Hi all

I recently bought a house and some has planted bamboo in the garden & there are new plants popping up all around it. I have removed the biggest plant & now their are loads of new sprouts.
Does anyone know how to get rid of it forever without damaging the soil ?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

help me plz

You have the wrong sort of bamboo and to be honest I would get rid of it - dig it out completely and then treat all the runners with glyphosate.

Then, replace it with a clump forming bamboo which will not run as this one does.

Now it could be quite a job getting it out but if you treat every runner that you find then eventually you will win - but you will be pleased to know that even Kew have this problem but their Bamboos are in grass and they have resorted to mowing the shoots to keep them in check.

Angela

Hi,
While I appreciate not everyone likes bamboo, I think it is a shame to destroy any plant without first trying to find it a new home. I do wish you every success with your garden.
Josie.

I agree with you totally - however, it is not that I do not like Bamboo's, I do - but you have to have the right sort - or take the appropriate measures.

This type of bamboo is very invasive and if left to grow unchecked will completely take over the garden in a few years - in fact it is going to be extremely difficult to get rid of it now.

It could be kept - but it would have to be completely lifted potted into a large container - with the bottom cut out and the replanted into the garden container and all.

You will gather that I feel quite strongly about this - I do... there are certain plants which should not be sold in garden centres and this is certainly one of them and if they are they should contain a warning that they are extremely rampant and only suitable for wild gardens where the shoots are going to be eaten by munkjac deer... having said that there are lots of gardens around here in the Chilterns where those conditions could be met.

The runners on this type of bamboo are so sharp that they will pierce concrete, pond liners and also get into the sewerage system and reak expensive havock...

So I am just trying to pass on a warning here... not a particular dislike for a plant.

Angela

Angela I agree with your labelling idea. It would be extremely helpful to be warned about this species of bamboo.

I have my bamboo in a pot. I thought it was going to grow at least a couple of metres tall but it only gets to a height of 50cm :D

I should really move it from where it is as it looks more like a grass than a stately bamboo I thought it would :D

When you plant into a container - you do restrict growth especially where you are not going to pot it on each season.

But you can give it a boost by removing the top two inches of compost and replacing it with some John Innes No 3 - which is a soil based compost mixture (rather than a brand name) and making sure it is well watered and fed during the summer... if you are not good at remembering to feed try those summer long feeding granuals.

Another lable the plants should have is how invasive they are. Things like Comfrey and Ladies Mantel are rampent self seeders and will take over if you let them - but they should make it clear that you should deadhead them and not let them make seeds if you do not want them all over your garden.

I have a plant which is taking over one boarder - I am not quite sure what it is so I will have to look it up - but it is spreading at an alarming rate - and I have given a piece to Mum as she admired it...

Further, there are other plants - especially the Heuchra's which look amazing in the garden centres but which should have a lable that says - wont survive the cold and wet so only suitable for planters or very well drained soil.

I have been very disappointed with the ones I have bought - and I have bought most which have come onto the market - Silver Scrolls, Ebony and Ivy, Lace Veil to name but three. The only ones which I would now recommend (and apparently I agree with Gardening Which) are Rachel and Chocolate Ruffles... all of the others are in a very sorry state. You can see this makes me rather

Well I have had my moan.

Have a good Easter

Angie

Bamboo, I was told to plant my bamboo in a dustbin Which I did First put a quarter of gravel topped by a quarter of garden soil then finish with good compost. My bamboo was not looking healthy when i did this but it soon picked up and has grown beautifully I cut some of the older stems down so as to ensure new bushy growth right from the botton I also give it a weekly feed of miracle grow. I forgot to say I finishe the top with about two inches ofd gravel to help keep the moisture in it looks great in my corner and has grew in height. So as recommended by my local garden centre plant bamboo in a dustbin for best results.

What a good suggestion - well done to the garden centre - I just wish more did the same...

Angie

I bought 2 bamboos, one of which I knew would be rampant, so I planted that one in a container. The other is the black stemmed