Bamboo Intrusion

If I understand this correctly and if you neighbor doesn't eradicate it 100% by removing the bamboo you may have an out-of-control problem.
Bamboo is a rhizome/grass and grows in culms which spread out underground and are just invasive as hell. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhizome

Your question: "Will the roundup work?" Yes, it just might. It also might ruin your soil for 2+ years from what I've read. You will have to locate every single culm. (extremely difficult)

It's all or nothing. And the neighbor MUST kill his as well or it simply will not work to prune or "cut it back" off of your property.

How large is this problem? Is this the common golden bamboo?


It sounds like your problem is minor right now. Thats the good news.
Personally...if it were me: I would hire some labor to shovel and pick ALL Culms out. Having a pro look at it is best.

If its near your home, driveway etc then it's very important that you do not ignore this. Culms start growing underground and you wont even see it until it pops up one day.

Good move in seeking advice now...

Roundup degraded in the soil

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12026075&dopt=Abstract

Roundup is reportedlty degraded quickly in the soil.

You want to apply roundup to growing foliage to get it to be absorbed into the root system. Let it find the nasty culms via the root connections to the top.

Bob, if he has cantalope sized rock hard culms that have "spidered" out 20 feet away and 3 foot down-it's not going to work long term.
I think you can use a product like that in conjunction with Manual Removal. If it's a nasty patch-he has No alternative.

Excerpt from another board:
....I panicked and tried Roundup, including cutting stalks and drilling down to the roots and pouring the concentrated roundup directly down to the roots. This took much time and didn't work, plus I broke a special 14 inch drill bit I had bought just for that purpose.
I tried digging it out, but there was so much, I couldn't go fast enough to get it all, and didn't have enough time or energy to spend on it.
Also, within 6 months all the roots that I had dug out were replaced by new roots put out by other stalks, and they grew in exactly the same place as the old roots, because I had loosened up the earth where I had dug them previously....

Scroll down half way in this thread on this board.
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...ill+bamboo+++roundup&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

There is a reason why the pros dig it out manually. I've seen it on a number of occasions.

I've heard about some home owners association that outlaw the growing of bamboo for this very reason.

Let me put it this way: I would not buy a home with extensive bamboo on the property. It can compromise the foundation/driveway easily.
I have some rare black bamboo-potted. In peak growing season it can grow as much as 9 inches in ONE day.
He simply has to look at this as a tip of the iceberg issue.

Dig it up.
Young plants are more susceptible than larger ones, which'll chug down the Roundup, burp it up, and ask you for another glass.
But if you dig up all the mature plants, you can use a combo of pulling and Roundup on the new plants. You gotta get the leaves though. That's the most efficient way to get it to the roots. I have heard it said that transmittal from the leaves to the roots is more efficient than even pouring it directly into the stalk. I cannot figure out why though...

I suggest you get together with the neighbor and make a plan.
Because it's just a situation where even if you kill every leaf and stalk on your property-the problem will persist over the years.

On a positive note-try potting some culms in big asian style pots. I have 3 outside that I use as privacy screens for kitchen/bathroom windows.
5-10 gallon bamboo sells for 75-150 at nurserys here in SoCal.

You can insulate rhizome spreading plants like pachysandra and grass with plastic edging that sinks 6" below surface. My neighbor did that. Looks great; can't see it, and it really keeps invaders at bay. You can tack one of these badboys on yr property edge. I'd bet bamboo roots are pretty shallow and a 6" barrier should be enough.