The reason why I am writing this blog is because sometimes people have problems with certain types of bamboos. Some species of bamboo can become invasive if they are grown in the right climate/ conditions or if the owner of the property doesn't understand or care about it. A lot of people don't know how to properly control, or get rid of bamboo which can cause problems for neighbors. If you have an understanding of how bamboos grow, it can actually be very easy to get rid of.
Method 1:
This method only requires a lopper and maybe a lawnmower if feasible. Most loppers cut up to 2 inches in diameter, but if the culms are bigger, an electric chainsaw will be sufficient. This method is preferable if the bamboo you want to remove covers a lot of ground ie several acres.
1. First It is best to wait until spring when new shoots start rising and get to 2-6 feet tall. This means that many buds have activated, and the bamboo is expending its energy.
2. When the new shoots are several feet tall, it is now time to cut down all over the existing culms to soil level in order to remove all of the plant's source of photosynthesis, but the new shoots should be left alone to continue draining the energy from the grove.
3. Once the new shoots reach their full height and they are branched out, but before they start leafing out, it is time to cut all these new shoots down to soil level when the energy of the grove is almost completely depleted.
4. With the remaining energy left in the grove, the bamboo may still have the ability to generate very small survival culms. The best thing is to wait for them to finish their growth and repeat the process over by cutting them to soil level right before leaves are about to form. Regrowth can happen 3-4 times, but the size and number of them should decrease each time as the number of viable shoot buds are reduced, and the energy dwindles. If it is an open area, planting grass seeds, and keeping the area mowed will be sufficient.
The idea is to starve the bamboo of all its starches stored in the rhizome system and herbicides are generally ineffective.There is no need to remove the rhizomes as they will die and rot away without a source of energy for several months, and there is no need to pay thousands of dollars to remove bamboo with heavy machinery when you can do it by yourself with simple tools such as loppers and chainsaws.
Method 2:
This method is only feasible when there's is not that much bamboo, and it can all be dug up in a few hours, and the benefit is that the bamboo can be removed all on the same day as long as every rhizome is taken out.
1. The first step is to wait until after a nice rain when the soil is easy to dig through.
2. Cut all the culms down to soil level so they are out of the way.
3. Dig out every piece of rhizome starting from the perimeter inwards. Most bamboos only grow near the top of the soil. This can be done with a sharp shovel, a pick and loppers. The inside of the grove is harder to dig out as some species can form a solid root mass if culms were growing very closely.
4. Wait about a month and check to see if there are any sprouts. It's very possible to miss a few pieces which can easily be detected when they start shooting.
Here are a few pictures to show some results on some of the bamboos that I have removed.
Phyllostachys Aureosulcata (yellow groove)
Before:
After:
I missed 2 rhizomes in using method 2 so there's some re-sprouting, but it's not that hard to find where the rhizomes are now.
Phyllostachys bissetii
Before:
After:
Since I didn't dig every square foot of this area, I am bound to miss some of them, and there are 2 shoots resprouting on this one.
The rhizomes and root mass can be used as mulch for another bamboo or simply be thrown on top of the soil. If a neighbor wants some, they would have to get it back in the soil very soon since bamboo rhizome are no longer viable after their roots dry out which can happen in a few hours.
Here's the view from a distance.
If the culms are large enough, they can be dried in the sun, and used as garden stakes and crafts.
20 July 2013
I just removed another bamboo (phyllostachys aureosulcata spectabilis) which took about 5 minutes to get out and another 10 minutes to get it moved. I simply used a (steel broadfork) as well as a pair of loppers, and the entire grove was taken out with ease.
There is also a wagon, or tow cart that I used to move it out as the entire thing weighed over 200 pounds. This was done purposely after a rain storm so the soil would be very loose and workable.
Here are some pictures to show the entire process. It would simply take longer with a bigger bamboo, but in any case, the steel broad fork is a very powerful tool.
Here's what I dug out.
Very informative! Thank you for your help on the GardenWeb forum as well!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think it's important for people to understand the energy cycle of rhizomes, and how to contain or eradicate bamboo so it doesn't become a problem for anyone.
DeleteJust to update on these bamboos, it looks like they are on their 3rd & last burst of energy as the current rain storm is causing only a few tiny(under 1/8 inch) shoots to come out which I'll be able to pull out by hand once they finish growing, and I believe the rhizomes should rot.
ReplyDeleteIf it was rhizomes in a lawn, that means it that the rhizomes can only stay alive for 1-2 months without any culms given that the lawn is mowed every couple weeks.
Please Help my neighbour has bamboo and it is spreading rapidly through all my plants will i have to take out all my plants to get rid of the bamboo it is also shooting uo all over my lawn
ReplyDeleteDoes he know about it? It should be his responsibility to contain it.
DeleteYou don't necessarily have to dig out your plants to get rid of it. Just cut a trench right on the property line severing off any energy source that those rhizomes on your property may have. A pitch with a lopper would work as well as a sharp shovel. I prefer using a steel broad fork.
I would suggest keeping your yard moist so any energy within those rhizome is easily released and so it become easier for the rhizome to rot away. Just make sure the survival shoots don't leaf out. You should definitely get your neighbor to install a rhizome barrier because they should take responsibility for their own plants. Even if they are unwilling to contain their bamboo, they can at least pay for you to do it, but as long as you keep a trench between their screen, and your yard, you should be able to keep their rhizomes from crossing.
Good luck.
Thanks for the reply. The bamboo has spread among my existing plants, if i make a trench between the fence will all the new shoots die? They seem to be popping up everywhere even half way across my lawn. If I keep chopping it down will it eventually die. My neighbour has not been interested im at my wits end. Thanks again
ReplyDeleteNo problem. The rhizomes in the beds may make survival shoots for a while, but if you keep the area moist, and cut those shoots down right before they leaf out, they will get smaller and smaller. Once the rhizomes don't have enough energy to take in water, the rhizomes will rot, and shoots will stop coming up.
DeleteIn you case, it looks like you may need to keep a trench or put down a bamboo barrier to deflect any rhizomes that try to come across upwards, but that should be done on their side of the fence, out of their own pocket. If it's a major problem, and those neighbors aren't willing to take care of their own mess, I would call an attorney about it because it shouldn't be your problem. That's just being discourteous of a neighbor.
Anyways, the best option would probably be to get the trench made, and left open so any rhizomes that try to cross can be easily spotted and cut with a lopper, or put in a bamboo barrier. I still think that it would make sense for them to be doing all of this, or at least forced to pay for someone to do it for them.
Do you know what species it happens to be? If it is any of the ones in this blog post, they do take a while to run out of energy as screening bamboos are typically the type that cause people problems. I simply stopped growing screening bamboos altogether because the run too fast, and grow all over the place. I prefer growing the ones that can get huge, but tend to stay in a clump.
Why is it that the bamboo from irresponsible neighbors never seem to spread into their own yards but always get into other people's yard?!
ReplyDeleteOne possibility is that they do have it spreading into their own yard, but just keep their lawn mowed. Another possibility is that they just rhizome prune on their side of the fence while letting the bamboo do whatever it wants on the neighbor's side. If that was my neighbor, I would make him or her pay for containing their own bamboos, or let them know their other option of facing a lawsuit and making them pay for the damages that their bamboo does to my yard.
DeleteIn any case, I will make it clear to them that it is a problem that they need to take care of. These people probably look for the fastest growing most invasive kinds of bamboos they can find too so they can get an immediate privacy screen eh?
You could also probably grow some sort of an ivy, potato vine, or any climbing plant for some horticultural warfare that they started.
Just kidding, but it is important to let them know that it's a serious issue.
I love bamboo, and grow various type. I am a real estate broker. I just take the neighbor to small claims court, asking for $5,000. to contract someone to put a 3 foot deep barrier in, not just on the side where the bamboo is coming from, but also wrapping it around an additional 50 feet on both ends of the property lines. I do this before I am able to list the property. One can also claim damage for the lost time not being able to list the property. Also an insurance policy can be purchased for the new buyer for the work that was done.
DeleteThat should work especially if you provide solid evidence that rhizomes are coming well onto the property and they are not doing anything to control their bamboo.
DeleteUnfortunately most people tend to grow the extremely invasive types that fill in an area quick and take a bit of work to eradicate because they are the most readily available.
Thanks so much for all the advice I'll keep you informed of progress I'll keep digging and chopping down.as for my neighbour I think they feel its me being miserable and have not spoken to me since I've mentioned the bamboo a shame as we've been neighbours for 27 years
ReplyDeletePerhaps they simply don't know the problems it is causing, but being neighbors for 27 years, I would imagine that they would at least be willing to do their part to sever off some bamboos on their side, and at least create a trench, or help you do it.
DeleteIf you have some photos of it, I would be interested in seeing them. I don't mind people posting IMG links on my blog.
Still digging bloody bamboo thanks for all the advice have appreciated it will keep you posted thanks again.
ReplyDeleteGreat. Once you get that trench severed so the rhizomes on your side are no longer attached to a source of energy, they may try to push some survival shoots, but they are set up to rot, as you only have so many viable shoot buds, but wet rhizomes without leaves for transpiration will rot pretty quickly if you keep cutting them down before they get a chance to leaf out.
DeleteAlso try to make sure no new rhizome cross the trench as they do do most of their growth in late summer/early fall.
Sorry one more question, have managed to cut the bamboo to ground level but new leaves are appearing do I just need to keep cutting it down. Also do i need to get all the roots out have managed to get a few out but they seem to go.on and on. Thanks again
ReplyDeleteIf you have survival shoots, you can leave them alone until they leaf out so they end up wasting more of their remaining starch reserves, then cut them off when they have a few leaves.
DeleteAfter cutting down the survival growth for a few times, they will get localized into a few remaining spots as the energy of the rhizome system dwindles, and then it would make sense to dig those out for the finishing blow.
Sorry to say this but I have been in your position. Your irresponsible neighbors have ruined your property. You will be fighting this as long as you live there and it's going to get real old really fast. Get rid of your garden and make this lawn where you can mow down the shoots that will continue to sprout. And you will need to mow regularly and often.
ReplyDeleteThese are actually my own bamboos. I just didn't like those certain species in the ground because they spread too aggressively making it tougher to grow the garlic, but with the right tools, they are pretty easy to remove. If I let them stick around too long in the ground, it would then be a bit more work to use use the steel broadfork or slamming tool to get out the rhizomes which would impede the garlic from growing to full size.
DeleteI find bamboos pretty easy to grow as long as you choose the right species which can be managed with ease and know about their growth habit.
I just bought a house, and the previous owner recently disposed of a very large clump of CUT OFF bamboo in the backyard. the bamboo came from a different property she owns, it does not grow in this backyard (yet!!??) I'm wondering if I need to be worried that this cut-off bamboo will propogate in my backyard. I've tried to find answers on google, but can't find out what people do with their cut-down bamboo. Is bamboo DEAD once it is cut off? or is there a chance new bamboo shoots could sprout up where the pile of bamboo debris is? susan from PA
ReplyDeleteIf it is a true bamboo, and they didn't plant it into the ground, then it shouldn't grow especially if it is already looking dead. Bamboo roots and rhizomes above ground will dry out within about a week even if it is a very large clump.
DeleteIf it's Japanese knotweed, then yes, it will sink roots into the ground and self-propagate itself.
