Bamboo War

One of Surrey's favourite plants was Bamboo. Hence, in the early 1970s we planted a small clump of black bamboo in the front garden. At the time he understood that it could be kept as a clumping bamboo by pruning off new shoots from escapee runners. I continued to do this for 39 years. We thought it was working. However, with this wet spring and summer and the revamping of the front porch and driveway it became obvious that unless I waged war on this plant I would soon be living in an unmanageable bamboo forest. Nice if you are a panda.

Hence I am working with all comers to the point of exhaustion at least twice a week digging it back. Everyone who sees the size of the task has said there should be an easier way. Well this morning I did a quick google search and lo and behold there is not. I found two very helpful links that suggest exactly what I am doing. I have listed them in my Plant Links on the right. They also suggest that this will be a continuing job but that once the main clumps are removed it will become easier. At least I live on easy-to-dig sand.

I am therefore putting out a call to anyone who would like to experience bamboo at first hand or to others who might like to help me for a few hours. Just ring and we can make war with the bamboo together. I would really like to get the major job done this growing season and all the outlying runners dug up back to as small a clump as possible with the aim of annihilating it completely while I still have my strength. When I am an old lady I do not want to be buried under or lost in my own forest of bamboo.