How do I get rid of a bamboo grove from my garden?
Unfortunately, this is one of the most frequently asked questions. This is due to planting invasive running bamboo in an inappropriate setting with no rhizome barrier. Eradicating one of these groves is very difficult. The key to success is knowing that a grove is a single organism. It is all connected underground by a network of rhizomes. The culms (canes) are just the visible part. Chopping a section of it down will not stop the spread. It still has the whole of the rest of the grove to feed its spread next shooting season. So it will come back. The only way is to sever the rhizomes in the area you want to clear from the rest of the grove and deal with that isolated piece. Or deal with the whole grove, which is fine if it is all on your property, but groves usually straddle different properties.
There are four methods:
- Dig it up, rhizomes and all. This is undoubtedly the quickest method, but, as anyone who has tried to dig up even a small section of a single rhizome will tell you, bloody difficult. The easiest (and most expensive) way is to use a small bulldozer, bobcat excavator etc. This is only possible if there is access to the grove. Cut down all the culms (use them to make furniture!) and then dig down to the depth of the rhizomes. These will normally be found in the top 25cm of soil, sometimes shallower, rarely deeper. Remove every last piece if rhizome, but don't worry about the roots as they can't propagate. If you can't use an excavator use anything you find works - spades, crowbars, machetes, levers, chainsaws with an old chain, grappling hooks and a ute, whatever! Do not use a rotovator as it will only cut up the rhizomes into small pieces and leave them in the ground, each piece being a potential new grove!!
- Cut down the grove. Water and fertilize, then cut down the new growth again. It may shoot again immediately if you do this in Spring, if not it will shoot the following Spring. In either case the idea is to exhaust the rhizomes, by forcing them to use all their energy on the new shoots and not allowing any photosynthesis to occur to restock them. Eventually the grove will die, but it might take two or three seasons.
- The next method uses Roundup and I don't like it and won't use it but I include it here for the sake of completeness. Apparently when a culm is cut, the sap flowing through it is drawn down into the rhizomes, so painting the stump with neat Roundup is supposed to kill it. I doubt the effectiveness of this method, but i have seen it repeated in a couple of places. Once again the rhizomes will probably send up new shoots the following spring, so this must be repeated. Spraying the culm and/or leaves is useless as it will not get down into the rhizomes. And you'll have to chop it all down and remove it anyway, so you may as well just skip the poison bit of it.
- Send in the pigs!! This is my favorite method. Pigs will do a good job of eating anything, and this applies to rhizomes buried in the soil, once they've eaten everything else. They'll root around, till up the soil and fertilize it, all in one go. Admittedly, this is not a very practical method in a suburban environment.
The second and third methods will be futile if applied to only one part of a grove and no attempt is made to isolate it from the rest, by severing the rhizomes and installing a barrier. The barrier must be able to withstand the force of rhizomes which can worm their way into any tiny crack and push its way though concrete. Mail me if you want details about rhizome barriers.
How long does bamboo last?
It depends on the species of bamboo, how it was harvested and cured, how it is used and local conditions. We use superior species for all our products. Species used depends on the function it will serve. For instance Moso is great where straight large diameter structural bamboo is required. On the other hand, Henonis cracks easily, but its wood is very dense and hard, so it is used as strips in fences or table tops.
All my bamboo is at least 3 years old when harvested, the minimum for strength and durability. It is also cured properly, the method used dependent upon its final use.
Fences: It is very difficult to predict the durability of outdoor fences made of bamboo. The Japanese completely replace the bamboo fences around their temples every 12 years, and keep up general maintenance in the meantime. It all depends on the situation - the main damaging factor is the sun, so fences with full all day sun will go a slivery-grey sooner. Bamboo doesn't rot, it becomes brittle and cracks with age. Water will encourage the growth of molds and fungus, but these can be generally washed off. You just need a stiff brush and hose. You can also try a water blaster, not too strong. Cracks in whole canes may allow water to collect inside the hollow internode, which may cause discolouration and molds. All exterior bamboo weathers to a silver gray similar to timber. Once this happens it becomes more porous, enabling varnish or stain to penetrate, something which cannot be done when new. Varnishing and staining will extend its life even more. Here are some estimates for lifespans for the fence panels. This is up to the point where the fences might become structurally compromised.
Chaco, Kenninji, Bethells - 6-12 years.
Temuco, Altamira - 4-10 years.
These are just guidelines. I have seen fences in New Zealand made from the same material as the Chaco fences over 20 years old, and still structurally sound.
A few days old. the bamboo is still green. This will dry out to a straw colour in a matter of weeks in the sun.
Six months old. The bamboo has dried out to an even colour.
Four years old. The bamboo has become silver gray, but is still structurally very sound.
Furniture: All Bambusero furniture is indoor, so it will last forever if not given a hard time. Again, it will probably crack and change colour, but this will not compromise it's structural integrity.
Cracking is more of a problem in dry centrally heated houses, or where it is subject to wide temperature differences.
Water features: 2 years. The combination of contact with water and sunlight means that bamboo fountains quickly "grow into" a garden, which is the whole point. If you want a maintenance free fountain that will always look brand spanking new, don't buy a bamboo one. Again, once the silver porous stage has been reached, varnish can be applied.
Bamboo may weather, crack and change colour with age. All products are designed so that this aging will not affect its structural integrity.