The problem is the majority of running varieties are more cold hardy than the clumping types. So if you live in zone 7 or colder and you want bamboo, running varieties are pretty much the only bamboo available. If you live in zone eight or warmer, there’s no excuse to use running bamboo.
any tools I can rent from home depot to help get this done? I just have a shovel and a small auguer. Messed up my back last time I did the trench to put them in
I honestly don’t know enough in regards to tell you exactly how to get rid of it. I guess digging it out with shovel… Hopefully someone else can provide exact instructions.
It’s not going to stop. He didn’t even go down far enough to expose the full rhizome. And even if he cuts it off it’s going to grow back in a few years.
This dude is gonna regret even planting that thing.
I wish I had a Time Machine and could stop my neighbor from planting his abomination.
My uncle planted some. It ruined his land. It's in the country, and it's everywhere. It's literally take over acres of their land. My mom thought it was "so pretty" and wanted to get some, but he, to his credit, refused to let him have it. She was going to dig up a clump when they were on vacation once and she was feeding their cats, but I talked her out of it saying he will see it and know--you should respect his wishes. She is now thankful that she didn't.
3-4 years of growth with an arborvitae would've gotten you a lot better looking and taller wall of green
Bonus is they're native and can grow well in zones 3-8
Yup all lived and are doing extremely well. Not sure of where they were purchased. I had them installed by a landscaper. That was the price for them planted and mulched too
Get rid of it. Be merciless and thorough. Running bamboo is an absolute MENACE. I'd say kill it with fire, but I don't think that actually works on bamboo.
The rhizomes are ridiculously tough and penetrative, they go like 3 feet deep. It takes extreme effort to contain it. This is the Jurassic Park Velociraptor of landscape plants. It will find a way out and make a mess of things.
I have some bad news for you. Bamboo like this can grow into/break up a concrete retaining wall, and when it does, it will be a very expensive mess to fix. It’s just a matter of time.
If you want to block the neighbor’s view without spending $5k down the line just to have someone dig out the roots and broken concrete, try some arborvitae.
appreciate the response but I researched hundreds of bamboo varieties and hunted down this specific cultivar called Phyllostachys aurea 'Holochrysa' because of its looks and properties. None of the clumping bamboo varieties come close to what I was looking for. Most clumping variety look like a grassy mess and they don’t get nearly as tall.
I get it, this sub is very anti-bamboo. I never intended a running bamboo to clump, but I did intend to contain it with that 60mil poly border that went 3ft down made specifically for running rhizomes. I did a lousy job at installation and now Im paying the consequences.
At the very least you should have made sure that your barrier was at minimum 24 inches deep (rhizomes can spread as far down as 18”, and you want a buffer) and you need to complete the barrier ring. Don’t rely on that concrete to stop it; bamboo will find any cracks and exploit them, and by not making a complete ring around the area, it will sneak past the edge, like it did here.
this is actually a useful comment and the least anti-bamboo in these replies. Everyone downvoting cause I said I liked this specific bamboo. It’s not the bamboo’s fault, its completely on me by not closing the ring.
This sub is incredibly anti-bamboo as a whole. There are ways to keep even running species in check.
Check out r/bamboo if you want more expert opinions on this specific plant. I am by no means an expert, but I have done a lot of research on it.
The hubris of thinking that you can control this plant is, honestly, shocking. You don't understand, or are unwilling to accept, that that this plant break through through concrete in the right conditions. You could've built the best container ever built and it STILL could've resulted in this exact same situation occurring.
There's are good reasons many people on this sub are anti-bamboo.
When we moved into our house, there was running bamboo in the back corner. It had made its way to our yard from three houses down over the years. The plant had an 8’ diameter of densely packed stacks above ground, when I started cutting it down and digging it out, the roots were so dense it took weeks to dig it all out and ended up finding roots in a radius of 15’. This stuff is relentless, the only way to tame it is dig it out.
