Bamboo Blues.....

[MotorSeven]

The new section of property(63 ac) has several colonies of bamboo. It is the thumb sized variety and in the pasture it is spreading into thickets. I did a food plot 2 years ago, and darned if the 'boo didn't spring right back up. Of course the deer leave it alone and ate my x-mas trees instead!

How do i kill this stuff without taking out the good trees? With a horizontal root system that shoots out pups it doesn't look like an easy fix. Why on earth would someone introduce this stuff to their farm? or does it naturally grow in E. TN.? /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

RD

 

[MossRoad]

I was shocked to see it all over Tenn and the Carolinas last spring when we were on vacation. We were down there about 9 years ago and never saw it anywhere. Most likely introduced as specimen plants in landscaping and escaped into the wild. It is prolific stuff. No suggestions as to kill mass plantings of the stuff. I'd say you should consult your local county AG extension agent and see if they have any suggestions.

 

[kokopelli2]

My best rocomendation would be to brush cut the area. Till or plow as deep as possible at least 2feet around the area as well. and then round up or some other commercial posion.

 

[SnowRidge]

I have heard of using Round Up on any plant that pops up, waiting a couple of days, then mowing or otherwise cutting it down. If you have personal control over the entire patch, this will eventually kill it all off. If someone else has a piece of the patch -- a neighbor, for instance -- and they don't follow the same protocol, the best you can hope for is preventing spread on your property.

My wife's old place had part of a bamboo plot, and she was able to control it, but not eradicate it, just with mowing.

As far as I know, it originated in the Far East, but seems to thrive darn near anywhere. I agree with contacting your county agent. If he doesn't have any useful information on hand, ask him who you can contact at UT. Someone there will have the answer for E. Tennessee.

Good luck.

 

[ToadHill]

If the Roundup fails to work you can use a product called Garlon. It's available from Forestry Supply. You mix it with Diesel fuel and spray it on the botton 18" of the plant. It will kill trees up to 8" in diameter. I use it to control Beech trees in my woods. When I plant bamboo as a landscape plant in some of my customers gardens, I dig down about 10" and outline the area with steel about 10" high. this keeps the bamboo in the area. I plant it only as a last resort, if the customer insists.

 

[MotorSeven]

OK, i'll give the Roundup a try when i'm there in mid march. I'll snap some before & after photo's. Thanks........

RD

 

[jlbota]

The only thing I can tell you about Bamboo is dont drive over it at all in any direction even if you think you are laying it over safely in the same direction. It will poke through a brand new R4 rear tire like a big needle and you will lose all your washer fluid that loads the tire and it will make you have to buy one new tire and reload with washer fluid......and don't ask me how I know this. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[avorancher]

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of varieties so your ease of killing off the bamboo will vary. Some varieties are as thick as a pencil, others get to 8 inches in diameter and are used to construct skyscraper scaffolding in asia.

Since all are related to grass, roundup or similar herbicides will kill it off eventually. Just takes patience and persistence.

Hint: Run your fingers around one stalk... if there is a distinct ridge running along its length, then it is considered a "running" style. Without that ridge, it is usually a "clumping" style. Running styles will be much more difficult to control, since it sends underground runners out to create those pups you see. Runners can go several feet deep and 10 feet horizontally in some varieties. Clumping styles grow from a central rizome and although can spread, they are more easily controlled since pups go back to a central root system.

Until you get it under control, think of good uses for those tough stalks. They make good plant stakes, fences, etc.

 

[PSDStu]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hint: Run your fingers around one stalk... if there is a distinct ridge running along its length, then it is considered a "running" style. Without that ridge, it is usually a "clumping" style. Running styles will be much more difficult to control, since it sends underground runners out to create those pups you see. Runners can go several feet deep and 10 feet horizontally in some varieties. Clumping styles grow from a central rizome and although can spread, they are more easily controlled since pups go back to a central root system. )</font>

I didn't know about the difference between the "Running and Clumping" style......... neighbor down the road has some clumping style he wants to get rid of.... I will mention this to him.

 

[MotorSeven]

Jilbota,

Greeeat....something else to deal with /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif......... but thanks for the heads up.

I'm thinking napalm........!

RD

 

[hobbyfarm]

MotorSeven,

Why would you want to kill it?
If I were you, I'd find a market for it or create a market for it. There are a bunch of things you can make with it and sell RETAIL!!
Nurseries need plant stakes, etc for example.
You are fortunate if they are good stands.
I would really think twice before removing it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[GregMVT]

One of the places you can check is with the state. Vermont has information on invasive species found in the state. I have a problem with buckthorn up here. They put on a class at a maple syrup making conferece I went to a couple of weeks ago, very informative. I would think that TN would have a similar program and you should be able to at least get some good advice on what works to get rid of it.

Greg

 

[chucko]

I had a guy at work that had some bamboo......he has been trying to kill and dig up for year....To make a log story short he just moved

 

[MotorSeven]

Hobby,

The stuff is really taking over one end of my pasture. Up on the ridges it is popping up on the trails and as i mentioned in the food plot. Sheeze, if i can find a market for it i would have a serious "orchard" of the stuff to last quite some time. If i could just control it i would be happy, but it may get the "Kudzu of the year" award if i don't slow it down.
I guess i'm lucky, my co-worker here in FL has bamboo that is 3-4" in diameter and 40' tall /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ! You could build the bridge over the river kuwai with that stuff!

RD

 

[avorancher]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I guess i'm lucky, my co-worker here in FL has bamboo that is 3-4" in diameter and 40' tall ! You could build the bridge over the river kuwai with that stuff! )</font>

I was in Asia some years ago and they were using bamboo that was probably 8-10" in diameter. It was common to see modern 60-70 story buildings under construction and covered with bamboo scaffolding with sisal rope connections. Locals said they preferred bamboo because it would sway in the typhoon winds (not with me on it!) rather than bend and break like steel.

Unfortunately, it sounds like you have the "running" type on your property which can be particularly nasty once it gets out of control.

 

[avorancher]

Actually, I'm retired and carry a machette nearly every day.... but not for the bamboo. Nearly every plant is invasive around here, so I use it on weeds that didn't get roundup within the last week or two. I have a whole new respect for the old saying "grows like a weed".

One of the worst plants for me, other than the poison oak forest I have, is the "chocolate mint" that my wife planted in her herb garden. Been trying to get rid of that stuff for months. At least I smell good after digging up the roots.

Hey, if these are the worst things we have to worry about... it can't be all that bad!!!

 

[goaliedad]

napalm?