How to completely remove bamboo from yard?

[Rawns]

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!

[Jason]

@Noelle 

Would you simply recommend a shovel and a lot of perseverance?

Jason

[Noelle · Accepted solution]

Hi Rawns & Jason

You 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!

[Rawns]

Thanks...I did not know that about Glyphosate.

[Jason]

Fantastic advice as always @Noelle. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and amazing knowledge with us.

Jason

[Renan]

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.

[Jason]

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,

Jason

[Noelle]

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.

[Rawns]

@Noelle 

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???

[Noelle]

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.