[Misc] Gardening advice - bamboo

[Happy Exile]

The people in the house opposite us planted some bamboo screening a few years ago. It’s adjacent to the fence at the end of our garden, which we apparently own, and the bamboo is now ludicrously tall. It’s causing a couple of issues. In this wind it looks dangerously close to bringing down the fence which I don’t want the expense of or a battle getting them to take responsibility for, but more than that every few weeks I have to go out and cut down growth that’s come under the fence and is sprouting on our side. At the last count I chopped down 33 different stems all over 5 foot tall and coming up in random places at the end of our garden and it inhibits what we can grow ourselves in that space (or put decking down like we’d planned).

We’ve spoken to them about it and they don’t see it as a problem but instead actively like the fact it makes their garden feel isolated from other houses. Is there anything I can do? A gardener friend suggested some kind of industrial weed killer to destroy the growth on our side but that would of course potentially destroy their plants too because of how the root system is. Unethical maybe doing it knowing that’s a potential outcome but also possibly illegal. Are there any other options? Thanks!

 

[zefarelly]

It's evil stuff, destroy . . .it will keep moving like triffids.

A panda won't eat the roots, the roots will Cause problems . . . . Theres some in a garden over the road to use and it's pushing the wall out onto the pavement. It should onley ever be grown in pots IMO

Bamboo control / RHS

Bamboos are useful garden plants, providing attractive evergreen screening and colourful stems. However, given favourable growing conditions, some will spread quickly, with strong, fast-growing stems shooting up some distance from the parent plant.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[Happy Exile]

It's evil stuff, destroy . . .it will keep moving like triffids.

A panda won't eat the roots, the roots will eat your house.

I totally agree, the issue is it’s not ours

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Tell them to take it down. You don’t need to panda to their needs.

 

[Official Old Man]

Suggest changing the bamboo. I have similar but in 10 years it has hardly grown, trimmed occasionaly at 5 foot. I believe there are two kings of bamboo and obviously the one you have is the vicious version.

 

[carlzeiss]

The big British bamboo crisis: ‘It invaded my beautiful home’

The plant can punch through paving stones, asphalt and even the foundations of your house. In one case, the bill for damage reached £100,000. So why does this problem just keep on growing?

www.theguardian.com

 

[zefarelly]

I totally agree, the issue is it’s not ours

If you can expose roots on your property perhaps invite them round and show them . . . Offer them a pot of earl grey, Then remind them you will take legal action for criminal damage

 

[Happy Exile]

If you can expose roots on your property perhaps invite them round and show them . . . Offer them a pot of earl grey, Then remind them you will take legal action for criminal damage

Going with the reality of their liability might be the only way sadly

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Get one of those cheap solicitors letters to threaten them with action, it might not achieve anything but it’ll certainly bamboozle them

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

If you can expose roots on your property perhaps invite them round and show them . . . Offer them a pot of earl grey, Then remind them you will take legal action for criminal damage

I would very much doubt that a plant going under a fence constitutes criminal damage. There is a large cherry tree in the garden by mine and it sends up suckers twenty or more feet into my garden. They don't damage anything but I keep removing them. A plant will respect no boundaries made by man. Your neighbour should really have planted the bamboo with a rhizome barrier. I have large bamboo in my garden and that is what I have done, it controls the plant effectively. From your side you could dig down where possible, and leave a trench 6 inches wide and a foot deep along the affected area. It is a simple job to snip any runners that will develop into shoots. This will solve part of your problem but of course you should not be having to do that, it should be your neighbour.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I'd use weedkiller. If it's that big, the chances are the stuff on their side of the fence will survive

 

[zefarelly]

Going with the reality of their liability might be the only way sadly

Perhaps ask them nicely to read the RHS and Guardian articles . . .

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I'd use weedkiller. If it's that big, the chances are the stuff on their side of the fence will survive

I think that is not legal.

 

[zefarelly]

I'd use weedkiller. If it's that big, the chances are the stuff on their side of the fence will survive

Perhaps the neighbours may want to hear and see Happy Exile watching this . . .

 

[The Grockle]

It's obviously a running type and they shoukd have put in a barrier beofre planting.

Is it feasible to dig a 50cm deep trench your side and put in a barrier? Cheap concrete pavers would stop it sending runners

 

[WATFORD zero]

I think that is not legal.

No it's not, but where's the fun in life if you never do anything Illegal, Immoral or fattening

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

 

[World of Sport]

I had a form of Japanese notweed in a previous garden in Hangleton, it was like pulling up the London Underground.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

A picture of it so we can give it an i.d. Different types require different measures to control it...even if it's coming through/under the fence. Be prepared for a bit of manual graft though. I think you'll find there is nothing to get your neighbour to deal with it your side but it is controllable

 

[nevergoagain]

It is evil indeed. I have a big patch of it screening us from our neighbours. Perfect for the job but by christ does it spread. When we moved in I noticed pop up shoots halfway across the lawn. When I dug down the tendrils were so thick and strong I don't think a weedkiller would have worked. Ended up having to dig them all out which left the lawn looking like pigs had been at it. I've now dug a 2ft trench around it on my side and I just pop out weekly and hit off any new shoots, they don't seem to go too deep so haven't come back past the trench now.