Bamboo breaking through pond liner
 

Hi, I'm new to this forum and wondered if anyone could give me some advice.

I know some bamboo species can be invasive but having planted it before and not having had much success in the past, I thought it would be okay planting one on the edge of my patio and fairly near to the pond we built a couple of years ago.

What a mistake it was to be as the bamboo has flourished and though looks beautiful, it has been breaking through the pond liner and thus reducing the level of water on a regular basis.
I have effectively 'buried my head in the sand' until now but the problem must be remedied as topping up the pond is becoming an almost daily task and I'm worried about the risk that reduced levels will have on the fish in the pond.

The liner is a heavy duty rubber one. Someone said to me that I could replace it with a special type of cement which would prevent subsequent bamboo shoots from breaking through.
Is this the case and if so, what is this type of cement called? Are there any other suggestions you may have? Any other material that will be impervious to bamboo shoots? Or will I simply have to dig up the bamboo. If so, you'll know, this will be very difficult to carry out successfully.
Thank you in advance.

Bamboo breaking through pond liner
 

On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 08:49:14 +0000, organic_jann
wrote:

The liner is a heavy duty rubber one. Someone said to me that I could
replace it with a special type of cement which would prevent subsequent
bamboo shoots from breaking through.
Is this the case and if so, what is this type of cement called? Are
there any other suggestions you may have? Any other material that will
be impervious to bamboo shoots? Or will I simply have to dig up the
bamboo. If so, you'll know, this will be very difficult to carry out
successfully.

I didn't notice you are in the UK until after I hit reply, and I
already read some of the FAQ on this site:
http://www.americanbamboo.org/

Perhaps the "type of cement" was meant to be a concrete barrier?
And perhaps you could get a trenching machine to dig a trench along
part of the perimeter of your pond, or around your bamboo patch and
simply pour concrete into the trench? Sounds easier than pouring a
concrete pond liner.

Regards,

Hal

Bamboo breaking through pond liner
 

On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 08:49:14 +0000, organic_jann wrote:

Hi, I'm new to this forum and wondered if anyone could give me some
advice.

I know some bamboo species can be invasive but having planted it before
and not having had much success in the past, I thought it would be okay
planting one on the edge of my patio and fairly near to the pond we
built a couple of years ago.

What a mistake it was to be as the bamboo has flourished and though
looks beautiful, it has been breaking through the pond liner and thus
reducing the level of water on a regular basis.
I have effectively 'buried my head in the sand' until now but the
problem must be remedied as topping up the pond is becoming an almost
daily task and I'm worried about the risk that reduced levels will have
on the fish in the pond.

The liner is a heavy duty rubber one. Someone said to me that I could
replace it with a special type of cement which would prevent subsequent
bamboo shoots from breaking through.
Is this the case and if so, what is this type of cement called? Are
there any other suggestions you may have? Any other material that will
be impervious to bamboo shoots? Or will I simply have to dig up the
bamboo. If so, you'll know, this will be very difficult to carry out
successfully.
Thank you in advance.

The best thing to do is contain the bamboo. Dig around it to 18" deep and
put in a metal collar that its runners can't go thru, and reline the pond
with new rubber. ~ jan HTHs :-)

--------------
See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

Bamboo breaking through pond liner
 

organic_jann wrote:

Is this the case and if so, what is this type of cement called? Are
there any other suggestions you may have? Any other material that will
be impervious to bamboo shoots? Or will I simply have to dig up the
bamboo. If so, you'll know, this will be very difficult to carry out
successfully.

Portland Cement. If forms concrete. Usually 4" to 6" sill stop bamboo.
Bamboo spread from the roots. About the only way to kill it is with
roundup. I would cut it down and paint the stumps with roundup. Also
paint any new shoots with roundup.

There are two basic types of bamboo, the virulent spreading bamboo and
the somewhat benign clump bamboo.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
18,000 gallon (17'x 47'x 2-4') lily pond garden in Zone 6
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA

Thank you for your suggestions - much appreciated.

A trench sounds a good idea though it will mean taking up part of the patio which I guess I had expected to have to do in order to solve the problem.

A metal collar may also do the trick, though the shoots if they are coming from the root, may not solve it completely. I could dig a cement trench as well as place a metal collar.

I'm a little wary of using Roundup as I really don't like using weedkiller due to there being a lot of wildlife in my garden, as well as my fish and I'd like to keep my bamboo somehow, even if it means having to dig it up and replant elsewhere.

Thanks once again for your advice.

Bamboo breaking through pond liner
 

On Thu, 2 Nov 2006 09:23:37 +0000, organic_jann
wrote:


Thank you for your suggestions - much appreciated.

A trench sounds a good idea though it will mean taking up part of the
patio which I guess I had expected to have to do in order to solve the
problem.

A metal collar may also do the trick, though the shoots if they are
coming from the root, may not solve it completely. I could dig a cement
trench as well as place a metal collar.

I'm a little wary of using Roundup as I really don't like using
weedkiller due to there being a lot of wildlife in my garden, as well
as my fish and I'd like to keep my bamboo somehow, even if it means
having to dig it up and replant elsewhere.

Thanks once again for your advice.


Bamboo is a curse. Once it's takes hold there is no stopping it. You
can pour used motore oil on it and it will still thrive. Roundup is
useless against it. Physical barriers are the only answer and it will
still require constant vigilance to keep it within the barrier.

Bamboo breaking through pond liner
 

"organic_jann" wrote in message
...

Hi, I'm new to this forum and wondered if anyone could give me some
advice.

I know some bamboo species can be invasive .........
============================
It's a curse once established. I remember a clump on the property where I
lived before moving here. I keep one small clump in a solid bottomed pot
but think I'll get rid of it this year. It's not even all that attractive.
Don't try and compost it. Haul it to a dumpster or burn it.
--
KL....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

I'm going to go right ahead and disagree with everyone. From my own personal experience, you CANNOT stop bamboo. It doesn't recognize moisture barriers like rubber liner (as you well know). Likewise, an underground concrete "wall" will do nothing more than slow the inevitable. Bamboo will find its way through pretty well ANYTHING. Just a matter of time before it breaks through the concrete too. You could try using a sheet metal barrier, but again, it will just work around the barrier. My recommendation...? I wish I had one. Unless you can kill ALL the bamboo... there is no fix. Sorry!