Running Bamboo Hate it

[Sprinklerman]

Spent 4 hours dealing with this weed , Bamboo . I was cutting 2 to 3 inch around bamboo 20 ft plus tall about 1/3 acre . You cant push it over into the rest of the growth . I tries a chainsaw , the blade kept jumping off , tries a sawzall it was way too slow . I finally tried a circular saw , it worked great . So I started dropping the bamboo into an open area , all facing the same way . Then i fired up the tractor , with a 5 ft brush cutter and started shreading the pile . I left the stalks about 4 ft high so they wouldnt go thru a tire . Once the stalks were ground up I used the loader and knocked down the bottoms , and ground them up . Now thats its under control , got to keep it cut so it doesnt take over again

 

[Dutch445]

If it's the same stuff we get around here, good luck!
we have a japanese bamboo, or knotweed that grows near water, and it miserable
to control. the rhizomes grow underground and can resprout and spread like crazy.
Japanese Knotweed Plants - an Eradication Strategy

 

[murphy1244]

If you don't get along with your neighbor plant some bamboo along the property line.

 

[fried1765]

Spent 4 hours dealing with this weed , Bamboo . I was cutting 2 to 3 inch around bamboo 20 ft plus tall about 1/3 acre . You cant push it over into the rest of the growth . I tries a chainsaw , the blade kept jumping off , tries a sawzall it was way too slow . I finally tried a circular saw , it worked great . So I started dropping the bamboo into an open area , all facing the same way . Then i fired up the tractor , with a 5 ft brush cutter and started shreading the pile . I left the stalks about 4 ft high so they wouldnt go thru a tire . Once the stalks were ground up I used the loader and knocked down the bottoms , and ground them up . Now thats its under control , got to keep it cut so it doesnt take over again

Try Ortho Brush-B-Gon, mix it stronger than recommended, and add a "sticker". You can use "Hi Yield Spreader Sticker", or Bonide "Turbo", or Dawn liquid dish detergent (1 tsp/gal.).
If you use dish detergent, be sure to add it after the water, and the Brush-B-Gon, or you will have a sudsy/bubbly mess.
Spray it on the fresh cut little bamboo stumps.

 

[dickfoster]

If you don't get along with your neighbor plant some bamboo along the property line.

One of my neighbors had in catty corner in the back where I used to live. I hated that stuff and I hated them, dayum renters. It was a never ending battle trying to keep that crap at bay. It should be illegal to plant that stuff anywhere. It's just plain stupid to plant it anywhere but in a pot or a completely contained bed maybe. Even then you'd better keep your eye on it.

 

[dickfoster]

Spent 4 hours dealing with this weed , Bamboo . I was cutting 2 to 3 inch around bamboo 20 ft plus tall about 1/3 acre . You cant push it over into the rest of the growth . I tries a chainsaw , the blade kept jumping off , tries a sawzall it was way too slow . I finally tried a circular saw , it worked great . So I started dropping the bamboo into an open area , all facing the same way . Then i fired up the tractor , with a 5 ft brush cutter and started shreading the pile . I left the stalks about 4 ft high so they wouldnt go thru a tire . Once the stalks were ground up I used the loader and knocked down the bottoms , and ground them up . Now thats its under control , got to keep it cut so it doesnt take over again

Better get a backhoe and dig it up completely then burn it. Any part of a rhizome with a joint will put up a new sprout. Ask me how I know.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Spent 4 hours dealing with this weed , Bamboo . I was cutting 2 to 3 inch around bamboo 20 ft plus tall about 1/3 acre . You cant push it over into the rest of the growth . I tries a chainsaw , the blade kept jumping off , tries a sawzall it was way too slow . I finally tried a circular saw , it worked great . So I started dropping the bamboo into an open area , all facing the same way . Then i fired up the tractor , with a 5 ft brush cutter and started shreading the pile . I left the stalks about 4 ft high so they wouldnt go thru a tire . Once the stalks were ground up I used the loader and knocked down the bottoms , and ground them up . Now thats its under control , got to keep it cut so it doesnt take over again

When I did it I just backed the bushog into it over and over; finally at scalping height. Did not run over rooted stalks til scalped. Never left the tractor.

