I have cut down two of the bamboo clumps (I believe this is clumping bamboo) and cut down half of the other. I am applying Roundup on the leaves and new shoots. Is there a quicker way to rid myself of this problem...it's been planted adjacent to my swimming pool!
@Noelle
Would you simply recommend a shovel and a lot of perseverance?
Jason
Hi Rawns & JasonYou are on the right track, Rawns, but using glyphosate-based herbicides on the leaves is not optimal. If you wish to poison the bamboo, then it is best applied to the freshly cut stumps/subs of stems so it is quickly absorbed and circulated to the roots. Bamboo has the ability to seal over within 30 minutes or so of stems being cut so the approach should be: Mix up a solution of one part glyphosate to six parts water; cut a bamboo stem off and immediately paint the stub with the solution. Repeat with each stem. Adopt the same approach with new shoots - cut one off and paint with herbicide immediately. Do not store the glyphosate/water solution for any length of time because it degrades rapidly after dilution. It should be used within 48 hours of mixing with water.Jason's suggestion of a shovel and lots of digging is also workable but you must remove every single root or piece thereof - bamboo is very resilient and will shoot from the tiniest bit of root or stolon left behind.Whichever method you choose, perseverance is key to the successful eradication of bamboo!
Thanks...I did not know that about Glyphosate.
Fantastic advice as always @Noelle. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and amazing knowledge with us.
Hi all,I’m new to this community and found it via Bunnings. Regarding the advice given by @Noelle - would it also work to control growth without actually killing the more mature bamboo? I’ve moved to a house where the previous owner used bamboo for privacy around the backyard fence. But given that I’ve never dealt with bamboo before, I’m unsure how to ensure it doesn’t expand too much.If I simply cut the culms, my understanding is that it won’t regrow but I don’t like the look of a cut culm on the ground. Would I be able to follow the above procedure to remove the new shoots completely (to just cutting them?)Thanks.
Hi @Renan,
Great to have you join us. I'm sure that you will find this is a very helpful and inspiring online community full of great ideas and information. We are looking forward to reading more about your projects and plans.
Hopefully Noelle or other members will be able to get back to you soon with some advice about dealing with your bamboo.
Thanks,
Hi @Renan
The cut culms will not regrow but cutting them will encourage the underground rhizomes to send up even more new shoots. Restricting the bamboo screen is best done by regularly cutting out mature stems and allowing young ones to grow up to replace them. This process will ensure the screen will not become too dense and will be regularly rejuvenated, so you never end up with old bamboo that dies out or breaks off.
Treating cut culms with glyphosate will impact on mature bamboo - it is absorbed and translocated throughout the entire plant.
I have been using glyphosate 540 on anything green and within a month, all green is gone and the clumps look dead...now, how do I remove the dead clumps???
Hi @Rawns
By hand! No simple solutions here - cut the canes off close to the ground and dig out the remnant clumps or simply leave them there to rot away. "Crafty" people love bamboo so you may find someone either in the family or the local community who would love the canes for a project or two.
Hi there,
Came across this thread and is super relevant. In the process of trying to completely remove bamboo from our yard. It’s been a lot of hard work. We’ve been axing the roots and then digging them up fully with a shovel and mattock - see pics.
I’m nervous as heck that they will grow back, so may I ask; once we’ve removed the major root systems, how do we ensure the bamboo stops growing into the future? And when is it safe to replant in that area with something else?
Thx so much.
Yates Tree and Blackberry Killer is far better than any glyphosphate product. It will kill bamboo in days, whereas glyphospate could take months to kill off an established bamboo unless you flood it.
And don't waste your time with a shovel. Buy a mattock and save your back!! That is my preferred method of getting rid of unwanted plants and trees.
Hi @DesmondC,
Keep applying poison to any shoots that appear, and eventually, the clump will die off. If you don't see any new shoots over several weeks, then it is a good indication that the job is done.
Mitchell
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @virtuallyjohnny. It's fantastic to have you join us and many thanks for jumping into the conversation.
It's great to hear of your experience with Yates Tree And Blackberry Weed Killer Concentrate. I generally recommend it for anything woody or more established than general garden weeds.
We look forward to hearing about your home and garden projects, and we'd encourage you to let us know if you ever need assistance or have something to share.
Really? I've heard all poisons are largely ineffective against bamboo? We're digging up the root system mostly with axe, mattock and shovel. The last one more for leverage.
@virtuallyjohnny , have you been successful using Yates Tree and Blackberry Killer?