If they put the clump of bamboos there, chances are, they intend to plant it right? I really don't see a reason for them to bring it in if they don't intend to grow it. If they are growing a screening type which happens to be the most common bamboo, you probably want to make sure they put up some barriers or have some form of rhizome control so it doesn't spread into your yard. Screening types typically have relatively skinny culms growing thickly and can spread over 10ft in a season with lots of fairly skinny rhizomes, but I need a photo to know for sure.
thanks for your response. not sure if it is true bamboo or Japanese knotweed.
Deletethis is brush that was cut down from another property up the road. the owner threw the cuttings in my backyard (she used to own the house when she threw the cuttings here). she didn't plan to plant anything, she was just putting her yard waste in this backyard.
Unfortunately, I have the invasive bamboo coming from neighbor's yard. I've been able to chop it down and mow it but it keeps coming back. (10 years) I may try this trench thing mentioned. Anyway, I actually freecycle my bamboo. People love it for making trellis' or garden stakes. I had 4 so far this year cut what they need. I even talked 3 into donating the tops to the zoo. The animals love it. (Llama, donkey, geese) It's important to dry out the bamboo and there is a solution to paint on bottom so it doesn't root if you using for garden. Good luck!
DeleteAs Steve Lau points out, if it's cut bamboo shoots, they cannot sprout, so no solution is needed (or maybe it's to help prevent the bamboo ends from rotting in the soil, in a couple of years? Those solutions are likely to be toxic--so keep that in mind.
DeleteHi steve. I have a running bamboo and im going with the dig it out approach right now. I have cut every stalk and am using a grub ax to help myself remove the rhizomes. My question is, will a small rhyzome fragment of and inch grow on its own? Im doing a good job picking all small fragments. Anything less than an inch is staying and i will employ the cut off method if they resprout. Do you think those real small fragments will be a problem for me? Thanks. Its good to know it is possible to be bamboo free! My father planted it as a fence but more of a leland cypress guy!
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's a need to even take out the rhizomes because cutting down all the culms will starve them out, but any fragments that are an inch long are very unlikely to sprout. They will rot when they run too low on energy.
DeleteIf you clear cut once now, let them all shoot, clear cut again, it should be enough to get pretty close to killing the bamboo entirely because you would easily be able to mow over it.
great thanks, Steve. The only issue hard the hard clumps above ground level that i'd like to cut into and thin out. Do you think an electric chain saw would be sufficient to cut into the clumps at soil level or a petrol one?
ReplyDeleteIf you are having trouble with the tough root masses sticking out, then a strong reciprocating saw should be able to cut them into sections that can be removed piece by piece.
DeleteThe underground stuff can then be left to rot.
I would suggest going with the petrol saw because electric saws generally have less power.
Either the reciprocating saw or gas chain saw would be ideal in getting rid of the root masses.
Hi! I have a serious bamboo issue and I tried using an electric saw and the bamboo laughs at it. Loppers work for the smaller ones, but it won't touch the bigger stuff. Would a gas chainsaw work better? I'm trying to get handle on it and the electric chain saw isn't "cutting" it.
ReplyDeleteElectric chainsaws are only designed to cut softwoods or prune fruit trees so they won't be able to cut through hard stuff. I have a $47 electric chainsaw myself which just doesn't have enough hp with its 14 inch blade.
DeleteI would definitely go up with the $250 or so nicer gas chain saws which cut through almost anything. I would however suggest using safety glasses for cutting through a clump of bamboo to remove because you will cause a lot of dirt and pebbles to fly up into the air.
It sounds like you have a pretty big bamboo. Is it just the yellow groove type?
It looks like Phyllostachys makinoi. It's very hardy, which has become very problematic. Thank you for the recommendation on the chainsaw.
Deletequick way to wreck your chainsaw is to cut into dirt or pebbles or any ground matter. big no-no
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this descriptive information Steve. My wife and I just purchased a home in Pennsylvania in the middle of winter and now that it is spring we have discovered that the previous owner(s) had planted an area of bamboo (Phyllostachys bissetii going by your pictures) at one point around the back deck that seems to have rhizomes going almost 20ft to the other side of the deck that I discovered in some digging tonight! It's supposed to be pretty beautiful this weekend so based on your information it looks like we are in for a weekend of digging to try and get rid of it!
ReplyDeleteP Bissettii is definitely among the fastest spreaders. It will take a bit of pruning to keep that one in check. Some phyllostachys only spread a few feet per year, even in warmer climates.
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DeleteHi, i need some help.
ReplyDeleteI dug out all of my bamboo divisions by working around it until the whole division was loose and simply pulled it out.
I want to plant some other stuff in there but i am not sure if theres anything left from bamboo that can grow back.
I am 100% sure that theres no rhizome left but some of the roots the little thin stuff is all over the place.
i dug pretty much all of them out but some still there.
its been around 6 weeks since i dug first division and about 2 weeks since i dug the last one, thankfully not a single shoot showed up.
is it safe to assume that i can safely plant new stuff?
i got a brick barrier between my lawn and boundry wall where bamboo was growing.
bamboo it self pretty thin and did not spread anywhere apart from where it was planted.
any help is appreciated
thanks you.
regards
Ross.
One thing to make sure is that you have rhizomes with viable buds, and also that the connection between the culms and rhizome are not injured which can happen pretty easily. It's also still pretty easy in the season so shooting may not happen until later in spring. The basic requirements for a good division is rhizome, buds, and root hairs.
DeleteYou may want to find out what species you have, and where you are planting it to consider if it is safe. You can get an ID most of the time at bambooweb forums.
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ReplyDeleteHello Steve, I'm trying to remove some bamboo from my yard, and don't know what type it is. I can say, in certain parts where buds a sprouting, a leaf sprouts out when its only a two inches in height. Any idea which type this is, and the best way to remove. Also, there are several hard clumps throughout the yard. Thanks
ReplyDeleteIf you have a type that sprouts leaves at only 2 inches in height, you likely have a ground cover species, likely in the sasa, or pseudosasa genus if it happens to be a true bamboo. This means a lawn mower may not be too effective so you may want to let them produce all their shoots, then dig out the parts with green with a sharp shovel, and loppers to cut the rhizomes.
DeleteI've never planted or removed a ground cover type before, but, but underground, they are a mix between a regular sized bamboo, and lawn grass so you may be able to get under the entire mess while the soil is moist and rip it all out.
If you don't want to deal with that and don't mind waiting 3-4 months, then you can also lay black plastic over the entire area, and allow the bamboo to cook for a few months while they are deprived of sunlight so they can rot away. This method works on killing grass as well.
Thanks for the advice. I hope finally I can get rid of these damn bamboos
ReplyDeleteHi - My friend has bamboo in the backyard and I don't know what type. It takes up a corner of his small lot and I see roots in the ground, as well as new sprouts forming. The bamboo that's full is about 6 ft wide by 10 ft high. What do you suggest? (This was planted by a neighbor that no longer lives in the neighborhood...)
ReplyDeleteYou can probably get an identification by posting some pictures on the bambooweb forums, and either myself or someone should be able to identify what type you have.
DeleteHere's the forum. http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/
Thanks - I'll take a pic and post but have a feeling it's a pseudosasa.
DeleteI'm trying to get rid of a varigated bamboo ground cover. It's taking over the garden & too close to the lawn. I'm finding I have to saw chunks out. Would a roto tiller help to break things up?
ReplyDeleteGround covers are a bit more resistant than regular bamboos, but it does have a weakness in that it can easily be mowed over with the lawn mower on the lowest setting, and if you do it a few times, that should start killing it off since it will be starving the plant of photosynthesis.
DeleteOne issue with roto-tilling is that the rhizomes may wrap around your machine like strings. It might just be easier to cut away the edges that are eating into the lawn and garden with a shovel or broad fork, and use a chain saw to cut it away.
Mowing it all, and laying a dark plastic tarp should do the job too.
Hi Steve, thanks for the great information.
ReplyDeleteMy next door neighbors have bamboo growing in their yard right near our yard and you can actually see some of the roots just under the grass growing into our yard. The bamboo was planted by the neighbor before them and is probably 6 to 7 years old. According to your pictures I think it is the first type that you showed Phyllostachys Aureosulcata (yellow groove).
When I spoke with the current neighbors they were concerned and seemed to know something of the invasiveness of bamboo. The husband has since used some kind of heavy machine to cut the entire bamboo plant down to the ground (but it doesn’t look like he dug down into the ground). Will this be sufficient to kill the roots that we see under the surface of the grass in our yard and prevent the spread of bamboo through our yard? Our neighbors are very nice and seem to want to take care of the problem.
Your help is much appreciated.
As long as the neighbors keep the bamboos cut down to the ground as new survival shoots spread out, the underground rhizomes will not have the ability to grow at all because they need photosynthesis from leaves.
DeleteWithout any top growth for several months, any species of bamboo will end up rotting away. Some super rare ornamental bamboos would even be killed by one cut down, but if it is any of the ones I have showing in these pictures, they will regrow a few times, each time with smaller and weaker shoots until they run out of energy causing them to rot away under ground.
Terrific! That's a great relief to hear!
DeleteThanks so much Steve!
Back in January I cut our bamboos down to ground level then dug out the roots and pulled up runners thinking all had been removed so I carried on with doing up the garden putting down gravel slate and made flower borders only to discover just recently I am getting bamboo shoots popping up through the gravel I have pulled them up will they just rot if I keep pulling them up each time they appear ?
ReplyDeleteThere were likely long pieces of rhizomes that you missed completely, but if they are fragments, then clear cutting them each time they waste a lot of energy should cause the roots and rhizomes to rot in a couple months if you have true bamboo.
DeleteA lot of people mistake Japanese knotweed for bamboo, and if that's what you had, it will take a couple years to eradicate it by pulling shoots.
OK, now that I have removed the bamboo, where can I dispose of it? The county will not allow it in the yard waste or refuse.
ReplyDeleteIf you have space, you could allow it to decompose in a compost pile after drying up. You may also be able to rent a chipper and turning it into mulch.
DeleteSo the dump truck simply won't pick the stuff up?
I belong to a Facebook plant page and people are always asking for bamboo to use for garden stakes and to build a trellis. Also, local zoo will take bamboo because almost all of the animals there eat it. Make sure to tell the person picking it up that they need to dry out the bamboo so it doesn't take root.
Deletehope you can help me yet again. sent you a message a while bsck regarding my neighbours bamboo.I have now managed to remove a large chunk hoping that would be the end of it but it sprouting all over my lawn the roots seem to go on for miles will they eventually die hope you can help i'm at my wits end with it. thanks
ReplyDeleteHave you ensured that there is a trench separating and severing all the rhizomes from your neighbor's mother grove? Unless they are completely separated, the shoots will continue to have a source of energy.
DeleteIt sounds like you have likely severed the rhizomes if there are shoots emerging in the middle of the summer which does not normally happen unless that rhizome section is not attached to any culms. It's best to just let theose shoots sprout to full height, and cut them down to ground level or just knock them down when you mow the lawn. Do you have any pictures? I may be able to tell a lot better seeing what you are dealing with.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have a customer who wants me to remove their Bamboo, it is not a huge amount, but would be quicker with a stump grinder - as I have never come across this before, is there any danger Rhizome will be spread around and will reshoot, or should the grinder take care of any living matter, I will then dig around the outside area to remove any trailing roots. Do you think it would also be wise to remove the soil ground if I do decide to stump grind?
