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Bamboo - Weed Control

Commonly asked question(s):

- How do I control bamboo?
- How do I get rid of bamboo?

How do I control bamboo?

Obviously digging it out would be ideal but we appreciate that it is not always possible, particularly if it is growing among other plants. There are lots of different methods that have varying levels of success, including burning as you mentioned. Whilst burning may sound rather impractical there are weed burners available that will allow you to be very specific, burning just the plant, without risking damage to your neighbour’s fence. However this is unlikely to kill the plant with only one treatment. You mentioned that you have tried roundup. Don’t give up after one treatment; you will need to be ruthless and keep on treating the new growth as it is likely to require several attempts to have any real effect. If you can keep burning or treating the new shoots as they appear then you will eventually weaken the plant and have a better chance of controlling it. Persistence is the key!

How do I get rid of bamboo?

Bamboo can be very invasive once it becomes established, but don’t despair just yet! You mentioned that you have tried using Resolva. This herbicide mixes a contact herbicide ‘diquat’ mixed with the well known systemic herbicide ‘glyphosate’, to eradicate both perennial and annual weeds. It is the glyphosate that will be most effective on bamboo, and there are lots of products on the market that use this as their main active ingredient, including Roundup and Tumbleweed.

However, many persistent perennial weeds require more than one application of glyphosate to weaken and destroy the plant. Don’t give up after one treatment; you will need to keep on treating the new growth. If you keep treating the new shoots as they appear then you will eventually weaken the plant and have a better chance of controlling it.

Alternatively you could try digging it out or burning the new shoots off with a flame wand. Whichever method you choose, you will need to attack the plant several times before you have any real effect. You could even use a combination of these methods to make life really difficult for your bamboo - just remember that persistence is your key to success!