How to Kill Bamboo

Bamboo, although it looks pretty, is also an invasive plant. Bamboo is also a very difficult plant to eradicate, no matter which method you choose. Fortunately, this is not impossible. Regardless of chemical, organic or mechanical methods, you will have to dig up the rhizomes (subterranean stems) and cut the stems. Of course, the best way is still to prevent the bamboo from becoming a problem.

Table of Contents

Kill bamboo with chemicals

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/dd/Kill-Bamboo-Step-1-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill-Bamboo-Step-1- Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/dd/Kill-Bamboo-Step-1-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill- Bamboo-Step-1-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser -output”></div>”}

Cut bamboo close to the ground and wait for bamboo shoots to grow. Before spraying chemicals on new bamboo leaves, you need to cut the bamboo and wait for them to grow back. This may sound strange, but you need to let the bamboo shoots grow. Herbicides will not be effective if the bamboo stalks have grown.

Bamboo is quite tough but not very hard. It is recommended that you use pruning shears, a tool that looks like a pair of scissors with a large handle and small blade, because this tool cuts better than a saw.
Cut the bamboo in late winter so you can use the herbicide to kill new shoots in late spring or early summer.

Cut off the bamboo’s underground stems below the ground when the shoots begin to grow back. Use a sharp-edged spade (or other garden tool with a sharp blade) to cut the bamboo and sever the underside of the bamboo. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Royal Horticultural Society Go to the source} Cut off as many subterranean trunk segments as possible.

The underground stem is a root system that grows underground. These rhizomes grow horizontally below the ground and divide into several segments, from which sprouts emerge from the ground when the plant is ready to grow.
You’ll probably recognize the underground stems if you’ve ever known ginger and galangal, or seen fresh turmeric. These roots have many shoots, and the underground stems of bamboo look similar.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/a/ab/Kill-Bamboo-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill-Bamboo-Step-3- Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/ab/Kill-Bamboo-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill- Bamboo-Step-3-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser -output”></div>”}

Spray glyphosate herbicide on leaves, branches and bamboo shoots. The herbicide glyphosate only kills plants in direct contact with the drug. That means you will have to be careful when spraying, remember to only spray on bamboo. ^{[2] X Research Source} Most glyphosate herbicides must be sprayed on leaves, stems, and bamboo shoots and allowed enough time for the drug to penetrate before being diluted by water. Unless the label says otherwise, don’t pour the glyphosate herbicide on the ground around the bamboo, as this won’t work.

To reduce the risk of accidentally killing another plant or overdosing it, you can use a brush to brush the herbicide onto the leaves and stems of the plant instead of spraying it on the plant.
If you are near a water source (river, lake, sea, etc.), be sure to use a herbicide that is specifically designed to kill plants near the water source. You probably don’t want to contaminate the surrounding waters.

Kill bamboo without chemicals

Peach bamboo. This is one of the ways to kill bamboo without using chemicals. Use a spade, hoe, or saw with a sharp blade to cut the tree and dig it up. Like any other method, this method requires you to pay attention and continue to eliminate bamboo tubes (bamboo stalks) and underground stems (plants that grow underground). ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You need to cut off the clumps of plants, but also remove the underground stem, otherwise, this “monster” will continue to grow. The underground stems of bamboo plants grow in the soil about 30cm deep below the ground, so you will have to dig into the ground until you find them.
Dig down and cut off the underground stem at the same time, especially if you want to keep a few plants. This will prevent the plant from continuing to grow more buds.
Continue to cut and dig the tree. You will have to do this until the bamboo no longer grows new shoots. This process can take months or even years, but there is no faster way, as bamboo is a highly invasive and very persistent plant.
If you want to get rid of bamboo in your garden, you must remove the entire underground stem.

Run the lawn mower regularly. Like grass, bamboo plants can tolerate occasional mowing with a lawn mower, but they don’t like frequent mowing. This can reduce the number of stems, especially for plants that have not grown too large (you will be unlikely to use a lawn mower to bulldoze the grown bamboo unless you cut the stems first) . ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Running a lawn mower can reduce the number of underground stems by preventing the uptake of nutrients (from the sun through the leaves).
You will have to run the lawn mower every time you see a bamboo stem sprouting, as this method can be time consuming.

