Bamboo, with its towering, slender stems and rapid growth, is fast becoming a favourite amongst British gardeners. This striking plant provides excellent coverage and its height makes it an ideal alternative to traditional fencing.
However, without proper maintenance, this fast-growing plant can quickly become a nightmare. It’s been known to upheave paving stones, ruin driveways and even damage water and sewage pipes due to its incredibly robust rhizomes. Rhizomes are the subterranean parts of the stems. These aren’t roots but modified underground stems that function similarly to roots and grow horizontally through the soil.
Some bamboo varieties are ‘clumping’, meaning their rhizomes grow closer to the main plant.
Other types are known as ‘running’, which means their rhizomes spread far and wide beneath the ground, and these can cause property damage.
They are strong enough to push through soil, crack pavement, and even infiltrate weak spots in building foundations.
During the growing season, bamboo can grow inches or even feet daily, and this rapid growth means that even a small clump of bamboo can quickly transform into a dense thicket that blocks out light and strangles any nearby plants.
The thick roots of bamboo can absorb water and nutrients from the soil, leaving little for anything else, and the dense canopy of leaves will start to block out sunlight.
Nevertheless, bamboo can still make a stunning addition to your garden – you simply need to understand how to manage it properly.
Horticultural expert Harry Bodell at PriceYourJob.co.uk has revealed his essential advice on preventing bamboo from becoming invasive.
He explained: “It is a good idea to always look for a ‘clumping’ variety of bamboo.
“These types will grow in a tight clump and don’t send out the wild underground runners that can cause the problems we have discussed for your home and garden.
“They are a much safer option for home gardens than their running counterparts.”
If you choose running bamboo instead, make certain you install root barriers to stop it spreading beyond your chosen location.
Harry explained: “You can purchase thick sheets made of strong plastic or metal, which should be buried around two to three feet deep into the ground.
“If you make sure that the ends overlap well and are sealed tightly, these sheets should form an effective barrier to stop rhizomes from finding a way to spread further into your garden and the rest of your property.”
If you already have bamboo that’s beginning to expand beyond its intended boundaries, you’ll need to act swiftly to control it.
One method involves digging a trench around the perimeter once or twice annually and severing any rhizomes that try to cross it.
Alternatively, you can simply cut down any new shoots immediately upon spotting them emerging outside the designated zone.
This approach will progressively weaken the plant over time. Getting rid of bamboo entirely can be a mammoth task – it’s even more invasive than Japanese knotweed.
You’ll need to cut down all of the shoots and dig up as many rhizomes as you can.
This process will have to be repeated over several months or even years to eventually starve the plant. Particularly large or stubborn infestations may require you to seek professional help.