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Bamboo Control Because all I sell is running bamboo, control is a high priority with most of my customers. Most of these bamboos can be fairly agressive and in the right conditions some can be extremely agressive, spreading dozens of feet a year. This can be a problem and is definitely something you should thing about before ordering and planting running bambo. There are several methods used to control running bamboo and some work better than others. I use most all these methods in one way or another. If you have plenty of room you can just plant them in a large, open area and mow around them. However, this is not practical for many people. Often people want to plant their bamboo next to their property line and then control becomes critical. For situations such as this, I often recommend installing bamboo rhizome barrier. This is a heavy plastic, usually 24 inches wide, placed in the ground around the bamboo. The barrier we sell in described below and we include complete directions for installation. The effectiveness of the bamboo rhizome barrier depends a great deal on being installed in the correct method/ To order, or if you have questions, call me at 205 283 5638. |
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Minimum purchase is 20 feet of either material. Maximum uncut length available is 300 feet. Both thicknesses are available in 24" width which is appropriate for most applications. 30"widths are availble on special order. Prices 24" by 30 mil - $1.60 per foot plus shipping. SOLD OUT 24"
by 40 mil (recommended) - $2.00 per foot plus shipping. Send us your zip code and will provide shipping cost for the amount of material you order. |
Control of Bamboo
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are many types of bamboo but in general they can be divided into either
clumpers or runners. The clumpers are non-invasive. The
vast majority of clumpers are sub-tropical or tropical, althought there
are a few that are extremely cold hardy, most of those can't handle the
heat in the southeast. Because of this, all I grow and sell are
the running types of bamboo. These bamboos spread by sending
out underground rhizomes (these are rootlike, underground stems).. These
can travel dozens of feet in a single season sending up new canes in the
spring. You have to stop or divert these in order to control the spread
of the bamboo. The same bamboo that may be well behaved in cold climates can be very invasive in a warm climate with plenty of water.Running bamboos spread by sending out underground rhizomes which then send up new shoots around the original planting. A large grove of bamboo may be a single plant, interconnected undeground by rhizomes. If you have new shoots coming up in your yard, a few inches to several feet away from other canes, it is probably a running bamboo. There are several ways to control running bamboo. One of the simplest is to kick over or cut off unwanted shoots each spring. This works best if the grove is in an open area where one can easily spot new shoots. This must be done every year. If you are trying to kill the bamboo you must cut down ALL the canes and remove any new shoots. You may need to do this for 2 to 3 years. Eventually the bamboo will use up all it's reserves and die. Remember, they are connected underground so removing the canes and new shoots in one area is only a temporary solution. The rhizomes store energy and will continue to send up new canes for a while. If there are canes left they will feed the rhizomes.. One popular method used to control bamboo is to install a rhizome barrier. Usually this is a thick plastic (30 to 60 mil), 24 to 36 inches in width. Basically you dig a trench around the bamboo, install the barrier making sure the seams where it meets are well sealed, and backfill. It's a good idea to leave the barrier sticking up a couple inches above ground as the rhizomes can go over the barrier and continue to spread. You will need to check the barrier from time to time and remove any rhizomes trying to go over. In a cold climate with dense, clay soil 24" deep may be fine. In a warm climate with sandy soil you should definitely go 36" deep. Idealy the barrier will be slanted outward at the top to guide rhizomes upward instead of allowing them go down and under the barrier. We sell rhizome barrier in 30 and 40 mil thicknesses, 24" wide. We can supply 36" material on special order.Take a look here for information on purchasing and installing. While rhizome barrier can be an effective method of control there are many variables that should be taken into account. Rhizome barrier should be used in conjunction with other control methods for best results in controlling bamboos spread. Another method is to dig a trench around the bamboo and leave it open. You can inspect the trench regularly and cut any underground rhizomes trying to cross over. Other people have used this method but filled the trench with gravel or mulch. Then each fall a shovel is thrust down into the trench, going all around the grove, pruning any rhizomes that are crossing the ditch. I have seen this method used quite effectively. At my nursery I use a combination of methods for control. Some groves are in large open areas and I simply keep the surrounding area mowed for 20 to 30 feet out from the grove. We have a pond and streams and I've used these as effective barriers as bamboo generally won't cross water or a wet area. (contrary to popular opinion, most bamboos won't grow in wet or "swampy" areas".) I have a long, concrete driveway over extremely compacted soil and this has also proven to be an effective barrier. Even a dirt road that is well traveled will often form a barrier. This being said, it is necessary to be vigilant. Skipping a seaon of rhizome growth will mean more work in the future and less likelyhood that you will keep the bamboo under control. For more information on controlling bamboo visit this link at the American Bamboo Society. |
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