Bamboo Blues.....

MotorSeven · Feb 4, 2006

The new section of property(63 ac) has several colonies of bamboo. It is the thumb sized variety and in the pasture it is spreading into thickets. I did a food plot 2 years ago, and darned if the 'boo didn't spring right back up. Of course the deer leave it alone and ate my x-mas trees instead!

How do i kill this stuff without taking out the good trees? With a horizontal root system that shoots out pups it doesn't look like an easy fix. Why on earth would someone introduce this stuff to their farm? or does it naturally grow in E. TN.? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

RD

MossRoad · Feb 4, 2006

I was shocked to see it all over Tenn and the Carolinas last spring when we were on vacation. We were down there about 9 years ago and never saw it anywhere. Most likely introduced as specimen plants in landscaping and escaped into the wild. It is prolific stuff. No suggestions as to kill mass plantings of the stuff. I'd say you should consult your local county AG extension agent and see if they have any suggestions.

kokopelli2 · Feb 5, 2006

My best rocomendation would be to brush cut the area. Till or plow as deep as possible at least 2feet around the area as well. and then round up or some other commercial posion.

SnowRidge · Feb 5, 2006

I have heard of using Round Up on any plant that pops up, waiting a couple of days, then mowing or otherwise cutting it down. If you have personal control over the entire patch, this will eventually kill it all off. If someone else has a piece of the patch -- a neighbor, for instance -- and they don't follow the same protocol, the best you can hope for is preventing spread on your property.

My wife's old place had part of a bamboo plot, and she was able to control it, but not eradicate it, just with mowing.

As far as I know, it originated in the Far East, but seems to thrive darn near anywhere. I agree with contacting your county agent. If he doesn't have any useful information on hand, ask him who you can contact at UT. Someone there will have the answer for E. Tennessee.

Good luck.

ToadHill · Feb 6, 2006

If the Roundup fails to work you can use a product called Garlon. It's available from Forestry Supply. You mix it with Diesel fuel and spray it on the botton 18" of the plant. It will kill trees up to 8" in diameter. I use it to control Beech trees in my woods. When I plant bamboo as a landscape plant in some of my customers gardens, I dig down about 10" and outline the area with steel about 10" high. this keeps the bamboo in the area. I plant it only as a last resort, if the customer insists.

MotorSeven · Feb 7, 2006

OK, i'll give the Roundup a try when i'm there in mid march. I'll snap some before & after photo's. Thanks........

RD

jlbota · Feb 8, 2006

The only thing I can tell you about Bamboo is dont drive over it at all in any direction even if you think you are laying it over safely in the same direction. It will poke through a brand new R4 rear tire like a big needle and you will lose all your washer fluid that loads the tire and it will make you have to buy one new tire and reload with washer fluid......and don't ask me how I know this. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

avorancher · Feb 8, 2006

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of varieties so your ease of killing off the bamboo will vary. Some varieties are as thick as a pencil, others get to 8 inches in diameter and are used to construct skyscraper scaffolding in asia.

Since all are related to grass, roundup or similar herbicides will kill it off eventually. Just takes patience and persistence.

Hint: Run your fingers around one stalk... if there is a distinct ridge running along its length, then it is considered a "running" style. Without that ridge, it is usually a "clumping" style. Running styles will be much more difficult to control, since it sends underground runners out to create those pups you see. Runners can go several feet deep and 10 feet horizontally in some varieties. Clumping styles grow from a central rizome and although can spread, they are more easily controlled since pups go back to a central root system.

Until you get it under control, think of good uses for those tough stalks. They make good plant stakes, fences, etc.

PSDStu · Feb 9, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hint: Run your fingers around one stalk... if there is a distinct ridge running along its length, then it is considered a "running" style. Without that ridge, it is usually a "clumping" style. Running styles will be much more difficult to control, since it sends underground runners out to create those pups you see. Runners can go several feet deep and 10 feet horizontally in some varieties. Clumping styles grow from a central rizome and although can spread, they are more easily controlled since pups go back to a central root system. )</font>

I didn't know about the difference between the "Running and Clumping" style......... neighbor down the road has some clumping style he wants to get rid of.... I will mention this to him.

MotorSeven · Feb 11, 2006

Jilbota,

Greeeat....something else to deal with /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif......... but thanks for the heads up.

I'm thinking napalm........!

RD