Any help greatly appreciated
Mark
If you are dealing with the giant tropical clumping type, I would imagine that a stump grinder would work great, but I doubt it would be effective against a running bamboo unless you tear up the entire area with rhizomes which can be very time consuming.
DeleteIf your grinder is able to tear the bamboo up into small pieces, it should not re-shoot unless there are larger rhizome sections that get missed because they absolutely need charged rhizome with shoot buds, and roots. If any of the 3 are missing, they cannot regenerate.
It might be good to chain saw down the main clump, grind that area where there are a mass of roots and rhizomes, then use something like a shovel, steel broadfork, or any other suitable tool to get rid of the rhizomes that run through the lawn. It's not that difficult to do when the ground is wet. Even if re-shooting occurs, it should not be very strong at this time of the year since shooting season has occured not that long ago.
hi,I have bamboo called pleibtasus 'distichus' in our new garden please cpyld you advise me on the best way to remove it. It is not tall but is covering a lot of ground and plenty of runners al over the rest if the garden any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks
ReplyDeleteThat ground cover in particular will be tougher to remove than even most ground covers because it has tons of tiny rhizomes interwoven in a mat, however it's one weakness is that this type grows very close to the surface of the soil.
DeleteOnce you clear cut it with a lawn mower, you can use a shovel or broad fork to dig sections up, and use a reciprocating saw, or something with comparable power to cut up the rhizomes for removal. It should be fairly similar to lawn grass, just 3-4 times bigger. The one difference is that it is tougher to rip apart than grass.
If you don't really mind waiting a few months, another option is to first clear cut to soil level, then lay black plastic over the soil for the rest of the summer to allow the ground to cook until your ground cover is dead. Adding plenty of water should help too. You can also spray glysophate over the entire area to make sure the rhizomes die off quickly since most of the plant material is close to the surface.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI planted some bamboo about 10 years ago, not realizing that it would spread like it has. About a year ago, I noticed that the shoots were getting bigger and were actually getting very close to the property line (which is surrounded by a fence. The neighbor's property is basically pasture land, however a lot of it is growing into a wooded area.). I had someone to cut down all of the culms this spring. For about a month I did not notice any new growth, however the last 2 months I have been going out everyday, using a handheld lopper and cutting down any new growth. (right now I can't just run my lawn mower over it, because the culms are still above ground about 2 to 3 inches) (any idea how to get them cut off to the ground, so i can just run the mower over the area)>. Also I have seen new shoots over on my neighbors side of the fence. I am so upset, I know I am going to have to speak with him about this, but I'm not sure how he will take it. I would like to have access to his property to cut back any new growth on his side and/or maybe putting up a barrier around the whole area that I believe the bamboo may have spread if I can afford to do that. (really not sure the cost of this though). The new growth is leafing out as soon as the sprout emerges out of the ground and some of it is more like a small bunch of weeds clumped together. Should I cut it back as soon as it shoots up to stop it from leafing out? I am dealing with this all alone and I am really not dealing with it very well emotionally. Any help would be greatly appreciated
If you have a bunch of stumps close to the ground that are too big for a lopper to take out, you can try getting one of those battery operated reciprocating saws which can get them down pretty close to ground level so a mower can go over them.
DeleteThe $50 cheapest electric chord chain saw will be more than enough too, but both could cut through these stumps like butter.
If you put a trench between your yard and the neighbor's then knock down the culms on the other side, there shouldn't be much regrowth since the rhizome connections will be severed already. If your neighbor is leaving it alone, chances are that he doesn't even care if they are there.
For the short weedy growth, you should chop it off once it branches out, but before it leafs out so it can expend its energy. This means you won't have to cut it again.
Once you get a good idea of the bamboo's growth cycle, it's really not all that hard to control.
When using glysophate products, it is important to brush it onto fresh cuts. This may have to be repeated, but will eventually cause the root to die off.
ReplyDeleteFor ground covers, they can still be killed off like a lawn by spraying right into the soil because most types don't grow very deep rhizomes, and the glysophate can still be absorbed through the roots. It is different for bigger bamboos.
DeleteHi Steve, Have bamboo in backyard that I thought I had contained with cut down plastic garbage can. Have had it maybe about ten years and realized it had no more room to go and had started to grow over garbage can. This past winter killed all that I had that was growing tall so I cut it all back and have been doing what you suggested about keeping everything cut to ground hoping to kill off any new that might take over. Problem is what is now dead I am unable to dig out as it hard like concrete. Tried digging outside garbage can and was able to remove it so tried inside and again no luck. What do you recommend? Would like to plant something else in that spot.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a bamboo stuck inside a cut garbage can and want to get it out, couldn't you just cut through the roots, and rhizomes with an electric chainsaw?
DeleteIt can take a while to rot away. If you plant something like comfrey which is a plant that mines nutrients out of the ground which also grows leaves that can be used as fertilizer for other plants, that should work well.
I have several dozen comfrey plants growing right now. http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6689
Darn, I wish I had found your blog about 10 years ago, when I bought my house, complete with bamboo privacy screen! I could see that the thick stalks were leaning against the retaining wall at my property line, and had pushed it out a bit, but couldn't figure out what to do about it. Finally . . . you guessed it, 3 years ago they broke the 8' concrete cinder block wall. While it was down, I had a guy come in and cut down the bamboo closest to the wall, creating about a 12" barrier, which the contractor filled with gravel after he constructed a new (expensive!) replacement wall. I just noticed that there are thick stalks leaning against the new wall! Don't know how that happened, but I'm beside myself. And even though the guy created a trench on the other side (closer to my home) and put in a rhizome barrier, somehow the bamboo on that side has cracked the low retaining wall closer to my home, and is spreading out onto the grass. I'd hate to have to remove all of the bamboo, as I do love the beauty and privacy. But there's no way to get to the ones leaning against the 8' retaining wall without clear-cutting my way from the front. Is there a way to save any of the bamboo without losing another 8' cinder-blcok, rebar-reinforced retaining wall?
ReplyDeleteI would have to see a picture of what you have going on.
DeleteI think you may have to saw away a lot of what you have, and based on your description, it sounds like you likely have a giant tropical clumping type. If you are in a cool enough climate, it may be better to go with a temperate running phyllostachys type if you have a problem with the rhizome mass cracking your retaining walls.
If you like the type of bamboo you have, you may have to saw a lot of it away, but it will eventually come right back in after a few years, so you may need to do some annual rhizome pruning each time it gets too big.
Post some pictures here, and I should get a better idea.
Steve, I think you're right--I looked at a bunch of Google images and it appears to be either a vulgaris or balcooa. I am in Southern California. While I love the privacy and beauty of these 20 - 30' bamboo, if I can't stop them from breaking another retaining wall, I will reluctantly have to get rid of the whole stand. How can I upload photos so I can show you the configuration of retaining wall, planting space, overgrowth, etc.? Thanks so much for getting right back to me. You are an amazing resource.
DeleteHi Steve, thanks for this blog. Going on your advice here I am hoping to get rid of my bamboo and I am just wondering if you could share some time frames re getting rid of bamboo. i have been trying to get rid of mine for near on 2 years but them 2 years not very planed jut the bit of cutting and poisening. I then poisened it around Novemeber 2014 and then all the leaves were yellow in January 2015I chopped the whole lot down. And as expected it keeps coming back so I go out 2 or 3 times a week and cut it all back to the ground, pulling out some roots as I do. Its amazing how much this grows overnight. The new growth also comes up with yellow leaves meaning the poisen is still in the system. It is now Feb 2015 and I am just wondering how much more longer I will have to keep chopping away? should I do it daily? Or is 2-3 times a week okay? I am expecting along war :) But sometimes it feels like I am winning the odd battle.
ReplyDeleteI also have a pile of chopped bamboo lying on an area where there is bamboo growing up underneath, I have tried to chop this as best as I can but I am wondering if I can mulch bamboo? I really am paranoid with this stuff and don't like moving the chopped stuff too far from origin as I am afraid it will somehow start growing somewhere else.
Many thanks
If they are turning yellow after poisoning, and it is that persistent, I really doubt that you have real bamboo. It's most likely Mexican bamboo otherwise known as Japanese Knotweed. The easiest way to get rid of that is to continuously dig out the rhizomes until you have wiped them out.
DeleteIf you provide a picture, I may be able to confirm to see what it is. If it is knotweed, it can grow from fragments.
Excellent blog here. It’s out-of-the-way quality writing. If truth be told I appreciate the people like you! Take care Shane\'s Trees
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog here. It’s out-of-the-way quality writing. If truth be told I appreciate the people like you! Take care Shane\'s Trees
ReplyDeleteI have Yellow Crook Stem bamboo within a barrier in my backyard (approx 36 ' by 3') that I planted 5 years ago. It has managed to escape the barrier and I need to remove it before it reaches the neighbor's yard. I received an estimate of $6500 for complete removal but I can't afford that right now. If I use method #1 in your blog above, approximately how long will the new shoots keep emerging? Months? Years? Should I keep the ground moist to help rot the rhizomes? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think the best thing to do if you have it inside a barrier is to cut it down to soil level with a reciprocating saw, or something equivalent, and keep them cut down each time new shoots have wasted their energy in producing shoots, but never let them make leaves. If you keep them from having leaves, you should be able to wipe out your planting by the start of next season.
DeleteIf you water it to promote shooting so it can burn out its energy faster, you may be able to make it rot away by this season without having to dig into it. It will however take 3-4 years for the stumps and root masses to rot away.
Hi Steve, I have a 7 feet bamboo plant in a pot; after the winter here in the UK the leafs have gone all yellow and dry. The stem is still greenish...is there a way to save the plant? How shall I prune it ?
ReplyDeleteThanks Raffaella
They generally don't like to grow indoors especially without ample light. The best thing you may be able to do is bring it outdoors and hope that it produces new leaves however it's tough to tell without knowing the species you have, or a picture.
DeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteFirst I wanted to say thank you for helping people.
We just purchased an 1853 home end of November 2014 and we love it here. During the winter many neighbors told us we have bamboo? I've been researching as much as possible because we have a law here that Phyllostachys cannot be growing within 40 feet of an adjacent property and it's already there and has been here for over 15 years and maybe longer. I have city street on two sides and an open field on the other and it hasn't invaded the open field YET (I keep looking)? There is an old rock wall dividing half way down that side property line. I don't know how to explain this in a short version. I've been asking neighbors questions because it was cut down before I moved in and I want to learn more. I don't know what kind of bamboo it is. I think there's a variety here because of what's showing now. It is hard to distinguish what is stressed bamboo coming up vs. a ground cover bamboo vs. running bamboo and clumping. I've read that clumping bamboo can run and Phyllostachys can clump as well as run. From one side of my house to the end of the yard is completely covered with the canes that were cut but the roots and runners are still in the ground. Those old fat canes previous cut are even in the tree roots, all along the garage, in and around the barn just everywhere! There is another section that is completely a mat of one inch by one inch tufts that are tan leafy things with a bit of green now. Another section of the yard has very tiny shoots skinnier then a pen coming up. I dug up one sprout Sunday and tried to dig the runner which went in many different directions, is at least 10 feet long and it ended up breaking at both ends and that was just one little culm in moist soil. We saw runners above ground like snakes and we cut them before we started researching bamboo. We have fences, arbors, an old well, the original 1853 barn and huge trees, rock wall and more all invaded with the bamboo up to the house as well as through some of the patio. If we had to dig, we would have to demolish the entire property. Some are saying we'd have to cut down all the trees (a row of 100+ year old pines on the property line) and pull up the stumps, take down the original rock wall on the property line, pull up everything take down everything including the structures and dig out all the bamboo and rebuild? It feels like insanity! My boyfriend would like to try your method of keep cutting. I would like to send you pictures of whats going on here, please. The rhizomes and the bamboo are so tightly interwoven like cement that we would need a backhoe but still there would be rhizomes and runners left from where a backhoe can't reach. It is impossible to dig out any by hand and with power tools, we've tried. I also have well water and don't want to contaminate my well. There are also some 5 foot stringy grassy like tan stalks along side the back of the barn that is bamboo the previous owner didn't cut (he must have missed it) but I don't if it's stressed bamboo from what the previous owner did or healthy bamboo from last year. I don't know what to do. Is it okay to cut the above ground runners in sections (we did with an axe) or will that send a runner somewhere else? I have more questions than that but I don't where to start. It looks to me like it was planted on the property line for privacy and invaded inward. My main concern is that is doesn't invade any adjacent property. How do I do that? And, I don't want to get the bamboo mad and have it run next door! Please can you help!
