Homeowner desperate for advice to rid yard of pervasive pest: 'You're on a bit of a losing battle'

What started as a popular way to create a natural fence between backyards quickly crossed the line into a nuisance — or even invader.

Most bamboo, known for its tall and aesthetic stalks, is not native to North America or the United Kingdom, so it doesn't have natural predators in the lawns where it's planted, which has allowed it to take over whole yards, grow into neighboring properties, and overstay its welcome.  

One Redditor turned to the channel r/GardeningUK for help. "Bamboo invasion… tips?" they wrote.

This person was not even the original bamboo gardener. A neighbor planted a patch in their yard that reached the Reddit user's flower beds, so they turned to their community for advice on how to remove it.

"Tried speaking to neighbour, he's blanking me on it. Rhyzomes too deep and numerous to dig out. I've dug out the stuff that was going under the path and into my flower bed, but this lot is too much," they wrote.

Commenters on the post were all too familiar with the situation.

"I'm sorry to say you're on a bit of a losing battle," one person wrote.

People recommend scooping it out all at once with a mini digger, cutting it back each season until it weakened, digging a trench in between the properties, cutting any tendrils that try to bridge the gap, and, if all else fails, leaving the country.

The risk of planting a non-native plant is laid bare in this thread.

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Invasive species can cause native species to go extinct by outcompeting them for nutrients and water, reducing biodiversity and negatively impacting habitats for native animals. If this Redditor succeeds in removing the pesky bamboo from their property, they might want to rewild their yard or opt for a natural lawn.

There are many options to replace monoculture grass, from low-lying plants such as clover to taller, drought-resistant buffalo grass. Some homeowners choose xeriscaping, another great low-water option that employs a combination of rocks, mulch, soil, and native plants.

With a yard full of native-to-your-area species, you'll save time on lawn care, save water, eliminate the need for herbicides and pesticides, and support the health of the surrounding plant ecosystem. Because these plants have adapted to local climate conditions over time, they simply require less maintenance from you.

Native plants also work together with the other organisms, including birds and pollinators, to keep the whole ecosystem thriving.

Getting rid of something such as bamboo first, though, can be a tall order and call for creative solutions.

"Pandas," one commenter wrote. "Release them in spring and they'll have done wonders over summer. They also don't really breed so you won't be overrun."

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