With the right mindset and a dash of creativity, it’s possible to overcome any obstacle. Say, if direct diplomacy with your disruptive neighbors doesn’t work, it’s time for some subtle revenge—with a little help from nature’s fastest-growing land plant, bamboo.

Redditor u/HotPocket_Consumed went viral on the r/pettyrevenge subreddit after sharing how they dealt with an incredibly bright and intrusive security light that their former neighbor had put up. Unfortunately, being cordial and asking to point the light elsewhere didn’t work, so the OP had to get creative. That’s where the bamboo came in! Scroll down for the full story.

Good neighbors will know to respect each other, bad ones won’t care about how their actions affect the other locals

Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)

A person shared how their neighbor put up an intrusive security light, so they were forced to come up with a creative plan for revenge

Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)

They had exhausted every other option. Diplomacy clearly didn’t work

Image credits: Anna Shvets (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Michael Coghlan (not the actual photo)

Image credits: HotPocket_Consumed

The bamboo did its job well. Maybe too well

The internet absolutely loved u/HotPocket_Consumed’s story about how they got their revenge. At the time of writing, the post had over 21.3k upvotes on Reddit, and the author received a number of awards from some of the other users.

The OP explained in their post that they had tried everything that they could before resorting to calling on nature’s wrath. They spoke to their local homeowners association about the bright light that was angled toward their back porch. They even spoke to their neighbor about angling the light. Alas! Nothing worked.

However, u/HotPocket_Consumed, who has a military background, wasn’t one to give up. That’s when they started doing research on the local laws and quickly-growing plants. They then decided to plant some golden bamboo to create a privacy wall between both of their yards. The bamboo spread like wildfire, not only blocking out the nasty light but also spreading into the neighbor’s property.

Though the OP end up moving later on, the last time they checked their neighbor’s property on the internet, the entire backyard was full of bamboo. They say that revenge is best served cold, but don’t be fooled—serving it leafy works perfectly well, too.

Image credits: এম আবু সাঈদ (not the actual photo)

Golden bamboo runs out of control in hot and humid environments

Golden bamboo is also known as running bamboo or fish-pole bamboo. It grows very quickly and can reach a height of over 20 feet (6 meters). The bamboo isn’t just pretty to look at. It also works well as a privacy screen or a noise barrier. According to ‘The Spruce,’ the bamboo can establish itself “in as few as two years” and is best planted either in the spring or autumn.

This type of bamboo is considered to be an invasive species in some of the warmer and more humid regions of the United States. It’s very difficult to remove, so it’s best grown in containers to prevent it from spreading and going out of control. Meanwhile, if you’re growing it outdoors, it’s vital that you install root barriers. (Unless, of course, that’s exactly what your goal is.)

If you happen to have any friendly neighborhood pandas around, they might be able to help stem any out-of-control bamboo apocalypses that you have on hand. ‘Bamboo Down Under’ notes that a panda’s diet is made up of 99% of bamboo, and one of these animals eats 12 to 38 kg (26.5 to 83.8 lbs) of the plant each day.

Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)

It’s best to try diplomacy and to look for compromises first. However, that won’t always work

Being good neighbors essentially comes down to respecting each other’s boundaries. You don’t necessarily have to be the best of buddies, but you do need to be aware of each other’s needs and how your actions affect the neighborhood. Bright lights, unkempt lawns, trash heaps, renovations before the sun is up, and noisy music at night are just some of the problems you might deal with.

The best approach, at least initially, is the direct one. Speak to your neighbor about the issues their behavior is causing you. However, be as friendly as you can—the last thing you want is for you to sound as though you’re accusing them because they’ll then get all defensive. You want to explain your situation, hear their side of things, and find a compromise that works for both of you.

However, that might not always work. For one reason or another, your neighbor might be completely unwilling to listen to your (entirely reasonable) suggestions. So your next step is to get the homeowners association involved. Talk to the board and ask them to mediate the dispute. Meanwhile, read up on your local bylaws and regulations so you can find some hard facts to back up your request. If even that fails, you’re either left with some sneaky (but entirely legal) revenge or seeking legal assistance.

The author of the post started a discussion online and many readers expressed their support

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