If the bamboo sends runners into their yard, it will come up there and they will undoubtedly be annoyed. However, it sounds like they have listened to too many urban myths about bamboo. Running bamboo is invasive, but it will not go through concrete or generally disturb things like tree roots do. I have had runners go under my asphalt driveway and cause a large, 1" high bump to form, and I have seen bamboo come up through a small crack in asphalt. I have not seen it disturb intact concrete.

There's a difference between reasonable concern and going ballistic. Have they talked reasonably to you at any point, or have they just gone off? I would try to talk with them one more time to educate them a little. You could always put in bamboo barrier to make sure the rhizomes don't cross over into their yard.

If they have come on your property or sprayed anything on your property, and they aren't open to reasonable discussion, I would suggest you contact the local police department. One thing you might ask them about is whether it will help if you send the neighbors a certified letter advising them that a repeat of this will be considered trespassing which will be reported to the police. It might even be advisable for the police to pay a "friendly" visit right now to document the problem. I don't advocate warring with neighbors, but some types just can't be reasoned with.

P.S.: You should be happy to know that herbicides have little or no effect on bamboo. So, even though they've contaminated things with some poison, it won't achieve their objective.

Oh, the police have already been called (on me no less) and they were told to not it off. But they want to pursue it in civil court now. The police were actually very impressed with the amount of internet pages they had showing how my bamboo is going to destroy their yard and home. The officer actually told me I should be very prepared for court because they have all the evidence they need!
I have had bamboo in my Florida yard my entire life and have never had a problem that a lawn mower couldn't take care of.
I am going to buy a root barrier and install it this weekend. But they insist it needs to be removed or I pay for a large 3 foot deep trench in their yard, pay to have their side re-sodded, pay to future problems and their lawyers fees (because they will obviously win).
Yes, you could say they are unreasonable!

I think they are full of hot air with their demands or about what they can expect in court, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a pain to deal with it.

In most places I've lived, if you have vegetation going over into another person's yard (like tree limbs or roots), they can do what they want with it on their side of the property line, but that doesn't mean they can force you to do something on your side. Even if a tree on my property falls onto a neighbor's property, it's not my responsibility unless the person has sent me a certified letter showing there was a hazard. I'm not an attorney, but I would think that they will have a hard time in court, especially if they can't show any damages. Do they actually have any bamboo coming up in their yard from your grove? Or do you know if the rhizomes have crossed over? And what is all this Internet evidence they have? Just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean that it's true or that it applies to your situation. They just sound like they have a hole in their lives that they try to fill with mean-ness. It's unfortunate, but it's probably time for you to consult a lawyer to get a reality check. I don't pick unnecessary battles, but I draw the line at someone trying to force me to do something on my own property, and I sure wouldn't let some neighbor force me to remove plants that are important to me. But that's me.

As they say: In the U.S. anyone can sue anybody else over anything, regardless of whether the case has any merit. I'm starting to believe that Britain has a better idea...you can sue anyone, but, if you lose, you pay their attorney's fees, too. That would choke off frivolous suits, like the one you're being threatened with. Keep us posted: I'm very interested in what develops. And good luck to you!

I've got neighbors reaching over the back fence - which is clearly on our property, the lot markers still present and in full view - and cutting my bamboo and shrubs, throwing the trash down on our side. Discussion resulted in additional affront, a more than 40 years old rhododendron now looking ridiculous.

The big concern about the bamboo was the dead leaves it was dropping on their bark and rectangular rhodies moonscape. Yes, they have sheared their few rhododendrons into rectangles.

So, I too would like to hear how you fare.

So far I have dug the bamboo up as I don't love it enough to have to worry about what additional rudeness it might prompt. Plans call for a wall of conifers and/or broad-leaved shrubs between them and us.

What I'd really like to do is raise the height of the chain link fence to the maximum allowed, making it physically impossible to reach onto our property (at least the part beyond the fence).

But I'm not the only one that lives here. And I don't want to put a contractor in the middle of something.

When they moved in they put brown plastic slats through the chain links, without discussing it with us beforehand (same as with the mal-pruning and littering). When it was pointed out to them that the fence was ours, they replied that they thought it was theirs - and that was the end of it.

