I hate the previous home-owners... Bamboo, Agapanthas, stupid spikey tree thing...

[u/patgeo]

These damned root monsters the previous owners planted everywhere are destroying my sanity.

The bamboo is spreading into a garden bed over a metre away from where they planted them. The agapanthas destroyed a retaining wall and took over two full garden beds killing everything in their paths and of course are popping up everywhere. There are these two weird spikey trees that are now attacking the same retaining wall the agapanthas I removed did, they are also shooting all through the lawn and ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE HOUSE from what appears to be a shared root system between all of them.

I'm tired of digging up miles of root systems and root/bulb bound garden beds to get things other than these weeds growing...

Any tricks?

My electric cultivator helped with the agapanthas after I'd cut most out with the shovel, making it easy to shift the loose soil and get most out. But the bamboo roots and tangling it.

I'm trying to avoid salting the earth since I want to grow stuff there. But it's getting really tempting ... I've been painting the roots I cut with roundup if I don't pull them.

It just seems hopeless and my back hurts.

Edit:

The hopelessness is now more about the fight to prevent regrowth. I've ripped a lot of agapanthas and all the bamboo now.

[u/ndab71]

I feel your pain. Just remember, a flame thrower is your friend...