I planted Arundinaria vagans in my garden some years ago.The plant is now
almost out of control due to the activity of a web of underground runners.
Shoots spring up everywhere.
I have tried to kill the plant with glyphosate but with no luck. The plant
seems to be bomb proof.

Any suggestions for a comprehensive kill would be appreciated.

chris

chris wrote:

I planted Arundinaria vagans in my garden some years ago.The plant is now
almost out of control due to the activity of a web of underground runners.
Shoots spring up everywhere.
I have tried to kill the plant with glyphosate but with no luck. The plant
seems to be bomb proof.

Any suggestions for a comprehensive kill would be appreciated.

chris


Chris,

The underground runners are called rhizomes and they store the energy
(carbohydrates) needed for future growth. From the nodes on the
rhizomes come the roots and the vertical stems called culms. To control
or remove the bamboo you need to eliminate the rhizomes. Without the
rhizomes the other parts of the bamboo cannot do anything except exist
in slow decline. You can dig the rhizome up (usually about 1 foot
underground or less) and if you miss some you will see new culms come
up. Then you dig again to get the missed rhizome segments.

A less labor intensive, but slower method (could take more than one
year) is to cut all culms down to the ground (or even just underground
if possible) to eliminate any photosynthesis. The energy currently
stored in the rhizomes will allow new culms to be produced. These
should be cut down just after they start to leaf out, thus using up as
much of the rhizome's stored energy as possible, but before the new
culms would start to do much photosynthesis. Eventually the rhizome
uses up all its energy, and lacking any ability to photosynthesize, will
die.

Good luck.

Bob