Variegated Bamboo
 

Have finally got round to trying to clear round our pond - severely
overgrown.

Two main problems are variegated bamboo and (I think) a dogwood - both of
which are spreading like wild fire.

Not practical to try and dig out the bamboo so I'm probably looking at a
chemical solution. Will glyphosate work?

I can probably deal with the dogwood with very severe pruning

Any thoughts appreciated

Thanks

Jeanne

Variegated Bamboo
 

In article ,
says...
Have finally got round to trying to clear round our pond - severely
overgrown.

Two main problems are variegated bamboo and (I think) a dogwood - both of
which are spreading like wild fire.

Not practical to try and dig out the bamboo so I'm probably looking at a
chemical solution. Will glyphosate work?

I can probably deal with the dogwood with very severe pruning

Any thoughts appreciated

Thanks

Jeanne



Yes glysophate will work on the bamboo so long as you don't cut it down
for 3 weeks after application, you will need to take care with this
sort of weedkiller near water.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

I've also heard people complain that glyphosate does nothing. It depends on the the type of bamboo, some are real thugs, others more easily eradicated. Sasa spp are about as eradicable as bindweed.

The thing to realise is that they use a lot of energy from the rhizome when they shoot in the spring/early summer. Also, there is often some time elapsed between shooting the culm and putting the leaves out. Also they are storing a lot of energy in late summer and autumn. So you can tire them out by (1) cutting all the culms down now to stop them storing any more energy and (2) cutting down all next year's new culms when they are well extended but before they leaf out. Should eventually kill most of them off this way. You can try the glyphosate, but then you'll have to leave the culms up now when they are at their main storage phase.

My brother had this problem and in the end had to bite the bullet, dig up the entire front lawn and remove every minute scrap.