@DesmondC,
I believe the CSIRO developed a method for removing clumping bamboo. If I remember correctly, it was to cut one in every three stems just below a node. Immediately fill the shoot up with Glyphosate and then cap off with mud. Repeat this process for several weeks. This method ensures that it sucks the poison down into the base of the clump, killing it off.
Bamboo has a waxy coating on the leaves and stems which doesn't allow Glyphosate to penetrate. The only way to get it into the plant is on freshly cut wounds.
Thanks God for the CSIRO.
My experience removing crazy amounts from client's yards back in the day...It's a 2-stage process or you can skip the chemical stage altogether....1) - cut it down to a couple of nodes above the ground. Each cut section should be mid-node so that you have a hollow section of stem. With a glyphosate at the recommended dilution rates fill these hollows up with the product. Do this early in the day. It will be gone, totally absorbed, in a couple of hours. Similar to what CSIRO suggests by the sound of it.
2) - start from an edge with a mattock and dig towards the centre. Bamboo is only shallow rooted so once you get under the root-mat it gets easier. You may need to use an axe or the cutter side of the mattock to divide the clump as you go. If it's a clumping bamboo as you get to the 'core' of the plant it will be a big clump that will likley need dividing.
Or consider....Clumping bamboos are actually highly prized and quite expensive. If you know you have a clumping variety contact a bamboo grower/nursery or a tree removal company & they may come around and remove it for free & may even offer you some money.Worth thinking about for you grab the poison or break your back...
Hey team, just an update on the bamboo removal project. Some before and after pics for anyone who might be dealing with the same issue. Basically what we did was:
1) Chopped down the culms to as close to the ground as possible so that we were left with an effective "bamboo stump/root system", equivalent to a tree stump for bamboo. We used an angle grinder.
2) Used an axe, mattock and shovel to break the bamboo stump/root system in to 15/30cm x 15/30cm squares. Dug them out. This took aaaaaages and was pretty rough work. We modelled this after this YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq4iB1Z6LXE&t=266s
3) Once the large bamboo stump/root system was removed, we tilled the soil mostly by hand. Using a small mattock and spade, removing all remnant roots and culms to try and make sure growth won't reoccur.
4) Used Yates Tree and Blackberry Killer - https://www.bunnings.com.au/yates-250ml-tree-and-blackberry-weed-killer-concentrate_p3010221 - on any smaller root systems that were difficult to remove. And we're monitoring the soil for new culms coming out and will keep monitoring for the next 3-12 months before replanting.
Have fun!
Many thanks for updating us on your progress. It might be worth popping your head over the fence and seeing if there are any shoots on the neighbour's side. Perhaps offer them the Yates Tree and Blackberry Killer if there are.
Fingers crossed that will be the end of it for you.
Hiya, do you know what ratio of blackberry killer to water or kero to use? I have just cut down clumps and put 20ml to 1 litre of water. Not sure if that is enough, will know in a couple of days I suppose? Thank you.
Hi @oakesash,
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We're really pleased to have you join us and look forward to reading about all your projects and plans for around the house and garden.
The ever-knowledgeable @Noelle recommended earlier in this discussion to mix up a solution of one part glyphosate to six parts water.
What product did you use and did you follow the directions on the label?
I used the Yates Blackberry & Tree killer - it has a number of different options for directions and ratios dependent on plant, but there is no mention of bamboo. However I have been advised by many, including this forum, that this product is excellent to eradicate bamboo. I used one of the recommendations, which was 20mls with water. But there are other stronger dilutions suggested using water or kerosene etc.
Thanks, Jason.
Hello @oakesash
I've been looking at the Yates website regarding the mixture of Tree and Blackberry killer and water/kerosene and could only find the following below. You are correct that there are no references to Bamboo. As an alternative to chemical means of killing the root, I also suggest using a Cyclone 1650 x 25mm Hex Fencing Bar to break up the root of the bamboo tree. It will take a while but at least you'll be able to take immediate action and any possible leftovers can be poisoned off.
Below are the mixing ratios as suggested by Yates:
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hi there, and yes I totally agree.The tree & blackberry product I have used quite a lot to rid my home garden & yard of more intrusive plants, especially plants like Bamboo, ivy vines and shrub shoots. I also add some kerosene to my mix of tree poison because I was told by a retired arborist friend that it helps carry and absorb the tree poison much quicker through the unwanted plant. Sometime I will drill into the plant or it’s roots if exposed and pour the mixture into the holes over a couple of days…Generally I see changes within the 2-3 days of drooling leaves and stem dryness…👍👋
Hi @RMPHandyman,
A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.
It is always great to get a variety of opinions so our readers can make informed decisions, so please continue to share any information or opinions that you have.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Jacob
