New homeowner stunned after discovering unexpected 'nightmare' left behind by previous owner: 'I'm in for a years-long war'

A Redditor recently discovered that purchasing a new home doesn't exempt you from caveats. In this case, the caveat came in the form of a running type of bamboo spread out across the fence line. 

"I'm in for a years-long war," the original poster said in the understatement of the year. Running bamboo types are enormously difficult to eradicate, but credit to the new homeowner for recognizing the "nightmare" so quickly.

Running bamboo has leptomorph rhizomes, a brutally aggressive root system that spreads rapidly, typically three to five feet per year. This makes it extremely difficult to remove, as its root system strangles everything else around it. 

It will happily take over gardens, lawns, and neighboring properties, the last of which opens up another can of problems. 

It's considered invasive in several states, especially in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions. Still, it has a particularly infamous reputation in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Georgia, per the University of Maryland Extension. 

For those looking to garden, landscape, or opt for a natural lawn — a choice that's growing in popularity — running bamboo must be dealt with first and foremost. 

Natural lawns are a boon to homeowners in many ways. Sticking with plants native to your region substantially reduces maintenance and conserves water resources while converting real estate into a pollinator paradise. 

Regardless, running bamboo will lay waste to the best plans unless it's handled with an aggressive removal approach. Worse, it's far from the only invasive species out there, and homeowners would do well to know what they are and where they crop up. 

According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, there are roughly 1,000 invasive plants in the United States, and they wreak havoc with agriculture and forest industries. 

The term "invasive" underscores the threat, with these species undermining and destroying native plant life wherever they spread. 

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The OP understood the difficulty of removing the bamboo, but several Redditors offered additional advice, with one saying, "The only way to eradicate it completely is to cut all growth in the area, then keep cutting it down year after year until it runs out of energy for new growth."

Another suggested a less helpful but mood-lightening alternative: "Take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

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