Controlling Bamboo

Part I Pruning Trench and Sand Trap

Photo © Dain Sansome. Photo © Ned Jaquith, Bamboo Garden

A shallow pruning trench will enable one to cut off rhizomes as they attempt to cross.
The trench should be thoroughly checked twice per year, in mid summer and again in the fall.
It can be filled with sand or other loose media that can be dug through with ease. (see photo of sand trap below)

Pruning the underground rhizomes around the perimeter of your bamboo planting area once in Summer and in Fall during their active growth period is the best way to control the bamboo and prevent it from spreading. This should always be considered as the first option, and, if the area inaccessible for pruning, install the rhizome barrier. Remember: Barrier does not stop the bamboo from growing. It forces the underground rhizomes to grow in a certain direction. A bamboo enclosed inside a barrier still needs annual maintenance for long term health and control.

Photo © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden
Iris, packing down the sand in the rhizome sand trap designed for root pruning

Photo © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden, Rhizome crossing (copyright Liz John)
leaf mulch pulled away to reveal several rhizomes.

Part II: Installing an Open Sided Barrier (for barrier pricing see this page: Bamboo Rhizome Barrier)
A site about 12 feet in length has been selected to create a bamboo privacy screen.	The barrier trench is dug on three sides.
A double lined barrier is installed on three sides leaving one side open for root pruning. This is important for maintaining a healthy bamboo screen in a small growing area.	The lip of the barrier is higher than normal because the bamboo planting area is raised up on a 6-8 inch berm; this is useful for root pruning as the rhizomes usually spread within the upper four inches of the top soil. The outer edge of the berm should be checked by cutting into the soil with a sharp spade two to three times per year in the summer through fall during the bamboo's active spreading phase. Remove any rhizome attempting to spread out of the berm.
Photos © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden (click on photos for larger image) 5 Gallon Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' have been intermixed with P. aureosulcata 'Harbin Inversa' to create a colorful screen. In three years they will achieve 20+ feet in height with enough density to block view of the neighbors. Photos © Noah Bell, Bamboo Garden OPEN SIDED BARRIER -- a good choice for long term health and bamboo control. It requires annual root pruning on the side left open. There are some advantages to doing this, mainly it will prevent bamboo from becoming too root bound within an small, enclosed space. It also assures that the planting area has adequate drainage which is especially important in certain areas that collect a lot of water in the winter. It is often used to create a border along a fence line or property line if your main concern is keeping good neighborly relations. An open-sided barrier (half circle or U-shape) will focus the rhizomes in one direction, thus reducing and simplifying the area that needs annual pruning. This is a good technique to use for small areas (less than 30 feet total circumference), or if you are planning to dig divisions of the original plant at a later date. The stainless steel clamp is not needed for these applications.

More photos of installing open sided barrier (click on photos for larger image): (for barrier pricing see this page: Bamboo Rhizome Barrier) Site selection	Digging the trench
	installing two parallel layers of barrier for added protection when growing large Timber Bamboo
Applying mushroom compost topdressing	Phyllostachys bambusoides planted with soaker hose.

Part III: Fully Enclosed Barrier
A poorly maintained Phyllostachys nigra and Pseudosasa japonica have escaped a make-shift fiberglass barrier and snuck under an old fence that has just been removed to make way for rhizome barrier installation.
A narrow trench about 28 inches deep is being dug around the perimeter of the intended growing area. Any rhizomes encountered are carefully cut and removed. Tarps have been spread around the designated trench line to catch the soil and help contain the mess. This is also helpful for back filling the trench after the barrier is installed.
	The barrier is installed and stainless steel clamp secured where the ends come together. An electric drill is useful for making holes in the barrier to fasten the nuts and bolts. Because this barrier is only 30 feet in circumference, we have double lined the material for added protection.
	The soil needs to be thoroughly compacted by stomping around the trench several times during the back filling process.
All photos on this page © Noah Bell, 2006 Barrier price and written instructions HOME	The top two to four inches of the barrier must remain visible so as to detect rhizomes trying to escape over the top. A 3 to 5 inch layer of mulch will draw the rhizomes up near the surface which makes root pruning an easy task. Once per year, just beneath the surface of the mulch along the inside edge of the barrier, one should carefully cut and remove any rhizomes which have grown along it. Although you can get away with almost no maintenance for a few years, root pruning is very important for long term healthy bamboo and functional barrier.

Matt aka "Nightcrawler" showing gritty determination necessary for this kind of work.