Bamboo Removal: HELL TO REMOVE: DO NOT PLANT (see desc for removal method)
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2019
- Whilst challenging to carry out, here is my method for removing bamboo:
1) Cut off all the films/ stems at ground level using a branch cutter. This is the easy bit!
2) Bamboo roots when mature are a solid mass of intertwined shoots that they call rhizomes. These interconnect the various culms or stems. This is the toughest part of the plant, it is extraordinarily resilient and because of the nature of the intertwined mass, it is nigh on impossible to saw. The significant roots will only go 1-2ft under the surface. The first step is to get underneath these tough roots. Dig down and get a decent spade to cut under the mass to undermine the solid mass above. Thrust a sharp spade in horizontal and this will cut the smaller roots leaving the heavy mass above disconnected.
2) Get hold of a sharp axe. Those it may take some perseverance chop lines or trenches into the solid mass of roots to side into manageable sections. It will take many blows to get through, be sure to wear gloves and eye protection because all sorts of objects can spring out. Also vary your angle whilst chopping as a lumberjack does to more easily form gaps in the mass of the root.
3) Get your spade into either the gap underneath or the trenches you cut and use it to lever one of the smaller sections away from the rest. You will here small roots snapping if you have found an optimum angle. Use a piece of wood on the floor underneath the spade to increase leverage. If the section doesn’t move, try chipping the trenches further. Maybe you missed a significant connecting root. As the section moves and comes away you feel very satisfied. Be careful disposing of it, IT IS HEAVY and an awkward mass of roots and earth. This is why sections should be kept to a manageable size.
4) Once all sections are removed, get a garden fork and turnover the ground for a foot below where the Bamboo grove was. You will pull up lots of the smaller roots. Rake these out and dispose. This helps avoid regrowth and also puts some life back in the ground for whatever is going in there. Bamboo sucks the very life out of the soil and gives little back, so be sure to mix in some lively fertile soil if you are planting something else there.
5) Hope this helps. Apologies there is no other solution but some hard work to remove Bamboo. This is why this stuff should never be planted outside of a pot or controlled area. Nothing is more invasive. Good Luck!👍🏻 - Zábava
nice post Gingerking.
I'M FEELING EVERYONES PAIN HERE.
I have 3 clumps of Buddah Belly bamboo at around 10 years of growth.
Two clumps have been cut down ( around 100 poles each) and the root bases have interconnected in a 9 x 3 Meter matt of doom.
At about 600mm at its deepest, it is thick and rock solid.
I swear it could support a lighthouse.
it is also bulging into the fence and has popped a few panels. the neighbour is very patient. Thankyou Mr neighbour.
Cutting and discarding the poles was the easy part, and they were 8m long.
I have used an axe, long handle secateur and sledge hammer to get 1 x 450mm diameter rootball out, which looks like 0.25% of the total mass remaining.
REALLY hard yakka.
I've thought about a jackhammer with a sharp blade or a quick cut concrete saw to loosen or detach the roots into manageable sizes before
getting an excavator with a rock grabber to lift it out. Basically destroying the yard and requiring a re-Turf.
Stump grinder/ crane / NUKE? anyone?
Reciprocal saws with chunky blades work well, but you chew through them when cutting close to the dirt and gravel.
The only advice I have for anyone regarding bamboo is simple,
NEVER PLANT BAMBOO UNLESS YOU LIKE PAIN, SUFFERING AND MONETARY LOSS.
Find a native and non invasive solution for screening.
R G, great reply. thanks. Sounds like you are in a similar point of despair as I was when I posted this. You clearly have already tried loads of methods to make it easier. My sincere sympathy by the way, it’s tougher than anyone who hasn’t experienced will appreciate. I heartily agree with you, the lesson is to never get fooled into planting this stuff. It should come with a warning. Don’t know if you’ve tried already but as I say in method in this vid description, have you tried undermining the cluster? That can make it easier to chop into chunks and lever out (?) Whilst getting under it is time consuming, it can make things much easier in the long term. Hope this helps. Good luck.
@@gingerking76 thanks for the reply, I'm only getting started so it will be a case of trial and error. I'll get back with what techniques work.
I've removed 1 out of 4 clumps and more runners than i care to remember, it is evel stuff, (only about 4 years growth). PLEASE do not plant it in the ground!! Back breaking work, pick axe, pry bar and secateurs are my weapons of bamboo destruction!!
We've just finished cutting out seven years growth, this morning. It took a week and a half of cutting and burning. We found covering it, letting it dry out, then used a steel pry bar and a pair of secaturs to be sufficient enough. It destroyed my garden fork too. We"ll be dowsing it in root killer and putting in a root barrier, before we back fill it. with soil. I feel your pain buddy.
Dazzle 27k, sounds like a nice method, good to hear👍🏻. This vid was last year and the good news is that despite all the tales of it regularly coming back post removal, luckily mine has not. Not that I originally planted the grove in my garden, I’ve learnt a good lesson to pass on, which is never to plant this stuff. As nice as it looks, it’s just not worth it. All the best.
