I’m a gardening expert – here’s 5 ways to stop the spread of a plant even worse than Japanese knotweed
A GARDENING expert has revealed five ways to stop the spread of a plant that’s even worse than Japanese knotweed.
While a popular addition to many gardens, bamboo can quickly take over if not tended properly.
Holly Reaney, content editor at Homes and Gardens, shared her top tips to keep bamboo in check.
She wrote: “Bamboo plants have two different growth patterns, there are clumping rhizomes and running rhizomes.
“Clumping rhizomes are the more manageable of the two and can easily be stopped from spreading with regular pruning.
“However, bamboo plants with running rhizomes are more problematic.”
This is because they can grow underground for up to 20ft away from the main plant, burrowing under patios, driveways and even house foundations.
As such it’s important to make sure you have the growth under control.
Holly’s first tip is to install some form of subsurface or root barrier that prevents the plant expanding freely.
For example, you could plant it in a pot which is then put in below ground level.
This allows the plant to appear as though it’s sprouting naturally from the earth without all the hassle of excessive root growth.
She also advised keeping around 2in of the barrier above the ground to prevent the bamboo from growing over the top, or just planting in a pot above ground altogether.
Thirdly, Holly recommended pruning the roots of the plant to prevent wild growth.
While this is the most cost-effective it is likely to involve some hard work and has to be done repeatedly.
CEO of Lawn Love, Jeremy Yamaguchi, explained: “All you have to do is take a spade or shovel and push it into the soil around the outside edge of where you want the bamboo to stop.
Do it over and over again, overlapping where you last pushed your spade, until you have gone around the perimeter.
“This breaks the roots at that perimeter and prevents them from growing past it.”
As a last resort, weedkillers can be used, though Holly warned against this because of the effect it can have on other plants and wildlife in your garden.
She explained: “Start by cutting down the unwanted canes to ground level. Then dress in protective clothing and ensure that children and pets are out of the way.
“Then apply a glyphosate-based weedkiller to the stumps – this is the same method used for how to remove Japanese knotweed.
“Cover with an old carpet and tarp and ensure that pets and children are kept away.
“Within a few days, this will kill the unwanted plant without harming the main bamboo.”
Finally, if you’re just sick of your bamboo and want to be rid of it, it can be killed off by cutting it back to the roots and then scalding them with boiling water.
However, unlike the other measures this is not reversible and so if you want the bamboo back it will have to be re-planted.