The male of the species also smokes outdoors and stinks up our entire back yard. He also has this high-pitched small blower he likes to get out during pleasant weather and use to pursue the scorched earth policy. It of course takes a long time to get every last little bit.

It likes warmth, and when it goes under a pliable, hot asphalt surface it can do what you observed...just like a tree root can.

Yes, it can visciously invasive over the years. There have been cases of lawsuits going to state Supreme Courts over damages. One homeowner had to have his house excavated underneath to stop bamboo from growing up thru his foundation. Some types of bamboo, go thru concrete, break galvanized metal, and grow thru stone walls, and asphalt for sure.

Panache-

I've been growing bamboo for over 20 years, and most of what you're saying is simply not true. I don't know where you got it from, but there is a lot of misinformation out there about bamboo: I've seen some hysterical anti-bamboo sites repeating urban legends about bamboo that make undocumented or false assertions like this. If bamboo was actually as terrible to control as you claim, many parts of the world would be uninhabitable. I use standard HDPE bamboo barrier to control my running bamboo and have yet to see the barrier penetrated by even a single rhizome.

Yes, bamboo can cause problems if it's planted, not contained, and ignored for years. But bamboo does not go through intact concrete; it does not go through galvanized metal unless the metal has rusted through and there are holes in it; and I'd be interested to see the reference you have for someone who "had to have his house excavated underneath" due to bamboo as I can't imagine how this would be necessary. I can imagine people going to court in a property dispute over bamboo, like people do over many other property line and landscaping issues, but there are cheaper ways to deal with runaway bamboo in your yard than hiring a lawyer.

There are lots of people who shouldn't plant bamboo because they don't have the knowledge or attention span to take care of it properly. But that doesn't mean that one should be terrified for no reason.

I live in sussex county delaware, and have little bamboo in my yard, and now I have two new neighbors and they never said anything about the bamboo, until I had it all cut down, and now they said that it will grow fast, and that I did a bad thing by cutting it down, and it was not a lot, but now they said that I need to get it all out or they will be taking me to court, I am so upset don't no what to do or how to do it or who I can call to help me with this. help please!

Cutting it down will not cause it to "grow fast"; they don't know what they are talking about. And it's not clear to me what basis they would have to sue. What damage has occurred to their properties? It sounds to me like they are uninformed, have heard some urban horror stories, and are making threats based on nothing. If it's a running variety you may want to have HDPE bamboo barrier installed around it to avoid the potential for problems with these jerks where they might actually have something to complain about at some point in the future, Sorry you cut it down as it will take a couple of years to look like it originally did.

The bamboo on my side has grown over on his side. Tne neighbor has been digging it up and it has been cut to the ground by us. We have a cover over it with black tarps. The neighbor next to him had a new septic put in and he is a afraid that the bamboo will interfere with his septic system.as well as the first neighbor. The first neighbor states it is about 300 ft. and they want to take me to civil court. i am still grieving from my husband who passed away from covid. This is the last thing I need to deal with. My first neighbor is spraying Round-up which I told him it was okay for the first time but he has taken advantage and I have cats that go out there and drink the water. The bamboo is growing underneath the tarp. How do I get rid of the bamboo permanently from his side and mine?

Thank your time and expertise on this matter. I hope you can help. I appreciate any help you can give me.

i live next to bamboo. poising does nothing. i spend 400.00 to dig it out and because i knew nothing of a barrier, its. back. in full swing. i dug rhizomes out of an area 25x 30. my lawn is worse then moles. i think they have every right to sue you. if it was a dog it would have to be fenced. i know am going to sue for the price of the barrier. and whats sad is my other neighbors yard is going to be over fun. Im 71 and spent this summer clearing both properties. this is wrong. you want it put a barrier around it. your neglagence shouldnt be your neighbors problem , if a friendly dog has to be fenced, your bamboo should be too, and not by your neighbor, he has a right to enjoy his land and not worry about a yard full of bamboo.. if it hasnt it will. if agen torange didnt kill it, nor the nuclear bomb dint kill it. your neighbor cant kill it... and dumps are getting picking about taking the rhizomes. this is your problem. do the right thing and put in a barrier. foir both him and you