If there are some survival shoots coming up, all you need to do is let them expend their energy then using a pair of loppers or scissors to cut out the growth right before new leaves are formed.
DeleteWithout any leaves for photosynthesis, the bamboo will not have the ability to grow or spread at all. If you water the area, it may be easier to make survival shoots emerge so you can rot out the underground rhizomes faster.
As long as you do not allow any leaves to be formed, you should be able to wipe out everything this season. You do not have to dig. Most likely you either have phyllostachys aureosulcata yellow groove bamboo. Some pictures would help.
will the small roots that break off from the running roots grow new bamboo? Wondering if I also have to remove soil that contains the little roots along with the runners and rhizomes?
ReplyDeleteNope. The roots that come off rhizomes are not capable of regenerating shoots if it is a true bamboo.
DeleteHi,
DeleteAugust 2015, I just dugged out my bamboo which was overgrowing though it was still contained in its bamboo barrier.
I removed all the soil and I am now 3 feet down. To my surprise I still find tons of tiny parts of the root system! Unfortunately, I just read your comment after all this work was done ! : "roots are not capable of regenerating shoots".
So my questions are :
1) Do you think that if I fill this hole with rich soil + plant my garden + water this spot, the bamboo will have no abilities to resurface? 2) Would it be safer to first kill these tiny roots before filling up the hole? How could I bring them to rot?
Thanks for the help.
If you make sure there are no rhizomes, then you should be fine. Rhizomes are capable of producing shoots, but roots should just rot away with enough time since they do not have the stem cells needed to produce anything.
DeleteThe worst they can do is hinder the roots on your new plants given they don't rot away right away.
Thank you very much for your reply.
DeleteWould you suggest to delay putting any soil in that hole and not planting anything in it to give time to the roots to rot.
One problem with this though:
I fear that with winter slowly approaching the clever rats will take over this space as I live in Vancouer BC Canada which is nfested with rats!
I am looking forward to reading your advices. Tah'k you.
g
This late in the season, I really doubt you will get much gardening in unless you are growing greens. It should be fine, but I would suggest taking out as much of the roots as you can before laying in the soil.
DeleteGreat site! I have a picture of the bamboo I'd like to upload in order for you to help me identify what kind it is. I don't see a way on your site to do it though. I can definitely tell you it's a running variety that my neighbor has planted in his yard for a privacy fence, but it has invaded my yard and those of two other neighbors.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for such a great and informative site!
Hello- Thanks for the blog....Do you know of cases where the seller of the house (the planter of running bamboo) was held responsible for damages to the house by the buyer after bamboo roots entered the foundation and walls of the house? The invasive nature of the bamboo was not revealed in the property disclosure agreement, although it was obvious bamboo was growing on the property.....Thank you for any comments you can add.
ReplyDeleteIf it's sold, I doubt that the seller can be held accountable for anything. If it is a true bamboo, then the rhizomes should not be capable of entering house foundations or walls.
DeleteIt's just sometimes a pain for the new homeowner to cut them down until it loses all its energy and rots away if they do not want to keep the bamboo. The only time this gets tricky is when the bamboo happens to be growing around other vegetation, or plants that want to be kept, or along a fence where it is tougher to cut off the survival shoots. If it's in the open, then it can simply be cut to soil level and mowed until it expends its energy.
My neighbor planted Phyllostachys aurea 'Koi' bamboo in a ~150' strip along the property line between our properties about 5-10 years ago. Just the past 2 years, it has become increasingly invasive with new shoots coming up in my flower beds, grass, and even the cracks in my driveway. My neighbor took action and agreed to remove that entire stand (she has another stand in the middle of her front yard on the other side of her driveway). After I lopped down all of it (at least 300-400 culms), she used a mini-excavator to dig up the majority of the rhizomes. She plans to separate the uprooted rhizomes from the soil by hand, take the rhizomes to the dump, and level out the remaining soil. Since then, I have lopped about a dozen or so thick shoots that were about 1-2 feet tall that sprouted in my property (mulched flower beds, within a thick growth of lilies, along a wooden fence, and in the grass). Questions:
ReplyDelete1) Now that the entire stand is cut down and mostly dug up, is there a good chance the bamboo will not return?
2) How careful does my neighbor have to be to ensure she removes all the dug-up rhizomes? I don't want them to re-root.
3) Do I need to attempt to dig up all the rhizomes that have grown into my yard, even if the stand is now gone? I hate to dig up my flower beds if I don't have to.
4) How tall should I let the new shoots grow before cutting them? When they are only a foot or 2 tall, they have little green "leafy" things coming out of the top of them...is that a true leaf? I was a little unsure on your definition of "branching" and "leafing."
Thank you so much for your help. This situation has created a lot of stress for my neighbor and me, and we currently have a great relationship...I do not want this bamboo to ruin it.
Hi and thanks so much for all of the great information. My husband planted Phyllostachys Atrovaginata 'Congesta' (incense bamboo) in our yard approximately 8 years ago and it is very invasive. He loves it. He keeps it fairly contained with mowing, but we get 100s of new shoots every spring and some of the stalks are massive in width even coming out of the ground (4-5 inches). We have a very large area in our front yard and it has grown pretty massive (maybe 20-30 feet tall). We live on a busy street and it's a great "fence" (and we get probably 20 people a year knocking on our door asking about it...I tell them NO NO NO don't do it). The issue I have is just that I worry constantly about what it *might* do. Here are my questions, please:
ReplyDelete1.) He refused to put an in-ground barrier and so I worry about it jumping places that he says it won't (such as going under the street / across the street to our neighbors - it did go under our sidewalk to the outer strip of grass; or tearing up our driveway - it is right next to it or going UNDER our driveway to other parts of our yard; or breaking our foundation). Is it strong enough to do these things?
2.) When you cut the growing shoots down, do they dry up and allow grass to grow, or are they permanently "dead" in your grass, leaving places where grass cannot grow? I am very worried about this one, as we had a few shoots in our backyard this year and even though we moved them down, I don't want to lose grass in our backyard.
3.) We have a small patch we planted in another area that has been slower to grow and we have decided to remove it (small victory for me). Should we be able to remove it using the technique you described above - cutting and re-cutting? Not sure about this particular species responding to that method, but it sure beats renting large machinery and tearing up the entire yard.
4.) We have HUNDREDS of birds living in it. The smell of bird poop is terrible, plus they wake us up at the crack of dawn. We have tried a statue of an owl and a sonic noise maker of some kind that my husband found on Amazon. Neither have worked. Do you have any recommendations on this??
Thanks so much for any help. I never thought bamboo would cause strife in our marriage, but this stuff is driving me crazy.
Sorry - culms coming out of the ground not 4-5 inches wide...more like 2-3 inches. They are bigger in my nightmares. :)
DeleteIn Montgomery County, PA, many townships have adopted ordinances or amendment to their legal codes severely limiting property owners from allowing bamboo to grow. Appropriate fines and cost to remove penalty included in the law.
ReplyDeleteIf you understand the plants energy cycle, it is pretty easy to control and eradicate.
DeleteHi, Steve. Great site! You are helping a lot of people. Sadly, after five or six years of enjoying my Phyllostachys Aureosulcata they are starting to spread rapidly and shockingly far from the culms. I don't want to be "that neighbour" so I have to do something to curb their spread. I am going to use your second method but I was wondering if instead of cutting of the bamboo at the base I could dig up the culms with the bamboo leaves still intact and replant it in pots? Regards, Richard.
ReplyDeleteYou could simply stop the spread by using a pick and cutting a trench around the bamboo where you want to limit its growth.
DeleteAureosulcata is one of the fastest spreading species so it may be necessary to dig around it 2 times a year. They will not grow much in pots especially for the types that tend to run rampantly.
Okay, thanks for the advice. Richard
DeleteHi from the UK. Glad I found your great site. I have just dug out a six year old Phyllostachys Nigra which had outgrown its space. Whilst digging it out I noticed that a runner had got underneath my neighbour's fence. Please could you tell me if this will die back now it is separated from its parent or what other action should I take? Thanks and best regards. Dennis.
ReplyDeleteIf your neighbors mow their lawn regularly, there's no need to worry. Also if you dug after shooting season, the rhizome sections on your neighbor's side should not have enough energy to regrow so they should rot away anyways.
DeleteYou do not need to dig out the rhizome.
Hi Steve - Great blog and super informative.
ReplyDeleteI love the look and sound of bamboo and have had it for about 8 years. I planted it myself and I believe it is a running type since it seems to take a lot of work to control it. Basically every year, I dig up all the new rhizomes where they shoot out of the ground and follow them back to the berm that I built and snip them there. The problem is that even though my berm is about 24 inches high, the bamboo are still somehow getting into my neighbors yard and I have to do the same thing every year and go to all their properties (I am butting up to 4 neighbors) and dig up where the new shoot starts and follow it back to the fence line where i clip them there.
Is there any way to stop their growth into my neighbors yards every year?
Any way you could help would be greatly appreciated. My number is 631-327-0803 if it is easier to talk on the phone.
Thank you very much for everything!
Rick
hi steve, I have about 100ft by 100ft backyard which was 1/2 covered with bamboo 10-20ft tall. I cut all the stocks off at ground level. My question is whether to try and starve the bamboo or bring in a bobcat and level the backyard. I have bamboo growing under a deck which I can't get out. Would a steel broadfork work on such heavy roots? Can the bamboo be starved out?
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't need to use a bobcat as long as you do not intend to plant a garden in that spot soon. I would suggest keeping the area cleared until survival shoots are no longer greater than the size of a pencil then grass seeding the area to mow over and the grass should outcompete the bamboo at that size.
DeleteAs far as underneath your deck, a steel broad fork will not work however you can cut out any growth around and under the deck, then check every few weeks to make sure there is no more growth to make sure the bamboo gets starved out.
Hi STeve
ReplyDeleteI have about 14 feet x 4 feet of Green Fastuosa. It was contained in a plastic barrier by the previous owner of the house. I noticed this year it has run out of its barrier. I would like to remove it. Will using method #1 work for this bamboo, by repeat cutting it down? And how long will the clumps take to rot so the area can be replanted with something else
thanks for your expert help
If you want to start growing something any time soon. I would suggest cutting everything to the ground and taking out all the clumps physically or else it will be 3-5 years before you can grow anything else.
