Advice for bamboo removal project

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Katy432
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Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by Katy432 »

Hello all,

I just purchased a home and in the backyard, there is a grove of bamboo about 15-20 feet tall, 15 feet wide, and about 1-2 feet thick. It is running along the backyard edge, and is an effective privacy screen. However, it is starting to sprout new shoots about 5 feet out from the rest, and it is not clear if there is any root barrier around the perimeter of the bamboo. So, I am concerned it will continue to spread throughout my backyard, and possibly into my neighbor's yard if left unchecked. So, I would like to remove it completely and plant some native ornamental trees instead along the backyard property line. I believe the bamboo is the green temple variety and so I am assuming it will be difficult to remove. I have gotten 3 quotes, starting at $1500 up to $3000 - at least! And that does not include building a root barrier around my property line, to prevent any future bamboo growth into my neighbor's yard. So, I'm wondering how much I can reasonably do on my own, or by hiring a few workers instead of professionals. Do you think it's a good idea to DIY this bamboo removal project, or should I stick with the professionals?

Thanks!
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wolfedg
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Re: Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by wolfedg »

If you are sure you want rid of it there is a good explanation here http://needmorebamboo.com/?p=740. However you might consider looking into getting it back into containment and keeping it as an option as well. Either option is going to require some effort though.
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Tarzanus
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Re: Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by Tarzanus »

If you decide to keep part of it contained, you can place a rhizome barrier around it. Where you do not want to have it, you can try to remove as much of rhizomes as you can. Hard manual labor or a job for some kind of excavator (the small one is great). When you remove most of rhizomes, fertilize with nitrogen rich fertilizer and start growing lawn on that area. Regularly mow the grass and any emerging bamboo shoot. They will start getting smaller and smaller until they run out of food completely and perish.

PS: if you want to keep some of it in a confined area, make sure you dig all around it and make sure you cut all the rhizomes that would connect the clump with an area outside. If you end up with escaping rhizome, which is connected to the established grove, it will get all the needed food from there and mowing ain't gonna kill it.
Eric
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Re: Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by Eric »

If Katy or someone in a similar situation were to just kick over all the big shoots when they first come up in the spring and then mow continuously after that, assuming it were possible to do that as far out as the shoots would come up -- how far would that be at the extreme? -- wouldn't that be an effective way to keep it from spreading? I don't have enough experience to offer advice, but I'm just wondering.
wolfedg
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Re: Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by wolfedg »

Eric wrote:If Katy or someone in a similar situation were to just kick over all the big shoots when they first come up in the spring and then mow continuously after that, assuming it were possible to do that as far out as the shoots would come up -- how far would that be at the extreme? -- wouldn't that be an effective way to keep it from spreading? I don't have enough experience to offer advice, but I'm just wondering.
That may work in some circumstances, but from what I've read runners can run about as far as the grove is tall so that may not be an option in smaller yards or if the grove is close to the neighbors yard. I am going to be containing mine by mowing, but I literally have acres around the bamboo before it would get into problem areas. I don't want to sound negative, but if the OP is serious about taking it out they are probably better off to do so barring a vested interest in bamboo culture. That being said, the OP should do a little research on the pros and cons of bamboo (preferably avoiding the misinformation from a certain obsessed woman in Connecticut) before making a final decision.
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dependable
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Re: Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by dependable »

Katy432 wrote: I am assuming it will be difficult to remove. I have gotten 3 quotes, starting at $1500 up to $3000 - at least! And that does not include building a root barrier around my property line, to prevent any future bamboo growth into my neighbor's yard. So, I'm wondering how much I can reasonably do on my own, or by hiring a few workers instead of professionals. Do you think it's a good idea to DIY this bamboo removal project, or should I stick with the professionals?

Thanks!
If you hire someone to remove the bamboo, make sure they plan to do so without wrecking the rest of your landscape, which looks quite nice.

Also, remember to check that anyone digging anything in you yard has checked for buried utilities.

It can be a very good DYI if you want to keep your yard intact and save some funds. The link in first reply is a good approach.

Let us know if how it goes or if you want more advise.
Katy432
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Re: Advice for bamboo removal project

Post by Katy432 »

Thanks all, I will let you know how it goes.
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