Gardening can be a therapeutic pastime, but it largely depends on your neighbours. If you’re fortunate enough to have access to outdoor space, then delving into some horticulture can be a rewarding pursuit. It gets you outdoors, enables you to settle your thoughts, and connects you with the natural world.
Nevertheless, if you’ve got disruptive neighbours who relish making your garden usage a nightmare, then it can be far less relaxing. Likewise, if your neighbours undertake their own gardening but show little consideration for how their plants might impact yours, then that can also significantly affect your pleasure.
That’s the situation one chap on Instagram is presently confronting, as his neighbours have chosen to plant an “invasive” species along their boundary line – and it’s started targeting his garden as well.
The man, who operates a landscaping business, recorded footage that revealed towering bamboo flourishing in his neighbour’s plot, directly against the fence dividing their properties. But, several feet distant in the centre of his own garden, he displayed another small bamboo shoot emerging from the earth.
The man had also excavated a portion of his lawn to demonstrate the root network did, indeed, extend all the way back to the neighbour’s garden – establishing it’s their bamboo which has commenced growing in his plot. Bamboo serves as a valuable garden plant that can offer attractive screening to enhance your garden’s privacy.
Nevertheless, certain varieties of bamboo spread exceptionally rapidly and can effortlessly take over your garden – and your neighbour’s plot – if you’re unaware of how to manage it or which variety you’ve purchased.
The RHS warns that running bamboo poses the greatest threat, as this variety dispatches underground stems (called rhizomes) that can produce shoots and roots from any nodes along their length. Clumping bamboo proves superior as a garden plant since it’s less aggressive, while still delivering the same visual impact.
Cases have emerged of bamboo inflicting damage upon hard surfaces including paving and tarmac, alongside potentially spreading into compromised buildings. Consequently, it’s crucial to keep it as contained as possible.
The RHS explains: “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.”
Users responding to the man’s Instagram post encouraged him to speak with his neighbour regarding the bamboo, since the entire plant would require removal from the root to halt the growth in his own garden.
They warned the man his neighbour could face liability should the bamboo flourishing in his garden cause damage, as private nuisance law dictates that property owners must prevent their plants from harming adjacent properties.
One person commented: “Fastest growing plant ever. Should be contained in pots only.”
Another contributed: “Bamboo is invasive. Every person I know who hates it is because a neighbour has it.”
A third suggested a method for eliminating the bamboo, explaining: “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 prevent bamboo from spreading
The RHS offers some useful guidance to stop bamboo from expanding beyond its designated area 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.
Comments are closed.