Bamboo Beware

I know exactly what you mean, Waddy, as we planted a Bamboo in a raised bed years ago. It didn't take long for the horizontal roots to push through the log-roll edging and come up through the lawn! I was so naïve in planting it without a barrier of some sort and would never, ever have a Bamboo in my garden. Well done for removing it! Mind you, there are clump forming varieties, no, let's not go there!

I'm just going to keep well away in the future. I can't believe I was so stupid as to plant it in the first place before researching it.

We learn the hard way .....

Yes....there's little that will stop their spread! Other than planting in a pot, of course!

Except that they split the pot!!!

Oh dear Julia,what a good job you thought to check it out.You would have been so upset if your lovely pond had been ruined,after all your hard work..I have a clump forming one in the biggest pot I could find,and so far it's fine..Only a cheap plastic one,so if it splits,it splits..I would still probably have another one,as it's lasted 10 years at least.and I do like it...

Best to be cautious with Bamboo. We set a plant 11 years ago, just a 2 litre pot. Its fine where it is as more in the woodland area but to give you some idea of the scale it which it has grown, today OH set too and has cut it back to create a small weaving path through it!the clump must be 12ft wide x 8ft deep

Good grief,Dawnsaunt..I bet that took some doing !

Where I live there is now serious consideration being given to banning the sale of all bamboo.

In Alnwick gardens theres a bamboo maze......well they call it a labyrinth, I don't know the difference
The website says its Fargesia rufa a new variety from China

I though it was fun, all the winding paths, lovely with the rustle of the bamboo and the sun coming through giving light and shade

I guess don't try this at home ?

we have three clump forming bamboos that were adjacent to a pond for several years without any problems at all.

whilst the pond has long gone because of grandchildren the bamboos seem to be fine

Very good advice here for us, thanks.

Pam, that must have been amazing. I will look on google earth to see if I can find it.

That's right Pamg my OH and I went through it when we visited Alnwick last year. It's quite amazing. I never realised at the time we had the same bamboo in our garden!

Its a good job you found out when you did Waddy before any serious damage occurred ! There is a less invasive type though which we had at the back of our pond at Willow Cottage , but can't remember the name !

Waddy, I like how we both refer to the maze as, a-maze-ing haha

Good Save Julia. I'm glad you were spared redoing your pond.

Many years ago I bought a very pretty, dwarf variegated bamboo, I was told it was well behaved. I dug it out after finding shoots where they shouldn't have been ....and still find the odd shoot today even. I would never buy any bamboo now:-)

I think we've all got experiences of wrong plant. I'm just glad I found out about my faupar before any damage was done.

I hope you got all of the root out:-))

Oh believe me, I did.

Goodo :-)

I planted the clump forming bamboo several years ago and so far so good. It doubled in size but it does not run out of the space I "assigned" for it. I have a problem with several other plants so I sympathize with you.
I am glad that you were successful of digging all of it out before any damage was done.

Yes, that's something you don't think of eh? The sharpness of the new shoots! Glad you got it out in time. Certain disaster averted! :)

So glad to have come across this blog - I have been considering the black bamboo to plant as a screen - I won't now though!