I've been battling a neighbors pepper tree.

Ended up digging a trench, cutting all the roots and then pouring concrete in the trench. This is very labor intensive but seemed to be most thorough.

I sti have some remaining roots in my yard and I dig those up whenever they sprout to the surface.

There is a plastic screen made for this purpose. A ditch is dug at the property line and the screen inserted. I forget just how deep, two or three feet. It is made out of solid plastic, about a quarter inch thick, lasts for many years. Al

thank you ,Al I tried to dig (using a pick ) and the soil is very hard, I think I will wait until the rain starts, it should soften the soil.

If it is bamboo, and not Arundo donax, you can step on each shoot as it gets to be about two inches tall in the Spring. If you break off the shoots two or three times the plant will abandon that rhizome. The only way to prevent the shoots permanently is to dig a trench 30" deep and to line it with Bamboo Guard, a hard plastic. I have it across my back fence. It is pretty expensive- I think I paid $300.00 for 80 feet. Digging a 30" deep trench is a serious undertaking, and I recommend renting a trenching machine. You must make sure no rhizomes are left on your side of the Bamboo Guard when you are done. The Guard is laid on a slight angle so that bamboo shoots hit the plastic and grow up (instead of down and under the Guard) so that you can snap them off.

You can also get two chickens and put their run right up against the problem area. They will eat every shoot as it emerges.

Renee

thank you hosenemesis, no chickens allowed where I live, i think i'll just keep destroying the shoots and when the ground softens i'll dig a trench and put some plastic.

Fog,
If you are interested you are totally allowed to have chickens in the city (don't know if you own your place or not). Basically no more than 4 animals total (including any other pets you have) and if the animals are housed outside there are restrictions on how far the coop has to be from other people's windows/doors.

Below is the relevant municipal code for the city and a link to the actual document. If you are in another local city most of the laws are similar and easy to look up.

http://www.amlegal.com/library/ca/sfrancisco.shtml

SEC. 37. KEEPING AND FEEDING OF SMALL ANIMALS, POULTRY AND GAME BIRDS.
(a) Number of animals. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep or feed, or cause to be kept or fed, or permit to be kept or fed, on any premises over which any such person, firm or corporation may have control within residential districts, (1) more than three dogs of age six months or older without obtaining a proper permit and license to operate a dog kennel as defined in Section 220 of the San Francisco Business and Tax Regulations Code, and (2) more than a total of four of the following in any combination: dogs of age six months or older unless part of a dog kennel, hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, game birds of any species, or cats. Nothing in this section, however, shall prohibit the feeding of any wild bird not specifically prohibited by this section unless such feeding creates a public health nuisance.
(b) Enclosures. Any person, firm or corporation, keeping, feeding, or causing to be kept or fed, or permitting to be kept or fed, on premises over which such person, firm or corporation may have control, four or less hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, parrots of any species, game birds of any species or wild animals of any species except those animals prohibited by Section 50 of this Code, shall keep same in coops or enclosures that are approved by the Director of Public Health. Where the coops or enclosures are located on the outside of or on top of any buildings, premises or structures, the coops or enclosures shall be not less than 20 feet from any door or window of any building used for human habitation.

Fog,
If you are interested you are totally allowed to have chickens in the city (don't know if you own your place or not). Basically no more than 4 animals total (including any other pets you have) and if the animals are housed outside there are restrictions on how far the coop has to be from other people's windows/doors.

Below is the relevant municipal code for the city and a link to the actual document. If you are in another local city most of the laws are similar and easy to look up.

http://www.amlegal.com/library/ca/sfrancisco.shtml

SEC. 37. KEEPING AND FEEDING OF SMALL ANIMALS, POULTRY AND GAME BIRDS.
(a) Number of animals. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep or feed, or cause to be kept or fed, or permit to be kept or fed, on any premises over which any such person, firm or corporation may have control within residential districts, (1) more than three dogs of age six months or older without obtaining a proper permit and license to operate a dog kennel as defined in Section 220 of the San Francisco Business and Tax Regulations Code, and (2) more than a total of four of the following in any combination: dogs of age six months or older unless part of a dog kennel, hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, game birds of any species, or cats. Nothing in this section, however, shall prohibit the feeding of any wild bird not specifically prohibited by this section unless such feeding creates a public health nuisance.
(b) Enclosures. Any person, firm or corporation, keeping, feeding, or causing to be kept or fed, or permitting to be kept or fed, on premises over which such person, firm or corporation may have control, four or less hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, doves, pigeons, parrots of any species, game birds of any species or wild animals of any species except those animals prohibited by Section 50 of this Code, shall keep same in coops or enclosures that are approved by the Director of Public Health. Where the coops or enclosures are located on the outside of or on top of any buildings, premises or structures, the coops or enclosures shall be not less than 20 feet from any door or window of any building used for human habitation.

thanks SF rhino, but neighborhood association rules(no livestock), part of our deed and anyway I have a large dog, she rules the yard.