So my MIL is having an issue with the house over the back – their bamboo keeps coming up in her garden.

She’s been digging it out on a yearly basis, but now that she’s 80 she’s had enough….

MIL wasn’t too impressed with my “gallon of petrol’ idea…..

As you can probably tell I’m no gardener – cutting the grass is about my limit – so asking the STW hive mind for advice on what to do about it.

Thanks

Panda?

Maybe talk to the neighbours about it on her behalf?

Difficult to advise without knowing what species it is. Some will send runners long distances and be very difficult to eliminate whereas others (clumping bamboos) grow like a shrub and are not really invasive at all.
Also worth being aware that bamboo culms grow from the tip, so if you cut one off as it comes up it’s not much of an issue. So for instance if one of my bamboos is spreading onto the lawn it doesn’t matter as just cutting the grass controls it quite easily.
If it’s one that sends out runners then the only reliable option is to dig out a trench along the boundary and install a bamboo barrier there.

Had this issue but was my Bamboo. I had to dig mine up and put a barrier down. If you can’t convince the neighbours to do anything you could try putting a barrier down the boundary on your side but probably not very effective

Bamboo barriers are of course most effective if in a circle around the bamboo itself, so this would require neighbour cooperation.
Of course it might turn out that they want to get rid of it anyway, in which case maybe just offering some muscle to help…??

My Mrs digs behind ours to prevent it popping up next door. It is fairly slow growing so just once or twice a year. Moving house soon and won’t be planting it again 🙂

The neighbour behind next door was a bit peed at loss of privacy from a new dormer extension. Notice he has planted a bamboo hedge that has doubled in height in 3 months. Slightly sad we won’t be here to see how that develops 🙂

I dug out a row of bamboo and concreted over the area about 12 yrs ago. Still sends up a couple of shoots out the side of the slab a year.

Good luck…

Cut it down low and pour on roundup from a tube. That’s what I do with the bamboo I inherited. This stuff is good. I use it neat

Panda?

You want at least a pair.

Big bamboo problem ,,😲

Neighbour’s bamboo was a nightmare, eventually I dug down (about a metre) and put in a barrier.

Must very by type, eg I planted some about 7 years ago and it’s not spread at all.

There was a good answer to this exact question in the Sunday Times today:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-do-i-stop-my-neighbours-bamboo-from-invading-my-garden-m50hgvg88?shareToken=1b573a2f098eac0b78691d6e3f1d38c1

“As far as the law is concerned, the rules are similar to those for Japanese knotweed. If a plant is causing a “nuisance” and the owner of the property where it originates has been notified and asked to remedy the problem but fails to do so, then those affected can bring a civil claim against them under private nuisance legislation. In the first instance, I would advise you and your next-door neighbour both to formalise your request in writing, and outline your intention to pursue a private nuisance claim unless action is taken. This is often enough to prompt a response. If a claim is successful, the court could order the removal of the bamboo or the installation of a vertical root barrier, which is usually very effective.”

Roughly speaking bamboos are either clumping or running. Clumping bamboos spread politely only producing new culms at the edge of where they already are. Running bamboos send runners out that can cover quite significant distances. Some can do both and then some are much more invasive than others.

Thanks all – greatly appreciated.
It’s also encroaching on another neighbours garden so will suggest that they both tackle the owner together.
I’ll also look into the root barrier solution.

If you’re looking to make a plan to control it then you definitely need to with exactly what species of bamboo it is.

I’m actually a bit dissapointed with ours, I buy shrubs expecting them to fill out a bit, but our bamboo is pretty much the exact same size as the day I bought it….