 

[Sprinklerman]

When I did it I just backed the bushog into it over and over; finally at scalping height. Did not run over rooted stalks til scalped. Never left the tractor.

I tried that , but I was in tight quarters and the bamboo was falling on me .

This is the second section I cut down . I read that bamboo doesnt like acidic soil so I got sulfur from john deere landscapes and put that down , then I had a large tree company bring me in 100 cubic yards of tree chips and covered the whole area I did before 6 to 8 inches thick , the chips breaking down make the soil acidic AND I can now run a finish mower over the area and cut it when its short . So far that area has been managed very easily . Now with the rest of the bamboo cut , I am hoping that since there is no green leaves it will not get any sunlight and will slow the growth . I would like to use some herbicide , but the house is on a hand dug well

 

[Wagtail]

Just get a couple of panda bears... they'll eat the bamboo. Sure, they're from China but the quality is quite good.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I did call the Maryland zoo and asked if they wanted it , They said sure bring us all you can . NOT

 

[MF283]

Better get a backhoe and dig it up completely then burn it. Any part of a rhizome with a joint will put up a new sprout. Ask me how I know.

DITTO!

 

[jlgurr]

You could harvest it and sell these....

 

[oosik]

Holly smokes - would have never guessed bamboo was such an aggressive plant. Guess I'm lucky that's another thing that isn't found around here.

 

[RalphVa]

Makes a good substitute for steel in concrete. Edison built his pool with it in Naples, Florida in 1910. Still there.

I pay Gardeners' Supply $40 for a little bitty bundle of them.

Ralph

 

[murphy1244]

Holly smokes - would have never guessed bamboo was such an aggressive plant. Guess I'm lucky that's another thing that isn't found around here.

They will take over faster than section 8.

 

[stuckmotor]

I wanted some bamboo for tomato stakes etc. So I planted a few sprigs in the pasture around 30 years ago. Later the guy who gave them to me said they'd been sprayed with herbicide and I couldn't find any live plants so I gave them up for dead. Several years later we discovered some live plants in the woods near where I planted my sprigs. They've established a few small patches but there aren't enough plants to do me much good. I think the cows and deer must be eating them while they're young and tender.

 

[stuckmotor]

Makes a good substitute for steel in concrete. Edison built his pool with it in Naples, Florida in 1910. Still there.

I pay Gardeners' Supply $40 for a little bitty bundle of them.

Ralph

Ralph,
I learned about using bamboo in concrete too and with the price of rebar, they mignt be worth trying.

 

[stuckmotor]

Holly smokes - would have never guessed bamboo was such an aggressive plant. Guess I'm lucky that's another thing that isn't found around here.

Do you guys have Kudzu or fire ants?

 

[Sprinklerman]

I would love to take the backhoe over and dig it out . But , where I live is near the chesapeake bay , If I disturb over 5000 sq ft , I need to file a grading plan with the county , get a permit , and jump thru a whole lot of hoops . Now that I have it down I will just have to keep mowing it .

 

[woodlandfarms]

Here is how to keep Bamboo from spreading...

Dig a trench around the bamboo an minimum of 2 feet. You can keep the trench open, but you must cut the rhyzomes (roots) as they appear or they will navigate across. You can also dig down and install rubber (like pond liner) or metal band but be warned bamboo is tenatious and if it can get between seams it will. Bamboo is a shallow rooted plant.

The best method I know of is to get a tree shredder / forestry mulcher and knock it down, but spray immediatley with afformentioned spray. As I understand it best time to do this is spring or fall, that is when the poison will for sure get into the roots.

Bamboo is a hard wood so cutting it down with a chainsaw is possible but brutal.

This is a rinse and repeat. Just because you cleared and sprayed does not mean it is over, you will need to repeat this for at least 2 to three years..