is bad and needs to go for the good of the local ecosystem and your yard," another suggested.
Bamboo is indeed an invasive plant species in North America and one that can cause a practically unbelievable amount of problems. It grows quickly, spreads fast, and is strong enough to break through concrete floors. As many of the commenters in the Reddit thread alluded to, it is incredibly difficult to eradicate once it has taken root.
Unfortunately, the original poster was not optimistic about their chances of getting through to their neighbor.
"She is an older lady who loves the bamboo for her 'privacy' and she also thinks it's nice and refuses to do anything. I have tried," they wrote.
Dealing with intransigent neighbors can, sadly, be a major barrier to homeowners and gardeners seeking to support their local ecosystems and create climate-friendly home solutions. However, they can also offer a great — albeit highly challenging — opportunity to foster community and spread awareness of issues like invasive plant species. Just because you won't always have success does not mean that it's not worth interacting with your neighbors and trying to get through to them, even if it takes a long time.
And, of course, it is always important to be patient and kind with the people we share a community with, even when they do not follow best gardening practices.
"Just a heads up that people are wishing death on an older woman for planting bamboo in this post. Ironically, y'all may want to touch grass," another commenter chimed in.
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