Killing bamboo

10 years ago

I've been dealing with bamboo for 30+ years. It grew up inside my aluminum siding which i hade to remove. I cut it out deep with cheap blades and a sawsall! Works but comes back eventually. Trenched a few years ago with a big tiller anf that really helped. Still have to keep alert for new growth. Not a job-a quest

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kudzu9

10 years ago

Mike-

I realize that people who let bamboo get out of control can get desperate for a "cure," But using glycophosphate like that sounds like the nuclear option, which would kill a lot of other stuff, and not necessarily eliminate well-established bamboo. Just my opinion...

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Comments (6)

Mike
10 years ago
Glyphosate readily kills bamboo, although I'm not one for chemicals .. You could flood the area for 2 weeks and the rhizomes will rot.. Your water bill will be higher but at least it's a permanent fix.. There are plenty of other creative ways to kill bamboo, and I'm sure someone will come along with some more recommendations..
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Mike
10 years ago
I completely agree with you my friend.. Glyphosate is the last resort and not even an option in my playbook, but I just wanted to be honest about the approaches.. I personally would flood the area - a waste of some water perhaps but definitely the least damaging of the techniques..
ourhighlandhome
10 years ago
Bamboo invaded my yard from an otherwise barren lot next door. The original grove covers about 1/4 acre with stalks as tall as 15 ft. After getting permission from the owner several weeks ago, I cut every stalk to the ground (hundreds of them). I then took a long bit and drilled as far as I could into what remained until I was sure I had drilled through the bottom of the rhizome.

I am hoping that this and the severe drought we're experiencing will stress the grove and/or starve it to death. This winter, rain will hopefully fill the hollow underground stalks and help destroy any remains. Am I dreaming or does this sound like it could possibly work? I have thought of filling the hollow stalks with salt, detergent, vinegar....? Eventually an herbicide if I must.

This stuff must be eradicated. I've been battling bamboo for over 10 years now and am becoming physically unable to do so.

Thanks!
kudzu9
10 years ago
You may get rid of some of it with the methods you are describing, but your main problem is that you have let it get well-established over many years and none of these things is likely to completely eradicate it. To keep it under control, it really needs to be dug out and a barrier should be put in place between your yard and your neighbor's. If I had this much out of control bamboo, I would bring in a backhoe and remove the rhizomes. I would not be applying large quantities of herbicides, not only because of their toxicity to other things, but because there is no such thing as a fully effective "bamboo-cide."
mersiepoo
10 years ago
What Kudzu said is correct. After the US nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first things of green that came back were bamboo.

If possible, harvest it and use it for various things. There are many things that you can make bamboo with, from stakes for the garden and for plants to grow up, to rakes, utensils and weaving materials.