DeleteThey do rot away, but it takes time for the rhizomes to completely turn into mush.
Hi Steve the tag says its s. fastuoasa viridis
ReplyDeleteHi Steve after reading your comments I realized I have japanese knotweed. ..any suggestions I have been digging it out for 2 yrs
ReplyDeleteHi Steve after reading your comments I realized I have japanese knotweed. ..any suggestions I have been digging it out for 2 yrs
ReplyDeleteIs it getting any smaller?
DeleteI think you may have to make sure that it doesn't manage to produce any leaves or else it will just recharge its underground root systems since knotweed is one of the tougher plants to eradicate.
Just take off all the roots near where you are getting a lot of growth, and then spray the small stuff with glysopate, and it should eventually take down the plant's energy.
Good luck on that. I used to have knotweed, but it took me many years to wipe it out entirely.
Hi Steve.
DeleteI am taking down a grove of bamboo. So far I have cut about 500 stalks- most more then 30 feet tall. I want to get rid of it where it has been growing. A unwise place to have planted it.
I am hand cutting the stalks, then using a blade on a trimmer to cut the remaining stalks to the ground. I am soaking the ground and keeping it covered and praying.
Can you advise?
Thank
Jerry
If you keep your bamboo well watered, you can get it to send up it's remaining shoots pretty easily. Just let the shoots grow out, and whack them down. After a while it will eventually give up since the root and rhizome systems need a certain level of energy to sustain themselves. If they run short on energy, they will simply rot away.
DeleteSteve
DeleteThank you for replying. It is months since I posted here and never checked your response until now. Sorry for my not acknowledging your reply. I watered the roots for a month or so, I have a spring so I could just pump the water over. It rotted the roots and I dug up all the root balls- what a job.However winter is approaching and I have 100 plus root balls with packed soil. I plan on letting them rot over the winter and see what stage they will be in next spring. Anyway to encourage the root balls to rot?
Just wanted to give you an update. The watering sure execrated the ease of removing the root balls.
Thanks
Jerry Kott
Thank you. This information will be very helpful as I've never removed bamboo but guessed it wouldn't be as simple to cut down as our native shrubbery here in SC. I'm gonna be removing some bamboo for a relative and wanted to do it right(at the end of Summer, :\ time to dig up some rhizomes). I've definitely come to the right place to get the know-how and now I know why there are so many groves growing randomly behind the commercial plots. Bamboo and cudzu, the scourge of the south (after masquitos)
ReplyDeleteI had a large clump of Golden Bamboo growing out back. It was not a running type, but does spread and the base is about 6 x 8 ft, very thick and intertwined. I cut all the bamboo stalks down, many grew to about 20plus ft high,I couldn't get them cut to ground level, so it's a mound now.. What is the best method of removing this? This stuff could stop a tank tough.
ReplyDeleteThe fastest way is to simply rent out a strong enough gas chain saw, and cut it out in sections if you want to use that area right away instead of trying to rot out the bamboo. If it doesn't have much soil, reciprocating saw may work too.
DeleteYou may also be able to rent a stump remover which is stronger than a chain saw.
Hi, Steve. Thanks for this blog! I bought a house 13 years ago that had bamboo growing in a "confined" area right up against the house. The owner told me it was river cane, and I don't know if that's a type of bamboo, but it definitely looks like bamboo. I've already cut it down so can't send you a picture, but it was as tall as the house (an old 1890's Victorian) and some of the stalks were huge, way too big for a lopper. I used a reciprocating saw for a couple of years and finally hired a tree company to finish it off with chain saws. My problem is it won't seem to die. I was heartened to read your blog, and made sure I have cut down everything that comes up, but the shoots that come up now are usually very small and can leaf in one day, so I have to cut them down immediately. The bamboo was blocked by the house on two sides (brick with a limestone block foundation) and by a concrete walk on the other two sides. The concrete had been poured over coal clinkers and the owner said that was what kept it from escaping it's boundaries. Well, that didn't stop it. Last spring my son was digging me a new garden on the other side of the walk, and the bamboo had found a way under the walk and out into the yard. He dug up several roots that had shoots on them that just hadn't broken ground yet so I didn't know it was there. He got everything up until it ran into the brick wall that bounds the walk on that side, and after that I just cut off the few shoots that appeared occasionally. Just a month ago, after all the bamboo had been cut down, I noticed that one of the concrete slabs of the walk was rising slowly, and last week it completely cleared the ground at a tilt, since the brick wall on the other side was holding it down. A friend came over and lifted the slab with a crowbar, and underneath it was a huge mass of little bamboo shoots and some roots. Some of the shoots actually had leaves on them! We had to break the concrete in order to remove them. We've now started a trench around the perimeter of the walk, using a pickax and axes, but the bamboo is just a solid mass of roots and stumps. I wanted to just let them rot as you described, but now I'm afraid the bamboo will continue to try and find a way under the concrete. I know there are more roots under the concrete under my deck, because some of the concrete cracked years ago and little shoots keep coming up. Will it ever die? I hate to have to destroy the rest of my walk, and I'm worried about the foundation though you said it shouldn't get through that. There's no way to get even a stump grinder back here.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't have any leaves or photosynthesis, it will only send up shoots from energy that was stored before everything was cut down. The root mass will take time to rot away, get soft, and get weakened enough to simply cut it away.
DeleteJust make sure the shoots you see never make any leaves and you should be fine.
You don't need a stump grinder or chain saw because keeping it knocked down will allow the bamboo to exhaust itself.
Thanks, Steve. You've given me hope that I can defeat this monster! Today I had only one tiny shoot, smaller than a toothpick, but it had a tiny leaf on it already. My friend would really like to be able to get rid of it all, but that's impossible given where it's located. I'll just keep cutting it down every day and wait for it to rot, as you say. Thanks again.
Delete
ReplyDeleteStump Grinding MassachusettsStump Pros offers stump grinding and stump removal services throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We specialize in stump grinding.
Love it and totally agree! Gardening doesn't have to be hard, it's fun. Great article.Bamboo products are being encouraged across the world as it is a sustainable resource. It is a resource that is easily grown and has beneficial anti bacterial and fast growing propertieshttp://best4garden.co.uk/root-barrier/bamboo/which makes it ideal anywhere in the world.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great info. We just bought a house in Victoria BC with a beautiful Japanese style garden. A section of the front yard has a bamboo area, which is quite lovely and provides a screen from the road. It surrounds a pond feature and meditation area. I don't know anything about bamboo and what kind it is (running or clumping), but I could send photos. If we want to contain it and this year just remove a couple of clumps, do we cut the rhizomes to those clumps back to the culms that we are keeping, and try to dig up all of the clump and existing rhizome attached? And then would we use a spade to go around the bamboo we want to keep and sever any rhizomes? I am just uncertain of how to remove sections without encouraging more growth. How many times per year would you check for and cut rhizomes around the border of the bamboo to contain it?
Thanks, Dawn
Just cut sections away in either the fall or after shooting season in the summer, and the living sections on the other side should not have much vitality. Once a year should be good enough.
DeleteWe clear cut a large grove of bamboo last fall. I'm not clear as to when we should cut the new growth: From Method #1 / 2 - 6 feet tall or at full height? What is full height?
ReplyDeleteHi Steve, Very good and informative website.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much.
I planted bamboo in 2009 not knowing what it would be. it started as a bush but was getting wider and wider each year. It spread all over my yard and and part of my neighbor yard. We did mow grass every week last summer and I cut cumming shoots as much as I could. Unfortunately it were spreading more and more. We finally covered my yard and part of my neighbor yard with barrier vinyl last summer. We opened vinyl 4 weeks ago. the grass is all dead. Unfortunately,two weeks without vinyl and shoots started to come back. We did dig 3 containers of roots/rhizome out. I am sure it is much more left in ground. I was going to spray with commercial grade chemical and cover again for one year with vinyl. Now As I read your advice I will pass on spraying yard. I will just cover it with vinyl till next spring.
Do you think it will kill the rest of roots in the ground??
I want to get rid from this monster as I am responsible for my neighbor's yard too.
You advice is greatly appreciated.
Jeani
If you don't see much bamboo growing up after removing it from the ground, all you need to do is mow over that area. You will know very quickly whether or not there is living bamboo under there because they cannot stay alive long without photosynthesis.
DeleteHello Steve,
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you had experience with Bambusa Ohamii. I have a strip of planter that is made out of cinder block (6" with 1/2" rebar verticle and horizontal filled with concrete) that is 18 feet long 3 feet wide and about almost 2'8" deep. I've also lay a 4" thick concrete at the bottom of the planter with 3 18' 1/2" rebar. Although one side of this planter is up against my divider wall with my neighbor which is a type of block only about 3 inch think (I believe). Anyway, long story short, you think Bambusa will be able to break out of this planter eventually? If I want to make it so I wouldn't have to care for it for 10 to 20 years, what should I do to reinforce this planter with?
Thank you!
I haven't grown bambusas yet, but due to their expanding habit, I believe it will crack your concrete barrier.
DeleteI think a sure thing would be using a layer of steel or chomping away chunks of the bamboo every couple years to keep it in check.
Dear Steve, I wish my Dad never bought the house he did when I was a baby because 35 years later and the bamboo problem has multiplied and become a complete nightmare. When I was a small kid I remember the back yard having bamboo, but not that much. For about 25 years it wasn't controlled at all and the backyard turned into a bamboo forest, I am talking about like 2000 VERY LARGE bamboo pieces. I assume we have the running type of thick bamboo. The stalks are very think and grow to like 50 feet high. Well FINALLY we got a crew to cut the shoots down to a few inches of the ground. We are not left with an entire backyard of stumps, these are like 3 inches across, impossible to dig them up, I don't think sledgehammers could kill them. /They are as hard as a rock. I will be killing the new shoots/rhisomes that will start to come in April-June, but we will be left with like 2000 stumps. Any idea on how to kill these stumps?? Do we have to completely dig up the backyard?? it is a complete nightmare. any other chemicals that would kill these?
ReplyDeleteThose stumps are not living and will rot away eventually, but if you want to get rid of them even faster so that you can lay grass seed over it, a strong reciprocating saw that cuts low to the ground may allow you to wipe out the stumps without digging them out. They need a good 3-4 years to rot out, but it will be less of a pain once you can move w over them. You can just mow over any new shoots that try to emerge too, and they will just be choked out by the lawn.
DeleteI took a grove out last summer. Not even near to your challenge but I found that watering the stump area regularly did encourage rot and made the root balls easier to remove. I did get a root cutter to cut the runner and use a large bar to pry up the root balls- it was lots of dedicated work. I let the root balls dry out and rot all winter. In early spring, I made circular structure from the root balls as burn barrels-3 feet high by 5 feet in dia. I have been burning branches inside the pit which has helped dry out the root ball and helps to remove the soil from the ball. I am planing to do a vegetable garden this spring. I made 3 pits.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if water restriction are a problem in you region, I live on an old farm and have a spring. But over watering will encourage rot.
I am wondering what Steve's response to you will be.
Good Luck
It's just like having vegetables in your soup. If you have organic material like dead tree, shrub, or even bamboo roots under moist soggy conditions for long enough, it will decay, and turn into sludge.
