I planted this bamboo in front of my house around 3 years ago. The bamboo is planted in x3 holes in the paving, with each hole being surrounded by a ring of coping/edging stones. It’s clumping style bamboo (Fargesia Rufa clumping). Over the past x3 years, it has grown significantly and hasn’t broken through the paving, or encroached into my neighbours front yard (who has a planting bed of open soil very close to where the bamboo is growing, which I would image would be the first place the bamboo would spread to if it were going to spread).
I like the bamboo, as it’s growing tall in order to give privacy to the house. However, I am worried about having this bamboo in place long-term, as I understand its super invasive, can break through concrete (and even into houses), is very hard to get rid of etc…
With that in mind, I was hoping to understand from gardeners in the know whether this is likely to cause me problems in the long run? By problems, I mean; spreading, creaking through the concrete, causing problems to the foundations of my house etc…
by youngknives
4 Comments
I wouldn’t worry too much tbh, as bamboo goes this is the slow member of the group. If it ever spreads, it’s fairly easy to cut back and control.
If it was black bamboo, you would be screwed.
Around 7-8 years after planting it will start to spread.
Maybe now is the time to put in a barrier before that happens?
Fargesia Rufa is a pretty well behaved clumper, so you likely don’t have much to worry about.
If you want to be ultra careful, then ask if you can run a spade across the border between you and the neighbour. This will sever any rhizomes trying to creep across.
But again, unlikely you’d need to.
Looks great!
As others have said a barrier is a good choice (although after spending a month getting bamboo out of our garden I’d say get rid of it!).
This barrier material is great, just make sure you get a good depth below (0.6m) and above to what’s the rhizomes can’t spread. Its a thick HDPE material that will face the test of time against bamboo and the elements.
https://rootbarrier.store/products/root-barrier-flexiroot-0-6?srsltid=AfmBOoo-8WigDcggB4aG3BlxoOPeyJZU0Q_hfWDKPKkzSIyRPgOuJvmC