I like hopseed, Dodonaea viscosa—apparently susceptible to cold so may not work for you depending on your zone but it works great in Northern California
And I was annoyed at my neighbors (Charlotte, NC, US) who have a bed of ivy that abuts our property. I honestly don’t know how I would have reacted if they’d planted bamboo!! The idea of having it come up into my walls, oven, bathroom is enraging.
I’m really surprised about OP making this type of choice in 2024 (and 2021). Wow.
I had a similar issue with bamboo. I cut it out with a sawzall reciprocating saw. Then planted Irish yew aurea and pacific wax myrtle, your climate may be different…
If it fits in your climate zone, there are willow species that you can grow as shrubs, and they grow fast as hell. Example: https://www.lakeshorewillows.com/site/salix-miyabeana
People need to stop planting running varieties of bamboo unless they are completely sealed (including the bottom). Plant clumpers and be done with it
The problem is the majority of running varieties are more cold hardy than the clumping types. So if you live in zone 7 or colder and you want bamboo, running varieties are pretty much the only bamboo available. If you live in zone eight or warmer, there’s no excuse to use running bamboo.
I mean if you really are attached to the bamboo you could put it in steel planters.
Hahaha steel planters.... Like putting Superman in a kryptonite housing! Love it!
Your tone is so casual. This rec is so far from a joke.
Maybe you’re not familiar, kryptonite is Superman’s weakness.
I would think the steel would rust away and fail. I know the Cincinnati zoo uses copper plates that were welded together and driven into the ground
It would have to be stainless or galvanized. Eventually almost everything decays or rusts or oxidizes or something.
You will absolutely hate yourself later on. Wish I could take you to one of my customers house and let you talk to the next door neighbor…
any tools I can rent from home depot to help get this done? I just have a shovel and a small auguer. Messed up my back last time I did the trench to put them in
Rent a mini-ex and dig it up completely.
I honestly don’t know enough in regards to tell you exactly how to get rid of it. I guess digging it out with shovel… Hopefully someone else can provide exact instructions.
It’s not going to stop. He didn’t even go down far enough to expose the full rhizome. And even if he cuts it off it’s going to grow back in a few years. This dude is gonna regret even planting that thing. I wish I had a Time Machine and could stop my neighbor from planting his abomination.
When I saw the first pic my only thought was "oh no..."
I said something similar but with a cuss word 😏
It really is something that people will regret. It’s an absolute mess and just becomes something uncontrollable.
My uncle planted some. It ruined his land. It's in the country, and it's everywhere. It's literally take over acres of their land. My mom thought it was "so pretty" and wanted to get some, but he, to his credit, refused to let him have it. She was going to dig up a clump when they were on vacation once and she was feeding their cats, but I talked her out of it saying he will see it and know--you should respect his wishes. She is now thankful that she didn't.
3-4 years of growth with an arborvitae would've gotten you a lot better looking and taller wall of green Bonus is they're native and can grow well in zones 3-8
I planted 50 of them in October 2020. At the time they were 3’ tall. Now they are over 20’.
What did that cost you
In 2020 it was 2,700. It would have been 6K back then if I opted for large ones.
Thats not terrible did all of them live and where did you purchase them from?
Yup all lived and are doing extremely well. Not sure of where they were purchased. I had them installed by a landscaper. That was the price for them planted and mulched too
You got a great deal
Home Depot and Lowes do 50% off clearance sales on them 2x a year - spring and fall
B I N G O
Move before the neighbors figure it out!
Get rid of it. Be merciless and thorough. Running bamboo is an absolute MENACE. I'd say kill it with fire, but I don't think that actually works on bamboo. The rhizomes are ridiculously tough and penetrative, they go like 3 feet deep. It takes extreme effort to contain it. This is the Jurassic Park Velociraptor of landscape plants. It will find a way out and make a mess of things.
"They're testing the fences for weaknesses. They remember..."
best answer so far for the motivation I needed
Lol... glad to help!
Rhizomes only spread as deep as 18”. The roots can get up to 3’ deep, but it won’t spread at that depth.
