Best attachment to dig up bamboo rhizomes?

[CampyVA]

Hi all,

This spring I had an entire stand, about an acre, of running bamboo mowed down by a forestry muncher I hired. As expected, the bamboo is growing back, but I’m hoping that with repeated mowing and applications of herbicide it will eventually die.

To speed the process up, I’m wondering if there’s a ground engaging implement I could use to dig up the rhizomes. They grow only about a foot or less below the surface.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[CoyPatton]

Short of a backhoe or excavator, I do not know of an implement (3ph) that will dig that deep.
You might encounter a few attachments (FEL) that will allow you to dig that deep—stump bucket comes to mind. But these will be terribly slow even compared to a backhoe.
I would suggest grouping together several projects and rent an mini excavator for a few days or a weekend, if you do not want to just control them with frequent mowing.

 

[MechanicalGuy]

I’d try something that gets down close to 12” deep. Start with scarifies and see if they can do anything constructive or just buy one of those rippers that goes 18” deep. I’m sure any agitation will be better than none.

The rhizomes, which is the part that actually spreads, usually stay fairly shallow, less than 12 inches.

 

[Jchonline]

Maybe a middle buster or plow? What have you tried?

 

[ptsg]

My experience with those is that the only way to get rid of it is to take all the rhizomes out.

Mowing or tilling over it, will just cause it to grow faster, strong and to spread everywhere. Yeah, I've tilled over those, only to just have it spread all over the place.

So something that can dig under the roots and pull it up is the way to go. Probably a plow like Jcholine suggested.

Or maybe a potato digger like this one, although, these won't go that deep and may not be strong enough.

 

[Scar0B2150]

Bamboo roots can get as deep a 2'-3' below grade. Backhoe or excavator is the way to go if you don't want it back. The majority of the rhizomes are in the top 12"-18"

 

[jeff9366]

I have excavated a thousand Palmettos with a FEL bucket spade.

My bucket spade is from Bucket Solutions. It is a little too heavy and too long for your Deere 3032e. There are other bucket spade brands suited to tractors of Deere 3032e weight. Paumco is likely the brand matched to your Deere 3032e.

MORE:

Front-End Loader - BUCKET SPADE TODAY // FEL BUCKET ATTACHMENT

I am a fan of Bucket Solutions' clamp-on Bucket Spade. It is

www.tractorbynet.com

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=paumco+quick+spade+attachment

I suggest renting a mini excavator for a few days or a weekend if you do not want to control them with frequent mowing.

Another good approach.

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[Kennyrichmond]

Local ordinance adopted in Philadelphia suburb left my son threatened with extremely onerous fines for bamboo spreading onto neighboring property. Landscaper wanted $16K to cut it down and process it through a powerful chipper. So, we chained sawed the 40-50 foot high stalks down, grappled them, and pushed them into a rented heavy duty diesel-driven chipper. Next, we quickly took care of the visible Rhizomes with a Woodmills stump grinder, waited two weeks after rain until more appeared, then ground the remainder out. This was all done with a Deere 1025R FTLB SCUT with an
Artillian grapple/diverter. The rhizome grinding dulled the carbide teeth on the Woodmill Stump grinder, but these were easily redressed with a $50.00 modified Harbor Freight diamond carbide saw blade sharpener. 1/4 acre, 3 men, three days = bamboo gone.

 

[MoMower]

My experience with those is that the only way to get rid of it is to take all the rhizomes out.

Mowing or tilling over it, will just cause it to grow faster, strong and to spread everywhere. Yeah, I've tilled over those, only to just have it spread all over the place.

So something that can dig under the roots and pull it up is the way to go. Probably a plow like Jcholine suggested.

Or maybe a potato digger like this one, although, these won't go that deep and may not be strong enough.

Who makes that? Thanks

 

[Botaskinner]

Hi Campy,
I had a similar situation with running bamboo coming under about 90 feet of fence and invading our property.
At the time I had a Kubota B2320. I used a TSC middle buster for the first attack, making multiple passes at 0, 90, 45, and 135 degrees to the fence. Next was the box blade, scarifiers full down, multiple passes until the entire area was completely dug up.
Since I needed to regrade the area for drainage, I piled the roots and soil for transport off the property to another lot where the owner needed fill.

I never heard of those cuttings regrowing at the new location.

I probably removed the first 12" of soil in the process. No regrowth except at the fence, and that was manageable..happily we sold the property 4 years later and it's someone else's problem.

And we did disclose that situation.

23 HP is probably the minimum I would want for this kind of work. I did hit a few clusters that stopped the tractor, just had to back up and plow some more until the roots gave up.