"makes me wonder if there's anything bamboo can't invade."
Haha, honestly, bamboo is the terminator of the plant world. A few years back, I was called out to a property where bamboo had actually grown up through the floorboards in someone's living room—talk about a rude houseguest. Rhizome barriers can help, but I've seen determined bamboo roots just go around or even under them if they're not deep enough. Always makes me cautious about recommending bamboo unless folks really know what they're getting into...
"Rhizome barriers can help, but I've seen determined bamboo roots just go around or even under them if they're not deep enough."
Exactly this. Bamboo is relentless, but honestly, tree roots can be just as sneaky. I've seen tree roots squeeze into tiny cracks in sewer lines and cause some serious plumbing nightmares. Bamboo might be the flashy invader busting through floors, but tree roots quietly infiltrate underground pipes and drains, causing slow damage you don't notice until it's a big mess. Had one job recently where roots from a neighbor's maple had completely blocked a sewer line—took hours to clear it out. Bamboo gets all the attention, but trees can definitely hold their own in the invasive roots department...
Yeah, trees can be sneaky, but bamboo's a whole different beast. Had a neighbor plant some as a privacy screen—looked great at first, but within two years it was popping up all over my yard. Took forever to get rid of it...lesson learned the hard way.
"Had a neighbor plant some as a privacy screen—looked great at first, but within two years it was popping up all over my yard."
Yeah, bamboo's no joke. My uncle had a similar issue—thought it'd be a quick fix for privacy, but ended up spending weekends digging out runners. Crazy how fast it spreads underground. Speaking of invasive roots, anyone ever had trouble with willow trees near plumbing lines? I've heard horror stories at work about their roots seeking out pipes and causing major headaches. Wondering if they're really as aggressive as people say or if it's just exaggerated...
Willows near plumbing...yeah, that's not exaggerated at all. I've seen willow roots snake their way into pipes like they're on some kind of treasure hunt for water. Had a customer once whose drain was completely blocked—pulled out what looked like half a willow tree root system. Took hours to clear. Beautiful trees, but if you value your weekends (and wallet), I'd keep them far away from any underground plumbing lines...