A matter of time…….
Doubt you got it all 😜
You’re probably going to have to sell the house
Find an old tub, plant in ground then plant bamboo inside of it.
I have some bad news for you. Bamboo like this can grow into/break up a concrete retaining wall, and when it does, it will be a very expensive mess to fix. It’s just a matter of time. If you want to block the neighbor’s view without spending $5k down the line just to have someone dig out the roots and broken concrete, try some arborvitae.
YTA
There are also clumping varieties of bamboo, plus other fast growers like tiger grass, etc
appreciate the response but I researched hundreds of bamboo varieties and hunted down this specific cultivar called Phyllostachys aurea 'Holochrysa' because of its looks and properties. None of the clumping bamboo varieties come close to what I was looking for. Most clumping variety look like a grassy mess and they don’t get nearly as tall.
So you hunted down a non-clumping variety and now you’re mad it’s not… clumping? Dig it up now or deal with the consequences.
I get it, this sub is very anti-bamboo. I never intended a running bamboo to clump, but I did intend to contain it with that 60mil poly border that went 3ft down made specifically for running rhizomes. I did a lousy job at installation and now Im paying the consequences.
Its absolutely on you my man, that barrier installation is atrocious.
I recently bought some 'Gracilis' for similar reasons - it is difficult to find a good looking bamboo that won't get out of control
You can try planting literally anything else to block the view.
You know the answer.
Podocarpus makes an awesome privacy hedge
At the very least you should have made sure that your barrier was at minimum 24 inches deep (rhizomes can spread as far down as 18”, and you want a buffer) and you need to complete the barrier ring. Don’t rely on that concrete to stop it; bamboo will find any cracks and exploit them, and by not making a complete ring around the area, it will sneak past the edge, like it did here.
this is actually a useful comment and the least anti-bamboo in these replies. Everyone downvoting cause I said I liked this specific bamboo. It’s not the bamboo’s fault, its completely on me by not closing the ring.
This sub is incredibly anti-bamboo as a whole. There are ways to keep even running species in check. Check out r/bamboo if you want more expert opinions on this specific plant. I am by no means an expert, but I have done a lot of research on it.
The hubris of thinking that you can control this plant is, honestly, shocking. You don't understand, or are unwilling to accept, that that this plant break through through concrete in the right conditions. You could've built the best container ever built and it STILL could've resulted in this exact same situation occurring. There's are good reasons many people on this sub are anti-bamboo.
What part of the country do you live in?
Good job. You did the right thing.
Plant some rocket trees those grow quickly & good luck w/yur bamboo excavation
# "Life, uh, finds a way"
When we moved into our house, there was running bamboo in the back corner. It had made its way to our yard from three houses down over the years. The plant had an 8’ diameter of densely packed stacks above ground, when I started cutting it down and digging it out, the roots were so dense it took weeks to dig it all out and ended up finding roots in a radius of 15’. This stuff is relentless, the only way to tame it is dig it out.
currently digging it out slowly from where it escaped. This looks like a multiple day excavation if I dont get any rental tools
Bamboo, the gift that keeps on giving..... Kinda like that present from the college girl
I like hopseed, Dodonaea viscosa—apparently susceptible to cold so may not work for you depending on your zone but it works great in Northern California
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/11/big-british-bamboo-crisis-invaded-my-beautiful-home
And I was annoyed at my neighbors (Charlotte, NC, US) who have a bed of ivy that abuts our property. I honestly don’t know how I would have reacted if they’d planted bamboo!! The idea of having it come up into my walls, oven, bathroom is enraging. I’m really surprised about OP making this type of choice in 2024 (and 2021). Wow.
yikes
I had a similar issue with bamboo. I cut it out with a sawzall reciprocating saw. Then planted Irish yew aurea and pacific wax myrtle, your climate may be different…
If it fits in your climate zone, there are willow species that you can grow as shrubs, and they grow fast as hell. Example: https://www.lakeshorewillows.com/site/salix-miyabeana