Begrudged Tenant Plants Invasive Plant to Get Back at Greedy Landlord

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Dec 2, 2023 8:00 PM EST

The tenant/landlord relationship is one of the most fraught relationships there is in this life. It's a power imbalance that often goes out of whack. There's a @calebsaysthings tweet that stays with me that stays: 

"first email to landlord: hey dave l'm sure you're busy and I hate to be a bother but we noticed..." 

third email to landlord: "Mr. Whittington- trust that you're familiar with all local, state, and federal ordinances regarding the rights and expectations of tenants pursuant"

This perfectly sums up what it's like to communicate with a landlord. You try to be nice, but you ultimately have to become a housing rights attorney to get what you want from them. But a Redditor on r/pettyrevenge had a better, more conniving way to handle a bad landlord that requires a bit of a green thumb. What ensues is the perfect long-con, ecology style. 

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  • 01
    r/pettyrevenge u/eldee17. 17h I planted bambu all around my apartment building because my landlord sucks
    via u/eldee17
  • 02
    I'm playing the long game on this one. So I live in a really cheap 1 bedroom apartment with my daughter who is now 8. We moved in 4 1/2 years ago. My landlord promised me the 2 bedroom at a very reasonable rent price. Well, when the two bedroom became available, despite my income and ability to afford the rent price we had discussed, he told me he's not comfortable renting to someone on just one income. Meaning, a single mom. He knows I make enough to cover the 2 bedroom for what he said he'd re
    via u/eldee17
  • 03
    Torteis 16h Very petty, fits the sub. Studied Ecology in school and am cringing at the invasive spread.
    via u/Torteis
  • 04
    Super_Reading2048 16h @ Plant more seeds! Also report your drug dealing neighbors to the police every time! Get a ring camera and start documenting that »! Edit: oh fine don't report it. That said you would be delusional if you didn't acknowledge that having drug dealers living above you is not adding to your chances of danger happening to you or your children. I view it as a safety issue.
    via u/Super_Reading2048
  • 05
    hockeynoticehockey 15h Let me give you a glimpse of his future. My next door neighbor planted bamboo (on purpose, the idiot) 25 years ago. He's long since moved away but every owner since then has gone to war with the bamboo and so far the bamboo is undefeated. I swear they would use dynamite if they could but it's planted next to the foundation. I feel bad for them, but what I see is what you will down the road. And it will last forever. Well done.
    via u/hockeynoticehockey
  • 06
    tonykrij • 13h Same here, my neighbor planted Bamboo but it escaped and every year I get more spouts breaking ground across the garden, further away from the source. I had digged a hole for a small pump room for a pool. I went through the sand very thoroughly and put all the bamboo pieces in the container. Sure enough after a few weeks on the heap of ground bamboo broke through, I missed one tiny piece and it immediately grew roots and sprouted. Thank goodness I could dig that one up and get rid
    via u/tonykrij
  • 07
    Gingerbread Mary. 15h A relative planted bamboo on each side of the garden. Apparently it grew beautifully, looked amazing. Then they decided to remove the bamboo - to find the ground was like digging through concrete. That's how extensive the roots were. They had to employ people to remove it. Think it was a big job and lots of £.
    via u/GingerbreadMary.
  • 08
    DarthScabies. 16h Bravo. Japanese knotweed is far worse. In the UK planting it is classed as an environmental crime. AA
    via u/DarthScabies
  • 09
    derpne13. 13h But it would be funner to buy a panda bear. AA -
    via u/derpne13
  • 10
    Mustang Mimi • 16h I know all about bamboo, my neighbor has planted some and it's taken off like wildfire! That stuff is super hard to get rid of. Bravo to you for your patience and planning!
    via u/MustangMimi
  • 11
    Larissaangel • 16h Another good one is yucca. I now have a hatred for those damned things! I dug out roots 3'x3' and 1' deep. IT CAME BACK THE NEXT YEAR!!!!!! My ditch is still full of them.
    via u/Larissaangel
  • 12
    moogs_writes. 16h That's what I'm Well freaking done talking about
    via u/moogs_writes
  • 13
    tater56x 16h ● I hope your daughter develops an interest in studying these interesting and versatile plants in time for her teen years. Oh. She wants to be a warrior? Bamboo is her sword and shield. Watch mom as she lives the warrior spirit as described by Sun Tzu. Your spirit is commendable.
    via u/tater56x
  • 14
    Totes MaGoats_1962. 13h We bought a house that someone had planted bamboo along the driveway. I'm guessing they didn't want to see the driveway from the home. Well the bamboo decided it didn't like where it was and decided to start creeping along the entire property line and expanding. Me and my husband, being new homeowners and young, didn't realize that the problem was underground. We spent years trying to cut that bamboo back. We finally ended up giving up for the last 2 years we lived there
    via u/TotesMaGoats_1962
  • 15
    lattelady378h My grandmother planted a bamboo tree on their property because it was pretty. Those things were the bane of my granddads existence until the day he died. He always told us to never plant ivy (she planted that on an embankment) or bamboo.
    via u/lattelady37
  • 16
    TruthZealousideal544 17h . Hhhmmmm revenge served old, 5 years old, that is.
    via u/TruthZealousideal544
  • 17
    Mistapeepers • 12h Be careful with how much you spread this information. In some places bamboo is considered invasive and is quite illegal to plant because of its potential to damage concrete and foundations. You likely have nothing to worry about but just in case I thought I'd say something.
    via u/Mistapeepers

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