I am getting ready to plant some bamboo (Phyllostachys nuda) in my
yard in zone 5. I am trying to decide on a barrier. I have read
conflicting things. Given the cold winters here, I am wondering if one
is needed at all. I've read that people just use a spade all the way
around the area they want to contain the bamboo a couple times a year.
Am I looking for trouble doing this? As I want to cover a decent
size area, it is a lot of work to dig a huge whole and put in a
barrier.

Unless it's on the property line, don't bother with rhizome barrier. Just
root prune in the late fall. If you miss something, and a shoot comes up
where you don't want it in the spring, pull on the shoot and follow the
rhizome back to the desired area. The rhizome is typically just an inch or
two below the surface and will come up easily when young. Cut the rhizome
at that point and toss the shoot and length of rhizome.

------
Bob


MC wrote in message
om...
I am getting ready to plant some bamboo (Phyllostachys nuda) in my
yard in zone 5. I am trying to decide on a barrier. I have read
conflicting things. Given the cold winters here, I am wondering if one
is needed at all. I've read that people just use a spade all the way
around the area they want to contain the bamboo a couple times a year.
Am I looking for trouble doing this? As I want to cover a decent
size area, it is a lot of work to dig a huge whole and put in a
barrier.