bamboo running type

Question

Please help. How do you get rid of it?
Thanks

Answer 1

Like Japanese knotweed, getting rid of running bamboo takes persistence. If you are willing to use herbicide, cut the stalk just below the lowest node. The stalks are hollow so pour in glyphosate (Round-Up). Do this for each stalk. If there is any regrowth, hit the leaves with glyphosate. You can try to kill it by mowing, and mowing and mowing. Eventually, the deep root or rhizome will run out of energy and die. Obviously, you need to mow at least weekly so you deprive the plant of photosynthesis. Heavy tarps can be put over the mown stalks; however, the root is capable of traveling quite a ways to find the end of the tarp and shoot up there. If you want to try the tarp, effectively blocking photosynthesis, you must place vertical barriers to keep roaming roots contained. Then there is digging and seeking out/ sifting the soil for all the underground roots. I would probably employ a combination of technics and the choice depends on how large an area is involved. There is a WikiHow article that you should check out and I’m sure someone has posted a YouTube on the topic. Good luck