How to Get Rid of Bamboo
Bamboo is a highly versatile plant used for food, construction materials, and as a wood alternative. However should you grow it in your garden or yard you will need to know how to get rid of bamboo. Bamboo, also is an aggressive spreader, becoming a problem for gardeners and lawn owners who wish to contain it. Controlling bamboo can be a difficult task but have in mind that the stalks can become taller than you.
What is the bamboo?
Understanding a few terms regarding bamboo and its anatomy will help you in the quest to kill this plant, as numerous methods require you to target specific parts.
- Culm: the bamboo’s stem.
- Rhizome: it’s the part of the culm that grows underground.
If you want to understand widely the plants functions we recommend you to get first the best houseplants for beginners. You can go slowly learning about them.
Categories of bamboo
Running bamboo
This is an invasive plant. Its underground rhizomes grow outward from the culm and through your yard, possibly into your neighbor’s yard. Meanwhile new culms grow from the extended rhizome system.
Clumping bamboo
This variety growth habits are slower and more compact. The rhizomes grow from the same original point, turning upwards to form culms. Because of this clumping bamboo is both non-invasive and easier to remove, as the bamboo is in the convenient location.
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Herbicides
If you are a homeowner, go for a non-selective herbicide with glyphosate. Glyphosate kills any plants it directly hits, so be careful around your prized flower gardens. Apply the herbicide to the foliage or cut stumps. The herbicide will travel through both parts of the plants to kill the roots.
Manually digging
Digging out the roots is a labor intensive but effective way to eliminate the entire plant. For taller bamboo stalks, chop down the culm before digging. First wet the ground with some water to help loosen the soil. Next, use a shovel to dig around the bamboo. Once you hit the rhizome, start pulling the plant out. If you miss a single rhizome, the plant will grow back, so you need to remove all the rhizomes and the whole root system.
If you want to learn more about that type of plants you don’t want in your garden read something related to the most poisonous plants, too.