DeleteI took a grove out last summer. Not even near to your challenge but I found that watering the stump area regularly did encourage rot and made the root balls easier to remove. I did get a root cutter to cut the runner and use a large bar to pry up the root balls- it was lots of dedicated work. I let the root balls dry out and rot all winter. In early spring, I made circular structure from the root balls as burn barrels-3 feet high by 5 feet in dia. I have been burning branches inside the pit which has helped dry out the root ball and helps to remove the soil from the ball. I am planing to do a vegetable garden this spring. I made 3 pits.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if water restriction are a problem in you region, I live on an old farm and have a spring. But over watering will encourage rot.
I am wondering what Steve's response to you will be.
Good Luck
I live in Southern California. What type of bamboo would you recommend I grow in this climate (heat and a lot of direct sun), and what is the variety that is easily contained? Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question.
ReplyDeleteI believe that you will not have enough of a chill in your climate to grow temperate types so your variety to choose from will be in the tropical clumping types. Try looking up bambusas and dendrocalamus species. They will all prefer larger containers so if you are limited in space, you may want to get the ones that don't get quite as big.
DeleteI have very large bamboo coming over from the neighbor's yard. phyllostachys viridis "Robert Young". Reading above it appears I should cut the runners as I find them to cut off food from the big plants next door. But I really don't want to let these 3 inch shoots get 20 feet tall before I cut them down. Can I just whack the shoots and hit them with the bush killing Round-Up and that do the job or should I let them get tall and cut them down to die out faster?
ReplyDeleteIf you have already severed the connection, I think it would make sense to purposely let those shoots waste energy on getting tall, then cutting them off once you know those rhizomes have spent their remaining energy. Roundup only kills that particular shoot, but letting the rhizomes pour out all their energy will leave them empty. Just don't let them grow too long or else photosynthesis will kick in.
DeleteLast year I did the Round-Up method. I bought the bush killer concentrate and when the shoots were a few inches, broke them off and sprayed the Round-Up in the socket. I saw this method on another site. The result was that plants many feet away, some as far as 20 feet over in the neighbor's yard were affected. Some flat out died as they came up, some were still 15-20 feet tall, but deformed. It appears it carried the Round-Up through the runners. I am going to let some of these shoots go and cut them later. Likely dig up the dead later as it would be a tripping hazard, etc. I'll see if this kills the 30-40 foot runners crossing the yard this year.
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ReplyDeleteUgh...Neighbor has a wall of bamboo...Friday I saw some little things growing in my backyard. Today it is like the Jumanji movie. At least 50 culms are invading my yard! Been reading all I can to do the right thing to get rid of it. The closest culm is only 6 or 7 feet from my house. I live in Tennessee, and our dirt is more like clay...no idea how we will ever dig it all up. Wish I could post a picture, but don't know how on this forum.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a place in town with a trenching tool? If so you could simply create a trench to sever all those rhizomes and get a barrier to stop any more growth into your yard.
DeleteIt sucks that lots of neighbors grow this stuff for screens without regard to neighbors who don't appreciate rhizomes roaming through their garden beds and shoots popping out every spring.
If they are willing to get rid of the bamboo altogether, that will stop the shoots from emerging.
Hi steve. Thanks for your advice. We are following it. We have cut down bamboos that have been growing for about 10 years. We are estimating about 400 bamboos, shoots are still coming up which we are cutting down before leafing as you suggest. How long do you think this will take for no more shoots to come up? Will they come up next year?
ReplyDeleteIf you are at 400 shoots, it still has lots of juice left inside of it, but give it 2-3 months as well as watering it, and your shoot size and numbers will be noticeably dwindling as the rhizomes run low on starch. I believe you should be able to eradicate it this year as long as it is real bamboo, not Japanese knotweed. That would take a few years of diligence to wipe out completely.
DeleteHi Steve. I did not read any of your comments till just now. I have been digging for the last 5 days. I think I got all of them. I would like to know are the tiny things coming off of the main runner( the little roots that make it look like a centipede) if they are left in the ground will they cause it to come back? Next question I have one runner that went under my drive way could I just cut it or do I have to go after it?
ReplyDeleteIf you have a true bamboo, not Japanese knotweed, then the root hairs are incapable of producing new shoots. It requires a shoot bud on a rhizome that is charged with energy as well as root hairs on that section of rhizome to produce a shoot.
ReplyDeleteFor any of the rhizomes that have gone under the driveway, the best thing to do is sever it as close to the driveway as possible, and let the rhizome under there rot. It won't have enough energy without any attachment to any culms to push shoots through the driveway.
Hi Steve--like others, I'm so glad/relieved to have found your blog. Bamboo was planted in our small backyard 30 years ago, and we've neglected to control it over the years. The problem is not so much bamboo overgrowth, but the infestation of the rhizomes under the soil throughout the yard (and under concrete pathways). We are in the process of digging out these tenacious rhizomes, which includes breaking open the concrete. Unfortunately, we've tracked a rhizome that has extended under our house's concrete foundation. We've cut off the rhizome, but cannot extricate the part that is embedded under the foundation. Because we've cut it off, can we assume that it is now 'starved' of energy and will eventually rot, and not continue to grow under the foundation? Would you suggest filling the hole/area with concrete to permanently close off the rhizome (since we can't easily 'pull' it out)? We are at a loss as to what to do, and hope you can help. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a rhizome underneath a house foundation, and it is no longer attached to a culm that can get photosynthesis, it will not have the ability to produce any more side rhizomes, or send shoots up anywhere because it's trapped under the foundation.
DeleteYou can simply leave it alone because it will rot once it gets old enough to lose it's viability which can be before this season is over.
Previous owners planted a growth of running bamboo that was kept to one side of the yard, running along the fence line.
ReplyDeleteTowards middle of last summer we removed a significant portion of the bamboo. We created 2 "bulbs" of bamboo, restricted by barriers. The remainder of the yard was clear and seeded with grass.
This season we see small clumps of tiny bamboo shoots with 1-2 leaves on them growing throughout the yard (further then they were last year). 2-3 times a week I go outside and shovel out the clusters of leaves & try to snap any roots I come across. I also mow once a week.
I continue to see these small leaves aggressively appearing every few days. Additionally if left for more than 3 days, they start to show stalks (not sure if that is the correct term - but little thin asparagus looking things - which turn into full bamboo culms).
I feel like it's a never ending battle. What am I doing wrong that is making it continue to spread?
The only thing I can think of is that while I cut out the leaves, I am not throwing away the scrap - just toss them into the yard. Is that almost like planting more?
My most recent thought is to have the entire portion of the lawn that has roots excavated...is that the best option? I'm willing and able to do whatever work necessary, just losing patience.
Appreciate the advice.
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ReplyDeleteHello Ive just come across this blog, we brought a property last year which had a large bamboo along the fence line, I have cut the bamboo and dug out the roots and believe have got all the rhizomes out, in the process of digging down to make sure have got them all roots out. The problem is that it was planted next to a patio area and has basically filled the area under the patio as far as it can go but whew were not planning on removing the concrete slab, do we need to? I have brought some root barrier to put along the front of concrete slab and the edge of the fence as exit door have bamboo to and do not want it back. Is it possible for me to send you a photo so you can tell me if its def bamboo as I'm paranoid now that it's the Japanese knotweed? Do I need to be really picky and remove all the small roots as I've already gone down about 2 foot to remove them and I'm still pulling them out?
ReplyDeleteAny advice would be much appreciated
Nicola
Sorry forgot to push the notify button can you reply to this one please thank you.
Usually, bamboo doesn't get into dark places that easily, but Japanese knotweed can, and it is very hard to eradicate when it is in a confined area such as underneath a patio.
DeleteI haven't have had some experience with Japanese knotweed, and I find that spraying them with glysophate repeatedly will kill off the sprouts, but they are quite persistent, and continue coming back many times, but they will eventually drop in energy as long as there are no leaves getting any sunlight. The only problem is that they are quite sneaky and sneak in leaves even from inches off the ground so it will be very tough to eradicate if it is underneath a patio, but a few years of persistent spraying should eventually allow you to kill it all off.
Don't even bother trying to dig Japanese knotweed out because unlike bamboo, this stuff is known to grow as deep as 6ft deep, and have very complex rhizome systems, so the best thing to do is to keep roasting it with glysophate.
Can I send you a picture of the plant would you be able to tell if it's Japanese knotweed?
DeleteJust looked up leaf shape and I think it's bamboo they are long thin leaves not rounder looking ones. Once the bamboo under the patio is in dark will it dye? It's mainly the roots under there a few sprigs of leaf have come out since exposing the bit under the concrete. How much of these small roots do I need to remove?
DeleteHi Steve, Hoping you can help. I took out a clump of bamboo (roughly 4ft x 4ft in area) about 2 months ago, the bamboo was in the planting border and I feel I have got all of the root system out of the immediate area as there are no new shoots in this border. I have now though got numerous shoots appearing in the adjacent lawn, these are sprouting up quite vigorously, which I mow down every 2 weeks. The number of shoots in the lawn however is increasing. Am I doing the correct thing and are the shoots likely to die back? Is there anything else I should be doing as I don't really want to have to dig the lawn up to get to the root system. I am also reluctant to inject any weedkiller into the bamboo shoots as I have pets and don't want to risk poisoning them.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your help and advice
Kevin
Kevin, if you have already removed all the bamboo, then there will be an emergency response by the plant to continue trying to put out shoots, but as long as they are being mowed down every 2 weeks, the rhizomes are gradually losing energy and once it runs dry the rhizomes will no longer be able to put out any more shoots. They will rot away shortly afterwards so there is no need to spray pesticide on them.
DeleteDear Steve,
ReplyDeleteI've never been sooo excited to find someone's blog. We too inherited this problem.I can't wait to share this w ith my hubby and neighbor.I will let you and other's know the results.I think you're about to become our hero!!! You're brilliant!
Hi. We removed bamboos as per your advice back in May. We stacked up the stalks waiting for them to dry out. Now I am noticing little bamboos growing underneath the chopped stalks! Is this possible? Have you had experience with this?
ReplyDeleteBamboos can only grow from underground rhizomes, not the culms themselves. If it is growing from the stalks you have on the ground, then it's probably not bamboo.
Deletei just want to chime in to thank everyone participating. i bought a house recently that had a bamboo hedge growing full length of my backyard. the seller told me the grove was properly contained with a steel barrier. i was okay with not having to deal with the grove just yet. i took the key and notice shoots coming up EVERYWHERE. the barrier was missing in the middle of the grove!! i started the event my wife and i called "battle royale" and attacked the grove. i elected to remove it, since i wanted to plant stuff in it's place in the near future, and having the roots/rhizomes in place would not work for that. here is what we did.
ReplyDelete1. cut down everything.
2. we raked out all the leaves and debris from the rhizome stumps.
3. an electric jackhammer with a spade bit took out the root-balls and rhizome clumps. i bet the pile of roots was just as big as the pile of culms.
4. i spent the next few weeks chasing runners all over the yard. i got better and better. i learned to pry it up with a shovel to prevent breaking the runner. i just followed along until i took it all out. after taking out the parent grove, the runners all seemed to shoot up sprouts as a rally for survival. to this day i still find the occasional runner. i go into my elderly neighbors yard and take out runners there to! she knitted me socks in thanks.
5. keep vigilant on the original grove area. i found a piece a mere 3" long growing up a pinky sized sprout. i dug it out with glee. anything coming up from a concrete slab gets cut and i spray round up on the cut end.
