Removing 1.5 Acres of Bamboo in Towson, MD (2023 Update)

[Dan Espen]

Original post in 2012.

If you weren't using Google Groups to access Usenet, this kind of stuff would not happen.

[Bamboointhepark]

replying to Bill N, Bamboointhepark wrote: Bill, I have a bamboo issue in Severna Park. No standing bamboo on my property, just traveling rhizomes. Do you feel the salt treatment would be effective in killing those?

[mr.gone301]

Is this post dead? I'd be interested in quite a lot of this bamboo if it's still available.

[Tekkie®]

[e-mail] posted for all of us...

No you wouldn't.

[Mary K.]

replying to BillN, Mary K. wrote: Hi Bill N., I see your post is over 4 years old, so I wonder if you or anyone will see my post now. I live in Maryland and we have a stand of bamboo 20ft tall on neighbor property at edge of our property at fence. We have been stomping it down as it shoots up for years next to our driveway and near our garage. It causes a real mess from droppings on our side and on our vehicles. Now I understand the roots which seem as hard as steel to try and cut, I'm afraid for our foundation of garage and house. I've read the roots can hurt the foundation of buildings. So my question is what to do. I'm trying to get neighbors to understand the problem. So I think you are saying the solution is to cut it all down and apply large amounts of plain salt. My question is the roots have spread further out than the stand and I think under ourdriveway. So will salt kill all roots?

[shms0615]

Just want you to know I appreciate your post and I'm gonna try it myself 🤗

[micky]

I used to go to an annual summer party just north of Towson, given by the local president of the ACLU. That was 30 years ago and the stand was about 10 feet by 20 feet. By now it could easily have grown to 1.5 acres, but I don't think the yard was big enough that they would have allowed it. I think the whole property was a lot less than 1.5 acres.

I like the idea of hiring a farmer, before it's time to work on his own farm. Or renting something a little smaller. I think you could cut it down yourself in less than 2 days.

What would you do with what is cut? Does it make firewood. You could bundle it up, print some cardboard wrappers and call it FireOO. It will sell like crazy. But let's forget that idea.

What happens if after you cut it, you plow the area, using the same tractor, either the farmer's or the rental? Is that enough to keep most of it from growning back? What if you plant something that will be more likely to grow than the bamboo. Corn? You can get rid of the new crop later and plant grass. But I'm just guessing. No experience.

I don't like the idea of herbicide either , but if the decription given of Sodium TCA is uncontradicted, it doesn't sound bad. Or some similar product. Whoever recommended it, would spraying with that stuff make the current bamboo fall over dead? Or at least be easier to knock over.

What about a chainsaw? What about making a bracket to mount a chainsaw firmly on a little red wagon and just pull it along. Even an electric one with a 100' extension cord. That's what I use for my lawnmower and it doesn't slow down the motor. Once the bamboo is only a foot high, it will be easier to spray the herbicide.

What about renting a mini-excavator (they deliver) and digging up the roots too.

I think the panda would go over well but I'm not sure he would eat the woody parts. Don't they like just the tender leaves and attached stems? You can go to the National Zoo and get more information there, or just watch the panda that lives there.

People told me not to let ivy run rampant on my lawn and house but I thought it was pretty. Now I have a problem, smaller but something like yours.