Okay, here's the set up:

I just built a hill in my yard that parallels a major road. There's
the road's drainage ditch between my hill and the road... both sides
of this (the road and my hill) are about 10' above that drainage, with
about a 45 degree slope on each side.

I'm about to plant 18 Negra Henon plants on my hill


Here are my questions:

1. How fast will bamboo run *down* this hill? It seems as if it
would keep popping out, as opposed to "knowing" to run down the hill
and then back up the other side and this would slow it down a lot.

2. The drainage ditch is very wet 6 months of the year, slightly
wet 3 more, and pretty dry only 3 months (june-aug) of the year...
Will the bamboo cross this area?

3. If it did cross and start heading up the 10' high slope towards
the road, the dirt / soil / rocks that make up this road are highly
compacted, do you think the bamboo would actually make it through this
stuff???


My choices a
1. Try to dig in a 2' deep barrier IN the dranage ditch, but I think
there are many rocks from the road building.

2. Let it run, and trust the watersoaked ditch would act as the
barrier..

3. Let it run and worry about it many years from now.... maybe 10?
and just keep cutting off any new shoots every year when they start
appearing (the county also Mows their side of the hill twice a year)


Any and all suggestions welcomed! I really don't want to do the
barrier unless the overwhelming response suggests that.

Thanks,
James, Seattle (port orchard)

It will pop up out of the ground and then dive back under and slowly
advance downhill.
It is likely that the bamboo will cross the ditch as it makes it's
rhizome growth during the dry period.
The mowing will contain it to a great degree.
Your climate is milder than mine so expect a running bamboo to be more
aggressive.