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Bamboo Canes
jeffsmail1949
Posts: 2
in Plants
Can anyone please tell me how to get rid of Long bamboo shoots permanently?
0
Posts
I think its sheer hard work digging. Not sure you can buy dynamite easily
Seriously though, I have a similar task ahead of me and I read that the runners are fairly near the surface but the fibrous roots can go down 2-3 feet. If anyone has an answer I'm joining jeffs queue for knowledge too.
There was a clump of very untidy bamboo when we moved here 5 years ago which appeared to be just over 1m diameter. I hated it and the neighbours were very concerned that the bamboo had spread under their patio and started lifting the slabs.
We decided to launch a joint war on it from both sides.
We removed a huge root ball from the centre of the clump - about 1m diameter and about 18" deep. Further digging revealed several small smaller root balls (but all the same plant). The total area covered by the plant and runners was finally revealed to be about 3m x 3m.
We managed to dig out the root balls (very hard work) and as many runners as we could find (easy). Neighbours lifted their patio and did the same on that side. The whole area was left exposed for a season and we both either dug out new shoots / runners as they appeared or sprayed new shoots with glyphosate. Some of it had gone under paths so that had to be zapped with weedkiller.
We cleared the area in one season and were able to replant the next.
It's bloomin' hard work. No easy way other than heavy digging and you need to be really vigilant and zap any new shoots as they appear. Nobody would ever convince me to grow bamboo after that experience.
Good luck
Thanks T'Bird. I expected that was the answer!