A man has expressed frustration at his neighbour after he noticed plants from next door beginning to grow in his garden – and people have urged him to take revenge
Gardening can be a therapeutic hobby, but it largely depends on your neighbours. If you’re lucky enough to have access to an outside space, then dabbling in some gardening can be a worthwhile hobby. It gets you outside, allows you to calm your mind, and brings you closer to nature.
However, if you’ve got noisy neighbours who love to make using your garden a nightmare, then it can be less soothing. Similarly, if your neighbours do their own gardening but lack care for how their plants might affect yours, then that can also have a major impact on your enjoyment.
That’s the scenario one man on Instagram is currently facing, as his neighbours have decided to plant an “invasive” plant along their fence line – and it’s begun setting its sights on his garden, too.
The man, who runs a landscaping company, filmed a video that showed tall bamboo growing in his neighbour’s garden, right against the fence that separates their properties.
However, several feet away in the middle of his own garden, he showed another small shoot of bamboo sticking out of the ground. The man had also dug away a section of his lawn to prove that the root system did, in fact, lead all the way back to the neighbour’s garden – proving it’s their bamboo that has begun growing in his garden.
Bamboo is a useful garden plant that can provide attractive screening to give your garden more privacy. However, some types of bamboo spread very quickly and can easily overrun your garden – and your neighbour’s garden – if you don’t know how to control it or which type you’ve bought.
According to the RHS, running bamboo is the worst offender, as this type sends out underground stems (known as rhizomes) that are capable of growing shoots and roots from any nodes along their length. Clumping bamboo is better as a garden plant as it is less invasive, and will still give you the same effect.
There have been cases of bamboo causing damage to hard surfaces such as paving and tarmac, as well as potentially spreading into damaged buildings. It is, therefore, important to keep it contained as much as possible.
The RHS states: “Bamboo rhizomes are incredibly strong, and while they can’t puncture or lift solid ground or sound foundations, they can potentially grow into gaps or cracks in walls, floors and drains as they search for new ground to colonise.”
Commenters on the man’s Instagram post urged him to talk to his neighbour about the bamboo, as the entire plant would need to be removed from the root in order to stop the growth in his own garden.
They informed the man his neighbour could be held liable if the bamboo growing in his garden causes damage, as under the law of private nuisance, people have a responsibility to ensure that plants on their property do not cause harm to neighbouring properties.
One person said: “Fastest growing plant ever. Should be contained in pots only.”
Another added: “Bamboo is invasive. Every person I know who hates it is because a neighbour has it.”
A third offered a way to try and get rid of the bamboo, stating: “I got rid of my neighbour’s bamboo by pouring boiling water on it, have to keep doing it when you see green shoots, but it’s worked.”
How to stop bamboo from spreading
The RHS has some helpful tips to stop bamboo from spreading out from its allotted space in your garden.
Before planting:
- Select a suitable bamboo: Consider the space you wish to fill and if the growing conditions are likely to encourage growth. It is often best to select a clumping type of bamboo rather than a running type.
- Grow in a bamboo container: Grow your bamboo in a container instead of directly in the ground. Repot every few years, either into a larger container or by dividing and replanting smaller clumps into the same container.
- Insert a physical barrier when planting: When planting your bamboo, dig a trench at least 60cm deep around it and insert a physical barrier, such as a purpose-built bamboo root barrier, that is designed to keep roots from spreading.
To control the spread of an established plant, you can dig a trench 30cm deep around your bamboo. Sever any rhizomes you find and remove sections that extend beyond your circular trench. You can also install a physical barrier to help prevent further growth once you have done this.
