So I think one way or another I need to try and get the main root mass out. I've now ordered a large crowbar with a sharp cutting end, so will try to cut down through the edges and lever it out.
Then I will just continue to treat regrowth of the areas I can't get to.
Thanks lots. I had definitely considered setting fire to it all - or just dumping all the hot ash on top of it when I have my next fire.
Problem is it is right up against the wooden fence, and the other side of the fence is next door's brand new raised decking / balcony, with a wood store underneath it. I'd be happy to risk it - but my other half is a bit more cautious / sensible.
If you are going to have a new patio laid, get the guys who do it for you to dig out the bamboo....or hire a mini digger from your local tool hire place. We did this to dig out horrible leylandii. We chopped them down to ground level and then used the digger to take out the roots and the manky soil. Good luck!!
Thanks. Yes - I can get them to dig out the bamboo at the same time as they do the patio. I was worried about bits being left and then sprouting again. I will have to tell them to try and get every last bit.
Unfortunately me neighbour is letting it grow on her side of the fence so I will have to install a barrier to stop it coming back!
I did a very similar thing last year and bought a house with Bamboo which looked nice but a bit overgrown and completely underestimated the trouble I would have with it. By the time I moved in it was at least 10 foot tall and I could see it beginning to lift up the concrete path and even come up the other side of the path and between other plants.
A year and a half later and I (fingers crossed) think I have removed the last of it. I cut it all as low as I could last year, did a small amount of spraying in the autumn and then kept digging. It was impossible to dig it out with just a spade, this year I bought a grafting spade which made a big difference but I had to use it in combination with a pick axe and loppers. i broke up the soil and the clumps with the axe, dug round itand under it as much as possible and used the loppers to cut the horizontal rhizomes. All of this helps take out the density of the Rhizomes which is what makes it so difficult to dig. By continuing to lop the Rhizomes you also loosen the plant itself as you have effectively removed one of its anchors/foundations
Another tip I read which helped was if it is in clumps to dig a trench about 2ft deep around the clump. Then and Rhizomes growing out should be exposed into the trench as they don't grow much more than 2ft deep, then you cut each new rhizome that you see back which should strave it of energy.
Garden Sales - I am glad I am not alone! Congratulations on winning your battle with the bamboo.
I have more or less given up on the idea of weedkillers to kill it off. Nothing I have tried has worked. Now I am resigned to having to dig it up so will do as you suggest and start to progressively work in from the sides where I can access.
My biggest problem is that it is growing in a sunken pit between the patio and the fence, so access is really tricky. To get it all I will have to remove some patio I think.
I spent three hours yesterday evening trying to attack the bamboo, to try and cut off the rhizomes that are reaching under the patio steps and into next door's new patio.
My patio is already ruined, but I want to stop it contain it from spreading further while I try and find a way to get to the main root mass.
I started by lifting patio stones where bamboo had started to poke through. I am amazed! And not in a good way.
My patio has a 18" solid concrete base. The bamboo has happily pushed through that over 8 feet horizontally and lifted off paving stones where it emerged.
See below for some photos...
This one show the patio tiles pushed off by bamboo, over 8 feet away from where it has grown. I've now cut off the rhizomes here
You can see the remains of the bamboo plant in the background, by the fence.
The photo below shows how much the bamboo has grown under the patio (through concrete base!). This was under the flagstones that i lifted out with hammers and a crowbar.
We bought our house over 20 years ago. It had a nice, small patch of bamboo in the side yard. Im guessing it was planted as a bearier from the neighbors. Unfortunately, that cute little patch has grown, and pretty much taken over our whole ,75 acre property. It has grown under the house before. It has grown though our decks. It will pop up one day, and next thing you know that shoot is 10 ft, then 60 ft tall. We've put the strongest weedkillers directly into roots, and cut stumps. We've dugout roots. It just makes more come up. The weed killer made a bunch of small sprouts come up everywhere. They were almost worse than the full size ones. The only thing We've noticed is that it won't grow through water. It grew under, and even inside the frame but never through the liners of the swimming pools we've had as long as they had water in them. It makes for great shade, but it has become a complete nightmare! I've been told I am going to have someone come in and did this up with heavy equipment.
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Then I will just continue to treat regrowth of the areas I can't get to.
How about having a little bonfire on top of root mass ? It might loosen things up a bit
Thanks lots. I had definitely considered setting fire to it all - or just dumping all the hot ash on top of it when I have my next fire.
Problem is it is right up against the wooden fence, and the other side of the fence is next door's brand new raised decking / balcony, with a wood store underneath it. I'd be happy to risk it - but my other half is a bit more cautious / sensible.
If you are going to have a new patio laid, get the guys who do it for you to dig out the bamboo....or hire a mini digger from your local tool hire place. We did this to dig out horrible leylandii. We chopped them down to ground level and then used the digger to take out the roots and the manky soil. Good luck!!
Thanks. Yes - I can get them to dig out the bamboo at the same time as they do the patio. I was worried about bits being left and then sprouting again. I will have to tell them to try and get every last bit.
Unfortunately me neighbour is letting it grow on her side of the fence so I will have to install a barrier to stop it coming back!
I did a very similar thing last year and bought a house with Bamboo which looked nice but a bit overgrown and completely underestimated the trouble I would have with it. By the time I moved in it was at least 10 foot tall and I could see it beginning to lift up the concrete path and even come up the other side of the path and between other plants.
A year and a half later and I (fingers crossed) think I have removed the last of it. I cut it all as low as I could last year, did a small amount of spraying in the autumn and then kept digging. It was impossible to dig it out with just a spade, this year I bought a grafting spade which made a big difference but I had to use it in combination with a pick axe and loppers. i broke up the soil and the clumps with the axe, dug round itand under it as much as possible and used the loppers to cut the horizontal rhizomes. All of this helps take out the density of the Rhizomes which is what makes it so difficult to dig. By continuing to lop the Rhizomes you also loosen the plant itself as you have effectively removed one of its anchors/foundations
Another tip I read which helped was if it is in clumps to dig a trench about 2ft deep around the clump. Then and Rhizomes growing out should be exposed into the trench as they don't grow much more than 2ft deep, then you cut each new rhizome that you see back which should strave it of energy.
Garden Sales - I am glad I am not alone! Congratulations on winning your battle with the bamboo.
I have more or less given up on the idea of weedkillers to kill it off. Nothing I have tried has worked. Now I am resigned to having to dig it up so will do as you suggest and start to progressively work in from the sides where I can access.
My biggest problem is that it is growing in a sunken pit between the patio and the fence, so access is really tricky. To get it all I will have to remove some patio I think.
I spent three hours yesterday evening trying to attack the bamboo, to try and cut off the rhizomes that are reaching under the patio steps and into next door's new patio.
My patio is already ruined, but I want to stop it contain it from spreading further while I try and find a way to get to the main root mass.
I started by lifting patio stones where bamboo had started to poke through. I am amazed! And not in a good way.
My patio has a 18" solid concrete base. The bamboo has happily pushed through that over 8 feet horizontally and lifted off paving stones where it emerged.
See below for some photos...
This one show the patio tiles pushed off by bamboo, over 8 feet away from where it has grown. I've now cut off the rhizomes here
You can see the remains of the bamboo plant in the background, by the fence.
The photo below shows how much the bamboo has grown under the patio (through concrete base!). This was under the flagstones that i lifted out with hammers and a crowbar.
Don't plant bamboo!