6. begged the city to attach the escaped grove on their side of our fence. i told them i weakened the grow and it would be a big win if they attacked at the same time. they did!! i go back there and cut shoots as they come up.
the info in the blog is right on. i will wait a couple of springs to make sure i have it whipped. i lost a bunch if desireable plants in the battle.
good luck.
I have a question about method 1. About how long does it take? When you say survival shoots come up and regrowth can happen 3-4 times, is that over the course of several months, or several years?
ReplyDeleteI found my answer in some of the above posts. I'll report back on my inevitable success. Thanks so much for this blog.
Deleteummer is a time for swimming, backyard barbecues, and—what else?—baseball! Ever looked down at the field and wondered how the groundskeepers of pro teams get their grass looking so perfect, with those patterns expertly cut in? It’s a technique called striping. Striping your lawn is merely pushing grass in alternate directions and overlapping grass cuts to give the look of intersecting dark and light green circles, stripes, and more.lawn mower service
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this blog. We have black bamboo in about 4-5 clumps of 10-30 stalks each. We've had it about 20 years, and have managed it by thinning, and cutting out new short stalks to the ground for a few weeks each spring. After years of drought in northern California, we had a wet winter and it is spreading very vigorously and far this spring. Do you have special instructions for managing black bamboo and preventing its spread? for removing it entirely? Or do all your general tips pertaining to clumping bamboo pertain here? Again, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have a clump of Budda Belly Bamboo. Over the last 12 years or so it has grow to more than 6 feet in diameter and almost as tall as the electric power lines nearby. Its time to start controlling its spread so I cut out several canes ( culmes?) measuring a good 6" or more at the base but as I have learned here I did not cut them all the way to the ground and instead left them about a foot or so high because there are many culmes grown together making a big knot. I see now several shoots are sprouting out of the cuts. Do I allow them to grow for a while before cutting them back again or should I TRY to cut the knot to the ground? I may need help with that one. I am using a lightweight 8" chain saw.Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have a twist on the bamboo problem as it is growing in the neighbor's yard and spreading under my fence into my yard. I can't kill it all, just deal with it as it crosses and shoots each spring. My method has done well, and I use your ideas too.
ReplyDeleteWhen the shoots are about a foot tall, I kick them over and squirt concentrated Round-Up for bushes in the socket. This spreads up the runners and I have had it kill off large plants 15 feet away in the neighbor's yard. Everything connected to that shoot gets zapped. I may one day kill off what's on his side of the fence this way without getting in his yard. But I imagine it will simply expand away from my fence and I'll just have fewer and fewer problems.
Smaller recurring shoots I allow to get to height and cut down before they leaf out.
I planted a running bamboo about 14 yrs ago and thought it was running in the right direction--blocking the view of my neighbor's house. About two months ago I realized little stalks were coming up in the neighbor's gravel driveway. I immediately cut them to ground level. I then decided to take out the whole area of running bamboo. I cut down most of the culmns with a lopper and then took a sawsall to the rest and cut them to ground level. I covered the are with black plastic and weighted it down with bricks and wood. I put bricks along the edges of the black plastic to prevent sun from getting through. I have dug, dug, dug, rhizomes for several days. My questions include: will the black plastic keep new culmns from coming up under the plastic? If I keep looking for and cutting any/all underground rhizomes I find, can they come back? Is the black plastic a good idea?? I'm hoping to put big pots with tall pittosporum shrubs that will provide a screen like the bamboo did. Another question: how long will it take for the roots that look like little feet at the bottom of a culm to rot and be easy to pick out? Your blog is great, and I appreciate your help. Thanks in northern California
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ReplyDeleteHello: I decided to remove a mature bamboo grove from my property after it would not contain and a few roots 'leaked' out. I cut down 3-4 culms in my neighbor's yard and removed some of the roots/rhizome. I see no more of them, but my question is how long could live roots remain in the ground if I don't see a culm? thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe ground ivy seems to start on the bare soil and then works its way into the lawn. For that reason, self propelled lawn mower lowes
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I want to thank you for this detailed and very efficient guide. I applied precisely "method 1" and I am getting the promised and expected results. It looks like bomboo new shoots are becoming rarer and shyer.
Huge thanks !
Let me had a tip when culms have been cut (a lot of years ago) higher than ground level, making the "wood" very strong and forbidding use of lawnmower (to cut new shoots).
I use an angle grinder and "LEJA tools Kwiksaw " disk (4 teeth, 120mm, ~$25): it permits to cut them at ground level, even when hard as a stone. BTW, those disks seem to be far more permissive than chainsaw when meeting ground/soil/etc.
Please let me add some words in french to feed Google so that "only french" speaking people will discover your great and very useful blog post !
Again, thank you for your greatly appreciated help and for sharing knowledge & experience !
----
Visiteuses et visiteurs francophones,
Steve vous propose ici (en anglais) une méthode extrêmement efficace et peu onéreuse pour venir à bout des bambous les plus envahissant. Je fais ici ce petit topos afin de vous permettre de mettre le doigt sur cette page si vous n'utilisez que le français dans vos recherches Google ;)
Le principe exposé par Steve est le suivant : au lieu d'arracher les bambous à la pelleteuse, à la pioche ou de les tuer avec des produits chimiques qui finiront dans le sol de votre jardin, il vous suffit de les couper "à ras du sol", tous sans exception, une première fois (gros boulot) puis à chaque fois qu'ils repoussent (beaucoup plus rapide).
Steve expose ici le principe suivant : l'énergie du bambou - qui lui permet de croitre en dépensant ce stock - est stocké dans ses rhizomes (racines). Le stock d'énergie est renouvelé grace à la photo synthèse. Si on coupe l'apport d'énergie (la photosynthèse), chaque repousse des bambous consomme l'énergie des rhizomes jusqu'à ce qu'il n'y en ait plus : fin des repousses.
Chaque repousse (de nouvelles tiges) après la première "coupe à blanc" est de moins en moins importante et produit des bambous de plus en plus petits, jusqu'à ce que les rhizomes meurent. Ensuite, la terre semble pouvoir être immédiatement engazonnée mais il faudra attendre 3-5 ans (le temps que les rhizomes/racines pourrissent dans la terre) pour imaginer commencer à planter dans la zone.
L'explication retranscrite ci-dessus est approximative. Prenez le temps de lire (et éventuellement traduire) l'article de Steve pour avoir tous les détails et gagner la Guerre du Bambou : ça marche vraiment très bien ;)
Mon expérience : bambous de diamètre 4cm en moyenne, 6cm pour les plus gros, 10m de haut environ. "Bambouseraie" assez dense sur 15m x 20m, filant partout dans le terrain et chez les voisins, devenue incontrôlable.
Tout coupé à la main à l'été 2016 (coupe branche de qualité, scie à métaux pour les plus gros, très gros boulot et évacuation compliquée : deux "fagots de cannes" de 2-3 mètres de diamètre au niveau des tiges, 6-8m au niveau des feuilles), 3 repousses entre le printemps et l'été 2017, tout coupé au sécateur à chaque fois (ils sont beaucoup plus petit dès la première repousse, 2-3 heures de boulot à chaque repousse).
Fin d'été 2017, les repousses sont maintenant beaucoup plus éparses, petites et moins véloces (1h pour la dernière coupe) : pas sûr du tout que ces bambous connaîtront l'été 2018 (espoir !)
Pour raser les "pieds de bambous" coupés trop haut, qui sont vieux et durs comme de la pierre, j'utilise une meuleuse d'angle et un disque à bois (Leja Tools Kiwsaw, 4 dents, 12cm de diamètre, 25€) pour le ramener facilement au niveau du sol (objectifs : tondeuse et ensuite engazonnement).
Si vous êtes embêté.e.s avec des bambous, je vous invite vraiment à lire/traduite l'article de Steve ainsi que les commentaires et réponses de Steve : super méthode qui fonctionne !
Merci Steve !
I inherited bamboo when I bought my house; it had moved over from the Asian-owned property next door. I thin it out in the stand where it exists, try to prevent the spread, mow it when it crops up in odd places in the yard. I don't want to get rid of all of it because it makes a nice privacy barrier, but there are deciduous trees mixed in that need attention - just to get to them I need to cut a lot of bamboo! I have made several "double fences" in my yard: 2 wire fences set a foot or so apart into which I put all sorts of yard debris, the idea being that eventually I'll have a nice growing medium for vines, berries, whatever. They're all getting filled up with dry and green bamboo! I suspect the green stuff will rot in a reasonable length of time, but the dry may hang around for quite a while. So, 3 questions:
ReplyDeleteIs there any sort of organic substance that will hasten composting?
Should I invest in a wood chipper? I don't want to spend more than a couple hundred bucks, prefer electric, looking for a recommendation from you or a reader.
I have a Weed Dragon torch for driveway and patio clean-up. Is this a good way to prevent regrowth?
Thanks for any suggestions!
Then, to cover the split that occurs between the 8' pieces, I added a cap along the top edge of the lattice boards; this also strengthens the flexible lattice. We'll see how well this holds up in the wind. All in all, 75' of cut lattice (only 3 4x8' sheets), plus screws and caps, came to almost $200. fencing supplies
ReplyDeleteWe moved into a farm this past fall and have a good sized grove growing in a very overgrown area. There are trees ,bushes , other grasses, grapevines, growing there also. I feel very overwhelmed by the prospect of trying to get rid of this bamboo. I’m probably going to try your method . Have heard other horrid stories of ppl who have had an impossible time trying to get rid of bamboo where it shouldn’t be growing. My big concern is one edge of this grove is about 30 feet from my septic.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteNeed advise please, neighbour has planted bamboo without a trench on the boundary line of my property and i have discovered the paved bricks in the yard have lifted and on removing a few bricks found the largest Rhizome i have ever seen.
Neighbour is not approachable so i need to know without the hassle and costs of legal action what i can do to kill this god dam bamboo, the guy is an idiot and has done this out of apite and clearly doeant know how to look after or even what he has bought??.
Thank you for your column, it is the most informative that I have seen. You mention using a chain saw or loppers to cut through the bamboo. We had ours cut down but they left a 6" stalk, most are 1 1/2" in diameter. They are dangerous for the grandkids and go the perimeter of the backyard, about 150'. My question is how can you get a even cut at ground level without gumming up the chain saw? I used a hand saw and it worked great, but is it possible to get same result with chain saw? My 64 year old husband is the one I am going to ask to do it. There are too many to use a lopper. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI bought a gas trimmer from Lowe's home improvement. The model I bought is Husqvarna 128ld. Then bought the following items that are bamboos worst nightmare : Renegade Blade 1 Blade 8"-32t and the hardware to attach the blade to the trimmer:Jeteven Gardening Machine Lawnmower Blade. Be very careful as this thing is basically a saw on a stock ready to cut anything in its path. Actually this comb makes the clearing fun!
DeleteIt certainly is the ram on the network. afoot on abnormal persona's deeds. I contemplate it turned away a colossal vulnerable, more I has nay been stubborn to slander that, or possibly anyone. Long Prong
ReplyDeleteHello, I’m in search for a little advice. I purchased a house that had a 30x15 yrd field of bamboo. I painstakingly dug up the major clumps. That being said, there are running rhizomes that keep producing small shoots. I covered the area with thick plastic and that has seemed to slow them down but they still are sprouting without breaching through the plastic. Can I use a tiller to dig up/break up the rest of the roots? The goal is to plant grass in that area sooner than later and I am getting tired of looking at the plastic. Thanks for the help in advance.
