Bill Lantry
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- Inside the Beltway
So, way back when, Jason was complaining about some innocent little stand of bamboo. At the time, I told him this:
To which he replied:
So, now we're all caught up. I'm assuming it's runner bamboo, and not clumps, since Jason would have just dug up the clumps, no problem. It's the running stuff that people hate...
The solution is brutally simple. Bamboo only actually grows for a few weeks a year. Jason, all you have to do is cut it down (machete, chainsaw, whatever works). I've seen thinstem bamboo decapitated with hedge trimmers. One gets a kind of grim satisfaction from this work...
Take *that*, you evil plant!
Cut it pretty low to the ground. You want to get the mower over it...
Then wait, and watch. At some point, depending on variety and climate, it will decide "Ah! Look at the time. Let's send up some shoots!"
This is the time for vigilance. Walk around the yard. Whereever you see one of those shoots coming up, step on it. They're very soft at that stage. Do this with extreme prejudice. You want to get them all.
Some varieties will keep trying to send up shoots until they've completely exhausted their energies. Others will tell themselves, "ah, it's a bad year, I'll try again next spring". Other will do something in between. In any case, break off the shoots with your foot. As long as you're vigilant, no bamboo can survive this treatment.
Trust me on this one: no amount of expensive round up, or sweaty digging, will get rid of it. But this method works everytime...
Thanks,
Bill
To which he replied:
Bill - I'll hold ya to it! I've heard remedies ranging from cutting it off and painting round-up FULL strength on the ends within 15 seconds to a whole lot of digging. I don't do digging - especially when it's something i dislike. I'd be more inclined to nuke my yard than dig up bamboo roots.
Mid feb is the right time, eh? That's already helpful - we were thinkin' of doing it as soon as we picked up the good juice (50buck roundup). I wasn't sure it'd work and 50 clams is a big gamble for something i have disdain for.
I shall pick your brain come february, then. Thank you
So, now we're all caught up. I'm assuming it's runner bamboo, and not clumps, since Jason would have just dug up the clumps, no problem. It's the running stuff that people hate...
The solution is brutally simple. Bamboo only actually grows for a few weeks a year. Jason, all you have to do is cut it down (machete, chainsaw, whatever works). I've seen thinstem bamboo decapitated with hedge trimmers. One gets a kind of grim satisfaction from this work...
Take *that*, you evil plant!
Cut it pretty low to the ground. You want to get the mower over it...
Then wait, and watch. At some point, depending on variety and climate, it will decide "Ah! Look at the time. Let's send up some shoots!"
This is the time for vigilance. Walk around the yard. Whereever you see one of those shoots coming up, step on it. They're very soft at that stage. Do this with extreme prejudice. You want to get them all.
Some varieties will keep trying to send up shoots until they've completely exhausted their energies. Others will tell themselves, "ah, it's a bad year, I'll try again next spring". Other will do something in between. In any case, break off the shoots with your foot. As long as you're vigilant, no bamboo can survive this treatment.
Trust me on this one: no amount of expensive round up, or sweaty digging, will get rid of it. But this method works everytime...
Thanks,
Bill