How can I keep a living bamboo fence from spreading?

You have four choices for keeping the bamboo under control.



1. Use only clumping non-invasive bamboo. If you are in the south where Bambusa will survive you can use a Bambusa multiplex of several species. They like full sun. If you are up north the only clumpers that will survive the cold also need total or lots of shade. They are the Fargesia genus.



2. If it is sunny in the location needed and it is too cold for multiplex, use a barrier which is sold by most bamboo sellers. It should be down 2.5 to 3 feet. The further south you live the deeper it should be.



3. Trench around where you want to contain the bamboo. Dig the trench up every spring and pull the rhizomes from the trench out. If done faithfully each year, this will control the bamboo.



4. Mow the shoots down faithfully all summer in the growing season. This works if there is a 20 feet or so of grass or lawn to mow around the bamboo. It will hold it back, but you must be faithful in the mowing.


Good luck