Sympathise completely. We had a 16 year old bamboo placed on patio slabs retained in a decking board raised bed of 3 foot depth. The bamboo deepdived out the back of it ,into soil and under concrete post's into neighbouring garden. Took 4 weeks to get out using root riot spade. As it disappeared under the patio we've had to use the strongest glycinate weed killer to treat it. It gave amazing privacy as a screen but what a thug to deal with. I've hopefully saved some clumps but will be kept in large pots placed on bricks above ground.
Some folks do not understand bamboo. You'll have to sign a contract with the bamboo and it needs your attention.
Plant it in a very poor soil place and it will grow,why? Because it is actually a type of grass. It will grow much faster than grass. Where bamboo grows naturally it over comes. Different bamboo act differently. And have better means of removing it! Only one video should not determine your decision. Just plant it in a place you are ok with it going around it! Killing whats around it and basically treat it like a wall!. You can shape it like you a table that is really short and heavy on top of the bamboo and it will grow side ways or through it, choose your bamboo carefully. And you will have a free chair in a week
Nice mate
Getting bamboo out is so hard make more videos please you helped me remove mine you legend I love you
Is this the bamboo support group? Thanks for putting out the video. Just got done excavating my back yard to get bamboo roots out that had escaped a planter box, through gravel, and a root barrier. I feel your pain. Would add that a reciprocating saw does help out a lot when going through the root clumps.
A support group is needed😭😭 its such a nightmare to deal with !! 😂😂
LMFAO!!! "BAMBOO SUPPORT GROUP"!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I have had good luck with clumping bamboo. Running bamboo is the Devil.
Thanks for the comment. Yes, I have since learnt more about Bamboo and now appreciate the difference between running and clumping types. The previous owner of my house clearly planted the former, which caused me this documented problem. I’m glad I’m aware now of the clumping variety as that gives a option if we should ever have Bamboo again👍🏻
@@gingerking76 clumping bamboo is still a pain in the backside. Bamboo just shouldn't be planted. Period. Unless you want to waste away your life maintaining it.
I recently moved into a new house. And the land lord was so proud of the bamboo that he planted in the back yard. Problem is he let it get out of control and it has taken over almost half the yard. It's going to be an absolute bitch getting that crap out of there!
Thanks so much for posting...we're finding our story to be the same as yours (unfortunately). We've prayed and danced, and thought of all kinds of crazy things (portable waterjet cutter)... Seems like heavy equipment (crawler, backhoe etc) or your method are best. Super-heavy duty stump grinder might do the trick if it can get in there.
its a nightmare ... luckily when we built a granny flat in out back garden we had a professionals use a digger to get heaps of it out. . But we were still left with a bit. I've cut it right down and we are hoping that a stump grinder will be able to get rid of the last few roots.. wish us luck!!
Thank you for posting this! The property I just bought has some running bamboo. The tricky part for me has just been following those damn rhizomes around haha! The only positive thing is that you don't have to dig very deep to get at it, but it's just such a pain in the ass trying to figure out where it's going.
It’s a beautiful grass but yeah I agree, don’t plant it in the open. Perhaps a cement planter would contain it.
Yes I agree they are a pain in the ass to control I have some now growing to my next door neighbor 😮
Thanks your brill keep it up
Thx bru
Wow, I’m about to plant a few running bamboo for my yard. I bought the 24 deep barrier to go around it. You said the bamboo grew around or past the barrier?
General Tso Joe Hayabusa
Hi there, I had only 12 inch oak sleepers on that bed, which mostly contained the bamboo. However, if there was any gaps, meaning even a few millimetres between the sleepers, the bamboo would grow through them. It will take any possible opportunity to spread. It did not grow under the sleepers but did spread along the whole bed, destroying other plant roots. The legacy sleepers were poorly anchored and the bamboo actually push them outwards at the top, which was when I knew I had to take action to get rid of it.
Yes, it looks great, but once it fills an area, it will look for any way out. Containing it is very difficult. I would strongly advise sticking to pots or containers, once in the ground, it will only be a few years before it’s causing issues. It had even grown between my fence panels and arris rails damaging the fences. Obviously your choice General, but I would strongly advise against planting it. Hope this helps👍🏻
gingerking76 thanks for the heads up. Yea I think I’ll keep the potted now lol.
Is this a running bamboo I wanted to plant a clumping bamboo in my garden is that not a good idea.
Did you plant the bamboo?
@@danielson2454 no I havnt planted any yet
@@JB-lr1tf black bamboo is good
Love u sooooooooooo much your soooooooooo cool keep up the hard work and make more videos
If you did it correctly you wouldn't have issues with bamboo other than the shedding of the leaves .
That’s simply not true.
@@ruinsane100 I grow bamboo more then 14 years and do have a running without issues .
As long as you know what you're doing you're be OK
how do you not like bamboo I've planted heaps in my garden and the video didn't help litteraly all you were doing was telling us not to plant bamboo.
Neo Gibbs hi there, the removal technique is in the description of the video, just click the arrow.
I love the look of Bamboo by the way, just emphasising that it should only be planted in a well contained area, otherwise it will spread wildly and dominate everything else nearby.
@@gingerking76 hi yeah thats cool i thought you meant the non invasive stuff clumping kind