Cut off the plant’s reserve of nutrients. Another way to get rid of bamboo is to “starve” the tree. You should start by cutting off the stems below ground, then spread a dark tarp or thick plastic cloth over the ground. This method works to block rain, sun and air, eventually the tree will die. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Secure the canvas or plastic cloth. Slag bricks are commonly used to block the canvas, but anything heavy enough to hold the canvas in place can work. You need to make sure the tarpaulin or plastic cloth does not pick up, as the purpose here is to prevent the bamboo from being exposed to the elements.
If you find plants sprouting outside the tarp, you need to quickly spray herbicide (containing triclopyr), or cut off the shoots and block the slag bricks or cover with another tarp.
As above, this method can take some time, so you need to be patient. Cover the ground with a tarp for at least a month (but it may take a year to remove the bamboo).

Isolate the bamboo tree

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/a/a7/Kill-Bamboo-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Kill-Bamboo-Step-9- Version-3.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a7/Kill-Bamboo-Step-9-Version-3.jpg/v4-728px-Kill- Bamboo-Step-9-Version-3.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser -output”></div>”}

Create an open barrier. Dig a curved or semicircular trench around the bamboo. To be effective, the barrier needs to be at least 70 cm deep, as most underground hulls cannot reach this depth. The advantage of the open barrier is to limit the growth of bamboo roots in the enclosed space, and at the same time ensure the drainage for the tree. You can make a fence along the fence or land boundary to prevent the bamboo from encroaching on the neighbor’s yard and vice versa. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

If you like, you can make a fence out of concrete, metal or plastic. Any kind is fine. Note that underground stems have the ability to grow through wood, so wood is not a suitable material for fencing.
An effective and widely used material is high-density ppypropylene— 1mm or more. This type of bamboo fence usually costs about 200,000 – 250,000 VND per meter, depending on the type of material and thickness.
If you plan to install the fence along the fence, install it so that the barrier rises about 5 cm above the ground.
When using an open fence, you will have to cut the roots every year to limit the growth of the bamboo.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/4/41/Kill-Bamboo-Step-10-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill-Bamboo-Step-10- Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/41/Kill-Bamboo-Step-10-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill- Bamboo-Step-10-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser -output”></div>”}

Install closed barriers. Like open barriers, closed barriers need to be at least 60-90 cm deep. Unlike the open fence, the closed fence will completely wrap around the bamboo, so the underground stem cannot escape. The biggest advantage of this method is obvious – the bamboo will be completely isolated, but you can still check the underground stem.

Similar to the above, you need to make sure the barrier is raised a minimum of 5cm above the ground, as this will allow you to detect which section of underground hull is trying to reach beyond the barrier.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/87/Kill-Bamboo-Step-11-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill-Bamboo-Step-11- Version-4.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/87/Kill-Bamboo-Step-11-Version-4.jpg/v4-728px-Kill- Bamboo-Step-11-Version-4.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:259,”bigWidth”:728,”bigHeight”:410,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser -output”></div>”}

Consider using a pond or stream to separate the bamboo on one side. If done right, a pool or stream combined with three enclosed fence edges will have a decorative but effective effect to separate the bamboo. The stream itself acts as the fourth wall, as the underground stem of bamboo cannot grow through water.

Occasionally check for underground stems that extend outwards. If your fence is deep and sturdy enough, the bamboo won’t have much room to grow. However, you still need to keep an eye on the bamboo regularly to make sure it doesn’t spread outside the designated area. If you find stubborn undergrowth, you need to get rid of them: cut the rhizomes below ground and consider using any of the methods described above to get rid of the bamboo.

Advice

Bamboo species that grow in clusters (unlike the scattered bamboo species, which are the most invasive and difficult to eradicate) may be a better choice if you still want to grow bamboo in your yard. However, this species of bamboo can also grow out of control, and you can use the methods above to get rid of the bamboo.
Dried bamboo leaves can be very sharp. You can take freshly cut bamboo to suitable places such as a compost bin or an eco-friendly garden waste container.
Some zoos use bamboo as food for pandas. If you want to donate bamboo, find out where it is needed before cutting it and wait for enough time for the chemicals on the bamboo to decompose.
If you grow bamboo in a pot, you won’t have to worry about the bamboo spreading throughout the garden. This is a great way to enjoy the benefits of bamboo without the fear of harmful plants.
Dried bamboo can be used as a trellis in the garden or used in small construction projects.

Warning

Use gloves when spraying pesticides to avoid skin irritation.
Be sure to spray pesticides only on the plants you want to get rid of; otherwise you may damage other plants in the garden..

Steps

Kill bamboo with chemicals

Kill bamboo without chemicals

Isolate the bamboo tree

Advice

Warning

Related Posts