Talkback: Growing bamboo

Gardeners' World Web User · November 2015

I have succesfully grown Bamboos for the past eight years both in pots and in the ground, Originally started with two good plants last year had fourteen plants. But with the winter we have just had have lost (I think) ten of them only the planted (P.Nigra) survived and one sheltered (P.vivax)
Do you think the damaged could be revived?

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

thanks that was very helpful,my son told me bamboo would invade the foundations of my house.A bit of an exageration obviously!

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

I have to say I'm not much of a fan of bamboo, but then the ones in my garden were planted by the previous owners and are now spreading and popping up all over the lawn. I know it'll be back-breaking to dig up the huge root balls, but does anyone know of an efficient way of getting rid of the runners without digging up my entire garden once I've done this?

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

Thanks James, this is a really useful post. I have experienced an invasive bamboo before in one of my previous gardens which went mad and started to invade just about every corner of the garden! In the end I had to dig it all out which was a hell of a job. Since this experience I have always planted bamboos in a dustbin or large pot buried in the ground to restrict their spread! this does actually work quite well but it's now nice to have this list so that I can be a little more 'selective' when choosing bamboos. I am planning a tropical/jungle area in my garden and bamboos will feature so I shall keep this list for reference!
Many thanks
Higgy
http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.com/

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

... more importantly, how do i kill it?! it's taking over the patch designated for it (my dad didn't really think it through when he was planting it) it's already made it's way to my neighbours' garden and i want to get rid of it completely without breaking my back and digging it all up. any suggestions?

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

I have the same problem.
We thought we had got rid of it a few years ago by backbreaking digging which took about a week. Sometimes take plants for free at your peril!
It's come back, how can I kill it please, because the ground was dug over it's proceeding at a rapid rate

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

Maybe you could try adopting a panda like the adverts on the tele suggest?

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

It's possible to kill bamboos by constant cutting or mowing. Like any plant, it will eventually die if you stop it photosynthesising. Glyphosate will work too, but you'll need sveral applications.
Kev in the windy garden: the roots may well have survived so just cut the dean canes and watch out for new growth.
Fargesia nitida varieties are well-behaved and very graceful. It flowered recently so there should soon be lots of new variations on the market. I have 75 seedlings from mine, (and a fairly small garden!) and even at a few inches high they are showing different characteristics. Should be interesting if I can find somewhere to put them. Most of the Fargesias do well in pots too.

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

Kev in the windy garden: I meant cut the dead canes, not dean canes!

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

Thanks, yes I will cut the DEAN canes OK the dead canes, and hope the roots will bring forth new canes as I need the hight, I have them planted in large tubs over my septic tank, to disguise it. I too have used large plastic bins buried in the ground to stop them spreading and yes this works but a word of warning as it is difficult when you want to split them.

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2011

i would never grow bamboo ever again, it does not like being in the wind.
i had a bamboo plant and after 10 years i wanted to replace it with an other plant but i had to hire a mini digger to get it out!

Talkback: Growing bamboo

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