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing this information, it has been totally invaluable to me in removing some uncontrolled clumps of bamboo in my garden.
ReplyDeleteI have been digging running bamboo since last July. I've gotten most of the rhizomes and cut all the culms in the original bed. The mass of roots their is tough, but I'm making progress. There are a few shoot coming up there, but I cut them as they emerge. The bamboo from the original bed spread under a retaining wall and up to an upper planting bed and then out to my backyard neighbors yard. I've dug rhizomes out of that bed too. I have been cutting shoots in the neighbor's yard (it's a lot about to be built on so no owners yet). I find shoots from the fence to about 20 feet from my fence. I crawl over there and cut everything I find as it emerges. I think I have cut all the connections to their yard by digging a 12" trench along my fence. Do I need to worry about the bamboo coming back into my yard? Any other recommendations?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there are a lot of AIDS/Herpes denials on Herbal cures still out there. I did research on them after I was tested HIV/Herpes positive I was so worried am I going to die soon. I continue my search again on herbal remedy for Std, then I found lots of testimony on how Dr Itua Herbal Medicine Cured HIV/Aids, Herpes Virus,Copd, Hepatitis, Diabetes, On websites sharing their testimonies, which made much more sense to me. All the authors pronounce Dr Itua As a man with Good Heart, I pick interest in their testimonies and I contact him about my situation then he gave me procedure how it works, I proceed after one week he courier his Herbal Medicine to me and instruct me on how to drink it for two weeks to cure. I receive His Herbal Medicine so I drank it for two weeks as I was told then after 2 days I go for a test I found out I was cured from HIV/Aids & Herpes Virus, I pay homage to him 2 months ago to his country to celebrate with him on his African festival which he told me it usually happens every year. I know there are lots of (HIV)/Aids&Herpes Virus denials of Herbal Remedy movement the same few doctors and they represent a very small faction of the community. I could have died because I refused Natural Herbs Cures for so long, but luckily, by the grace of God I am alive to tell my story. Contact Info...Whatsapp Number...+2348149277967,Email...drituaherbalcenter@gmail.com/ info@drituaherbalcenter.com. My Instagram Username...avat5634 Just in case you need someone to talk with. He cure the following diseases below...1. Herpes 2. cancer 3. HIV / AIDS 4. hepatitis 5. Bring my ex back 6. Leprosy 7. SARS 8. Bubonic plague
ReplyDelete9. Cerebrovascular disease 10. Lower respiratory infections 11. Syphilis 12. Influenza A-H1N1 (swine flu) 13.Ischemic heart disease 14. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 15. Shingles 16. psoriasis,Perinatal complications 17. diarrhea 18 Autism. 19.. lung cancer.
Hi Steve we have a bamboo grove that is invading our olive grove If we chainsaw down to ground level and covered it with Black fabric to starve it of light will it not rot quicker? Celia
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ReplyDeleteI never thought i would be HIV negative again after been diagnosed in 2017, i have tried everything possible in life from one doctor to another, one hospital to another, series of tests, different kinds of medication, i had already lost hope until i meet Great Dr. OSAGIE online testimonies, a specialist in herbal medication from Africa, i contacted him (drosagiesolutiontemple@gmail.com OR
ReplyDeleteDROSAGIESOULTIONTEMPLE@YAHOO.COM) and he prepared HIV herbal medication for me which i took for 7days and now i am completely cured. i want to use this medium to express my gratitude to him for saving my life and curing me from HIV, for taking away all my pains and sorrows, I''m indeed grateful and i am so happy I''m now HIV negative. i will continue to tell the good news of your great works to everyone, if you have HIV or other disease contact him, Email: his email: (drosagiesolutiontemple@gmail.com OR
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RECENTLY CURED FROM Hsv2 ..hello, i am very happy to inform you that i am finally cured from Hsv2 virus with the use of herbal medicine, the herbal medicine cured me completely and i was tested negative after usage, i am using this means to inform other's who have the virus that there is a cure for Hsv2 it is absolutely true, this is not a scam. i confirm it my self and i am a living witness to it. i was cured by @dr_anuge7, only him i can recognise who cure Hsv2 perfectly well the rest other doctor are scams . i will advice you to contact this great doctor who GOD sent to put an end to the sorrow life of Hsv2, link him up on iG @dr_anuge7 his email dranuge@gmail.com
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Never give up in life they all say no cure to HSV 2 which is a big lie I have pass through many process also i never believe there is really cure to HERPES until I meet Dr.Oseremen the doctor that have been helping many people for many years, I come across this doctor online when I was searching for cure online I found out about this man, and to my greatest surprise this man have the herbal medicine which I have been looking for years I explain my problem to him through the email I found on someone who testify about him also, Dr.Oseremen write me a reply and explain how the process work so after ordering for the medicine I got it within 4 days and I took it according to the way Dr.Oseremen instructed, I was so happy after two week I took the medicine there was very big change in my health when I was done with the process I go for test, I found out I am negative that was the day I have the tears of joy you can also get in contact with my doctor through his email now Dr.oseremenvadi@gmail.com or you can also WhatsApp him +2349056394313, And He also have herbs medicine to cured the following diseases; eczema,urethra wart,chronic problems.Herpes, Cancer, Als,Hepatitis, Diabetes, HPV,Infections,ulcer ETC
ReplyDeleteI’ve been Feeling weak and always feeling sleepy for some time which I went for a test and I was told i am diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Disease (ALS DISEASE) ever since then I've followed a wide variety of medical treatments, I have even combined with different pills and antibiotics without clear results. My health was deteriorating more and more. But thanks to a Herbal Doctor's herbs method that I found on the internet which has saved so many lives and also helped me to achieve the results i wanted, i knew from the beginning that this could help me after much learning and the cure Dr sent to me and which I began to follow the method from the Herbal Doctor called (Dr Aziba) and the results were wonderful: I recommend you to get in contact with him via
ReplyDeleteEmail: priestazibasolutioncenter@gmail.com and on
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I’ve been Feeling weak and always feeling sleepy for some time which I went for a test and I was told i am diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Disease (ALS DISEASE) ever since then I've followed a wide variety of medical treatments, I have even combined with different pills and antibiotics without clear results. My health was deteriorating more and more. But thanks to a Herbal Doctor's herbs method that I found on the internet which has saved so many lives and also helped me to achieve the results i wanted, i knew from the beginning that this could help me after much learning and the cure Dr sent to me and which I began to follow the method from the Herbal Doctor called (Dr Aziba) and the results were wonderful: I recommend you to get in contact with him via
Email: priestazibasolutioncenter@gmail.com and on
WhatsApp: +2348100368288 for ALS, HPV, HSV, HERPES, Virginal Infection Cure etc.. DR is also available to help!
Bonjour à tous, je veux juste donner ce grand témoignage à tout le public sur un grand homme qui m'a aidé dans une maladie grave. J'ai eu le VIRUS HSV-1 ET HSV-2 depuis 2 bonnes années maintenant et j'allais presque à la fin de ma vie à cause de la maladie. Tout ce que j'ai en tête, c'est, laissez-moi abandonner parce que la vie ne m'intéresse plus et je prie aussi que Dieu accepte mon âme chaque fois que je pars heureusement pour moi, ma petite sœur me court pour qu'elle trouvé un médecin sur Internet qui peut guérir les virus HSV-1 ET HSV-2. Elle m'a aidé avec tout, l'homme a demandé mes coordonnées pour qu'il puisse me préparer des plantes médicinales. Après avoir fini de consulter mes détails, il m'a dit comment mon médicament serait préparé, après avoir fini de préparer mon médicament, il m'a envoyé mon médicament et après l'avoir utilisé pendant 21 jours, j'ai commencé plus tard à remarquer quelque chose de différent dans mon sang. pour mon test VIRUS HSV-1 ET HSV-2 et j'ai été testé Négatif, je suis tellement heureux de pouvoir dire que je ne suis plus patient du HSV-1 ET du HSV-2. Si vous avez HSV-1 ET HSV-2 ou toute autre maladie, VIH / SIDA, HPV, CANCER, HEPATITE B DIABETIQUE ALS. s'il vous plaît pour votre sécurité, contactez DR.HAZIM USMAN VIA adresse e-mail (usmandrhazim@gmail.com) ou numéro WhatsApp +2349058026857
ReplyDeleteYour article is quite helpful! I have so many questions, and you have answered many. Thank you! Such a nice and superb article, we have been looking for this information about bamboo removal made easy . Indeed a great post about it!! I have seen similar information at one place, you can also see on https://www.thetreeman.co.nz
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing useful information for all. AAKASH is a leading Bamboo Biomass Power Plant engaged in the bamboo plantation and creating sustainable environment friendly sources of energy for the use of mankind.
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ReplyDeleteI have be living with Oral herpes for over 4 years now and it has be a big problem for me.I have been looking for solution because i can't leave with it, One day i came across a woman testimony on a forum saying she got cured of her Herpes with the help of Dr OBUDU an herbal doctor from African with herbal medicine. At first i did not believe because i was not sure herbs can really take this virus away,but i have no choice than to give it a try and contacted him with his emails, i explain my problems,.. then he told me not to worry that he will prepare the a cure with herbal mixture and send it to me, i got the medicine after 4 days delivery and i use as instructed. After 21 days when the herb got almost finish i went to a medical doctor, i did a test and discover that the virus was gone, and my test result were HSV 1%2 negative,i was so surprise and happy! then i wrote Dr OBUDU and thank him for getting me cured from herpes. I advice you to contact this great herbal doctor OBUDU as he have cure for different kinds of diseases.i decided to share this testimony to let others who also suffer from herpes know about this and give hope to others, you can reach him via Email drobuduherbalhome@gmail.com also https://drobuduherbalhome.wixsite.com/welcometoobuduherbal WhatsAPP number +2349023428871 .,,.,
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ReplyDeleteI have a neighbor who prefers to keep his running bamboo for "privacy" benefits. His yard is overrun with ivy so the ivy and bamboo are competing (half of his bamboo is dying and hardly providing much privacy). Unfortunately, that has caused numerous problems for me and adjoining neighbors as the bamboo is pushing outwards and is trying to thrive in our yards. Since I can't cut down the neighbor's bamboo and there's limited space between our homes (not much space for a trench in some spots), what do you recommend I do to keep the bamboo out of my yard? If I keep digging out the bamboo shoots as they sprout, is that enough to contain the situation and keep the bamboo from really growing in my yard? I also try to dig out the roots when I'm able, but it's difficult when they're growing under the fence.
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ReplyDeleteHi I'm living testimony that doctor Dr Ikpoko herbs work for herpes cure,I recommend dr.macaulay if you are having challenges with herpes and other health problems.contmact for more.(1) HIV(2) AIDS(3) HPV-1(4) HPV-2(5) HERPES(6) DIABETES(7) HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE(8) PCOS(9) CANCER(10) SPELLE.T.C, Whatsapp +254773606443 drikpoko@gmail.com https://drikpoko.wixsite.com/herbs.
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ReplyDeleteHello Steve
ReplyDeleteHave dug out 5 root balls of clump forming 10 year old Fargesia Campbell bamboo, took 2 days of very hard work!
(All canes were cut down first).
which has left lots of very small thin fibrous roots remaining
Will they resprout or do we have to remove all these aswell or can we kill them with something?.
Would like to replant shrubs in this area next spring or would be better waiting to be sure that all bamboo is dead
Thanking you in advance