Another bamboo thread - expectations for neighbours whose bamboo is popping up in your garden

[mechanicalpencil]

Hello everyone,

My neighbour’s bamboo is popping up on our side and en route to the shed while at the same time getting closer and closer to the house.

We have tried:

• cutting it down
• round up weedkiller

to no avail….

• and now DH is attempting to dig up the ridiculously strong “dinosaur bones” (pinched this from another Mumsnetter - but fits the description to a T!)

however he has a bad back and can only do a bit a day.

The problem is we have spoken to the neighbours several times and each time they agree that something needs to be done and what a pain it is etc etc but they haven’t put anything into action.

Are they actually legally required to act? Or are they perfectly free to just continue ignoring the problem? Would we be expected to contribute to any costs of removing it? I’ve read it can be very costly…

They planted it if it helps.

Any insight or advice most welcome. It is really stressing us out.

Thank you.

I feel your pain OP!
This years’ strategy is to cut it down
to just below the last ‘joint’ of the stalk ( hope you know what I mean!), filling it with stump killer from amazon and cling wrapping the end and securing with a rubber band. I really hope this works.

As for your actual question (sorry!), no idea. I’m quietly waging the war on my side for the sake of neighbourly relation but it’s v invasive and I’m increasingly fed up of the beast as we call it.

You need to put a metal barrier underground along the border.

@MrsKwazi it’s a nightmare ! Good Luck!

What can they do though?

The roots of bamboo go sideways underground. Even if they hacked down their whole plant its too late I would think?

We have bamboo in a pot, its limited that way.

It's perfectly possible for the neighbour to remove it - we had the same problem and removed it in one go (tree surgeon removed the clump and I dug out all the remaining rhizomes with the help of my son).

If they won't remove it you can install a root barrier along your boundary or dig a trench.

But the neighbour should remove it if they have any decency!

Why the heck should ghe neughbour remove it? You don't get to dictate wat they grow!

@ageratum1 did you read the OP? 🤷‍♀️

Was this your plant though?

You might have dug them out on your side but by now they will have travelled so you cant get all of it

Im not sure people should be cutting things out to appease a next door neighbour, different if its something you cant kill like knotweed but you can get the bamboo out, its just annoying

some experts say bamboo is worse than Japanese Knotweed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0hrn6yf

Has anybody had to take legal action against a neighbour whose bamboo is invading their property if they refuse to take any action? I am wondering where an insurer would stand on it too.

So, I’m pretty sure you can take legal action as there is a duty for your neighbours not to cause a nuisance to your property. How long this would take for a court to rule on and what the fallout would be of course is another matter. Your solution is to dig down to at least 60cm but I’d go further and put in place a tough membrane - you can get them off most places. If you can’t do the work yourself, can your neighbours? If not then it’s a landscaper and it’s going to cost - your neighbours might pay?

It's perfectly possible for the neighbour to remove it - we had the same problem and removed it in one go (tree surgeon removed the clump and I dug out all the remaining rhizomes with the help of my son).

There are 2 kinds of bamboo though.Clumping bamboo like yours isn't usually an issue,it is the runner bamboo that is the headache!