Remove Bamboo from Garden

HappyDancer

Hi folks,

I'm having a problem with overgrown bamboo in my garden. While some is welcomed (it hides the oil tank), offshoots have appeared and despite cutting back regularly, continues to do so. Are there any tried and trusted methods for stopping bamboo from coming back other than digging up and leaving holes in the garden?
Cheers

Rancid

Here's a link to how to control the spread of bamboos:
http://www.bamboogarden.com/barrier%20installation.htm
Worth the effort to save the bamboo, digging it out should be the last option!

HappyDancer

Cheers Rancid

Some fantastic ideas for controlling without having to destroy,

Rancid

Good luck with the work!

I'm opting for the pruning trench around mine before it becomes a real problem. They're planted about 4 years now and I'm beginning to see them starting to spread.:eek:

slowburner

I was taught to stick slates in vertically as a barrier when planting bamboo, or other potentially invasive plants. It's not a difficult thing to do retrospectively either.

Rancid

Sounds like a very good solution, I think anything that forces the spreading shoots to come above ground works. Then you can lop them off or cut them back easily.

slowburner

Rancid wrote: »

Sounds like a very good solution, I think anything that forces the spreading shoots to come above ground works. Then you can lop them off or cut them back easily.

Or propagate them and sell them

blacktalons

so last years severe frosts did not kill them....very interesting!

slowburner

blacktalons wrote: »

so last years severe frosts did not kill them....very interesting!

I've five species of bamboo here. Only one (bambusa nigra) looked damaged by the winter - but it threw up shoots a couple of weeks back

Rancid

blacktalons wrote: »

so last years severe frosts did not kill them....very interesting!

I've 6 different bamboos, some used as screening at the end of the garden, another around 2m tall and then some smaller shrubby ones and they all survived.
In fact my Sasaella ramosa is flowering right now
Many bamboos are hardy well into the minus temps.

oflynno

if anone has spare bamboo plants,i 'd love them

blacktalons

Rancid wrote: »

I've 6 different bamboos, some used as screening at the end of the garden, another around 2m tall and then some smaller shrubby ones and they all survived.
In fact my Sasaella ramosa is flowering right now
Many bamboos are hardy well into the minus temps.

i will be planting a few,after reading this,:D

annieoburns

I have a well behaved bamboo down about 10 years. I am thinking of getting rid of it to develop a veg patch. Any advice about salvaging some plants to relocate and killing off major stump.:eek: I thought it was prone to a natural death after so many years? I suppose wait until autumn...?

slowburner

oflynno wrote: »

if anone has spare bamboo plants,i 'd love them

Get oflynno to dig them up for you

oflynno

i have this in my toolbox

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://toolmonger.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/BigDigger-450.jpg&imgrefurl=http://toolmonger.com/category/kids/&usg=__4ZGyPSdp0QdQ_nJOhaswx06n1EI=&h=450&w=450&sz=39&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=p-ySJnS8BIZE8M:&tbnh=135&tbnw=158&ei=tarmTeGNOY6xhAf0v_HECg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbig%2Bdigger%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D605%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=485&vpy=106&dur=1094&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=117&ty=151&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&biw=1024&bih=605

slowburner

That should do the trick