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Overgrowing Bamboo from Neighbor's Yard

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  • 11-09-2008, 09:33 AM
    bbutler
    Overgrowing Bamboo from Neighbor's Yard
    I recently moved into a new home in PA a few weeks ago. I have noticed that my neighbors have a very large bamboo plant that is next to the last 25% of my yard on the lower right hand side. I have a 6 ft. privacy fence that juts up against this bamboo.

    I have noticed that the bamboo shoots are starting to grow on my side of the fence. It looks like the previous owner had cut the shoots, but bamboo will just keep growing if you do not entrench it. It is already going through my privacy fence, and I am afraid it will start to uproot my privacy fence and my shed.

    My question: Since bamboo isn't a plant that you can just cut and it will go away, what do I do about this? The neigbors obviously haven't done anything to contain the bamboo, and if left unattended to, it will invade my whole back yard and destroy my fence. The only real action the neighbors can take to prevent the bamboo from spreading is to dig up the shoots that hang over or are already on my property, and dig a trench so the existing roots don't jump over into my property line. How do I handle this? Should I talk to them first, go through my insurance, or go straight to a lawyer?
  • 11-09-2008, 10:56 AM
    zedex
    Re: Overgrowing Bamboo from Neighbor's Yard
    As one that grew bamboo, I had the worry about the plant invading my neighbor's yard. To keep it contained, I trenched around my plants and poured cement 2ft down and 6 inches wide encasing my plants and not one shoot surfaced on neighboring property. Ask you neighbor to do this or you can do it on your property at the property line.
  • 11-09-2008, 11:02 AM
    kist
    Re: Overgrowing Bamboo from Neighbor's Yard
    So this won't be legal advice but gardening advice. If you drive a wedge into the ground (imaging a sheet of plywood driven 8 feet into the ground - that's the general idea) at least one foot the bamboo wont spread, Likewise if you cover the area with black plastic then put a couple of inches of new topsoil on it it (for your own planting needs) it wont spread. If you spray full strength Round-Up on the shoots (available only at a plant nursery, a farm store etc. Stuff from Wal-Mart is cut) it will die and will stop trying to grow that direction
  • 11-09-2008, 06:05 PM
    jk
    Re: Overgrowing Bamboo from Neighbor's Yard
    as it stands, unless you can argue that the 'boo is a noxious weed or some other type of nuisance plant that the state or municipality that has an ordinance that requires a person to abate such a nuisance.

    Short of that, you will have to continue to cut back the 'boo and hope for the best.

    Once the roots invade your yard or there is any damage to your property, then you can seek repair costs from the neighbor.

    Start with a notice sent by certified mail with a demand for the costs to repair the damage. If no reponse within the 10-30 days you gave as an alloted time limit, you will probably have to sue the neighbor for the money.
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