While bamboo plants are known for their beauty as ornaments and the center of attention in a landscape, you may find that you need to know how to get rid of bamboo that has become a problem. Currently, there are more than 1,200 species of bamboo sold in many nursery gardens, which can escape their true purpose as decoration and become a nuisance that damages the environment and adjacent yards. Destroying bamboo can be a process that can take several years, depending on the density of the plant, but it can be done using some simple garden tools.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Getting Rid of the Bamboo Clump
Step 1. Separate the clump of bamboo that you want to destroy
Bamboo stalks or stems are connected to the ground by rhizomes or living roots, called rhizomes, which grow very quickly and are covered by the soil surface. By cutting the rhizome, you can separate and hold the bamboo (which you want to destroy). The easiest way to cut the rhizome is to slice it with the hard end of a shovel.
- If you want to destroy an entire clump of bamboo, you'll need to work from the edges to the middle. First separate the outer clump grooves so that the bamboo is stuck in one area. It may take you weeks, months, or even years, depending on how big the clump of bamboo you are working with.
- This technique is also effective if you want to maintain a certain section of the bamboo clump. Cut the rhizomes that connect the bamboo sections so that the clumps no longer spread and continue to grow together. Then, continue with the process of destroying one particular part and leaving the other part alive. You will need to trim the entire section at regular intervals to prevent "movement" underground and spreading to other areas.
Step 2. Destroy the bamboo sticks completely
Next, on the cut part of the rhizome, trim the entire bamboo stem as close to the base as possible. For thin bamboo stalks, you may be able to use a lawn mower or a lopper. As for larger rods, you may have to cut them with a chainsaw. If you take care of the area all the time, the bamboo won't have a chance to grow big again.
You can cut bamboo stalks at any time of the year, but doing so in the spring when you notice new growth is a good time to destroy them. At that time the bamboo plant is using its energy reserves, so you will be able to destroy it more and more quickly than if you tried to destroy it when the bamboo was dormant
Step 3. Dig out the bamboo rhizome
Use a shovel to dig and remove the bamboo rhizomes. The best time to dig up the rhizome is at the same time you cut the stem. Bamboo grows so fast that in a day or two the plant will have new stems to cut before you have time to dig up and remove the rhizomes.
If the clump of bamboo is too large to cut and dig at the same time in a day, remember to start working from the outside to the inside, gradually holding back the clump of bamboo that you are about to destroy
Step 4. Keep cutting and digging until you see no more shoots
In the first few rounds you will remove some of the rhizome, so you will need to use the same method several times before the clump of bamboo is completely destroyed. If you do this in the spring, the growth cycle will be fast, and you will be able to destroy a lot of bamboo in a few days. At a later time, you may need to inspect the area every few weeks, for any new growth.
Part 2 of 2: Preventing Bamboo from Growing Back
Step 1. Use a root barrier
If a neighbor's bamboo plant slowly and steadily enters your yard, you can prevent this by using a root barrier on the affected area. Plastic coil root barriers are available at gardening and home improvement stores. Barriers of metal or concrete are also effective.
- If you prefer not to use a non-porous material in your yard, you can dig a trench that can act as a barrier.
- Making a pond or stream will also be effective in blocking the growth of bamboo roots.
Step 2. Consider using herbicides
Applying herbicides to the leaves on bamboo shoots will help prevent new growth from occurring. However, herbicides don't always react as well as when you remove the bamboo stems and rhizomes by hand. It may be difficult to find the right chemical for the type of bamboo you want to destroy. In fact, if you find the right chemicals, in the process you can kill other plants or damage the surrounding bamboo clumps that will still be preserved.
If you want to try herbicides, use a glyphosate herbicide or a selective-grass herbicide - a type of herbicide that only kills the grass/weeds and keeps other plants alive. Apply the herbicide directly to the bamboo whenever new growth appears. Selective lawn herbicides are not as effective as glyphosate in controlling bamboo, but they can be used in flowering plant beds or around other ornamental shrubs
Step 3. Purchase a species of clumping bamboo. Not all bamboo species “grow” all over the yard; In fact, some types of bamboo stay in the container when you plant them. Ask an expert at your local nursery to help you choose a type of bamboo whose growth will not interfere with your yard/home.
Step 4. Plant the bamboo in the pot
This is a simple way to enjoy the bamboo plant while keeping its growth under control. Most types of bamboo grow well in large pots that can be placed on the terrace or yard.
Tips
- Be aware that growing bamboo has been a great idea for the first decade or so, but eventually, whoever owns the land, will eventually curse the person who grows bamboo.
- Be careful when using the herbicide glyphosate, as it will destroy almost every plant that is sprayed.
- Of the two types of bamboo, namely clumping and spreading, bamboo that grows 'spreads' is the most invading and difficult to destroy.
- You should treat all parts of the bamboo clump, not just the problem areas. Otherwise, the bamboo will grow back.
Warning
- Don't let bamboo escape your eradication efforts. Bamboo can be an aggressive nuisance plant that will take advantage of the leeway you are given, to re-grow.
- Bamboo has almost no disease or predators that can help you control the crowds of these plants. Bamboo is a very aggressive plant and suppresses many other existing plants.
