Containing Bamboo

18 years ago

I want to contain Black and Golden Bamboo. I live in Louisiana and have clay soil.

If I dig a 3' deep trench and line it with 2 layers of 40 mil pond liner, overlapping the seam 4-5' and taping both sides, would that contain them? How deep do the roots go?

If I don't contain them with a barrier, how hard is it to contain by root pruning? Meaning, if I just run the lawnmower around the perimeter of the stands, will that keep them in check or will the roots continue to run under the ground surface till they get to a place where grass can't be cut?

I have koi ponds and do not want the bamboo getting into the bottom drains or punching through the liner.

Featured Answer

gniessen

18 years ago

Statements like $50,000 to remove 5000 sqft of bamboo are a bit of an exaggeration. It perpetuates the urban myths about bamboo.

Even if you needed to have a large backhoe dig up the grove it would only cost $500-$1000 to dig it up and then maybe twice that for fill and then topsoil. And sod varies a lot by area and type. But you can't include new fancy landscaping costs in the removal cost. If you advertise you have a grove you would probably get a bunch of bamboo enthusiasts to come out and take most of it. If someone tries to charge you $50k for removal, you should report them to the BBB.

And for a cheaper method (though slower) you just cut it all down and then mow down anything that pops up. It will soon die off. The rotting can be helped by over watering the area. You would be left with a very nutrient rich area for a garden. You just have to be patient.

Remember it is a living plant that can die.

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Comments (8)

bambookid524
18 years ago
I am assumiong what you call black bamboo is Phyllostachys Nigra, and I know golden bamboo is is Phyllostachys Aurea.

The roots usually only go about 16" max. deep.

I don't have any expierience with barriers so I will let someone who does, answer the other questions.

-Steve
kntryhuman
Original Author
18 years ago
That helps knowing the roots don't go very deep.

Thanks.
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tcstoehr
18 years ago
There is no doubt that these running bamboos can puncture a 40-mil pond liner material. The question is whether it will choose to do so or just bend its growth to a path of less resistance. That largely depends on how congested the area becomes. A small area will soon get filled with running rhizomes which will then likely put increasing pressure on the liner and puncture it. A larger areal will suffer the same problem as more and more rhizomes grow along the border of their area.
suprdude
18 years ago
Two layers of pond liner is more expensive than real polypropylene bamboo barrier, and easier to work with. The rizones will not be contained by the pond liner either.
miraclegrower
18 years ago
Most running bamboo is like a wet cat in a bag, if it cannot grow in one direction, it will grow the other.
Some bamboos have been known to cause some serious damage, growing through concrete in some instances. The rhizomes can slowly grow pushing their way through just about anything.
Bamboo that does escape can cost thousands to remove.
If you have a small area, and you plan on growing Running Bamboo, you better be very diligent.
I own a landscaping Design Company in Kentucky, and I have told customers it would cost them $50,000 to remove a 5000 sq. foot section of bamboo from their yards.
Removing two feet of soil along with rhizomes and bamboo then replacing it with fresh soil and sod is costly stuff.
suprdude
18 years ago
"Bamboo that does escape can cost thousands to remove"...what a ridiculous statement. It cost nothing but a little bit of your time. 'Miraclegrower' is flat-out wrong.
stgermain
18 years ago
Before we moved, we had a bamboo nigra in our garden. We started with one and after a few years, well you can guess.
But suprdude is right, it only costs a little bit of your time .

Here is a link that might be useful: www.casagarden.com/bamboo-plants-online/