"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message
...
On Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:04:00 +0100, "john western"
wrote:

Neighbour has just taken over house with small garden with over three
years
of rampant *all over the garden* Bamboo growth to deal with. Has had the
garden cleared and the Bamboo all strimmed down.

He needs to create a garden with *minimum* maintenance. Obviously the
strimmed bamboo will just shoot up again. Will regular ongoing strimming
discourage it enough to kill it?

What would you recommend for an ongoing 'Minimum Maintenance' design of
garden in these circumstances? Thanks.

Sounds like your neighbour has an invasive type of bamboo (some are
easily contained, others are not!). Chopping them down was a mistake
but we have to deal with that.

Digging out the roots will be difficult to say the least and the
regular trimming approach will be partially successful at best.

You neighbour needs some herbicide (oh, if only Roundup were still
around but I'd suggest Tumbleweed) and a brush.

Allow the bamboo to regrow a bit and form leaves. When dry weather is
forecast for a couple of days, paint the leaves with Tumbleweed and
leave for a week or so to allow it to start attacking the top growth.
Then get the tumbleweed and brush handy again and chop off a stem a
couple of inches above ground and immediately (that's important) paint
the cut end liberally with Tumbleweed. The bamboo sap is drawn down
quickly after the stem is cut and the idea is that the Tumbleweed will
be sucked down with it. Repeat this with all stems. Then be prepared
to repeat the treatment as new stems emerge. It may take a while but
eventually your neighbour will manage to kill it off.

Others may offer differing solutions but that's my suggestion - take
your pick of any alternatives offered and have fun.

Cheers
Jake

You can still buy Roundup Jake, and there are many others of the same
chemical action but with different trade names
and they are all very effective on green and growing bamboo


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk