The bamboo dilemma

QUESTION: We have a big patch of bamboo growing in our yard that is taking over the lawn. How can we get rid of it?

Bamboo can shoot up several inches overnight in spring. Mowing can keep it under control

Some gardeners may plant bamboo because they’re intrigued by the exotic touch this giant grass can lend to a landscape. When it’s settled in, it grows quickly and provides a good screen for privacy. But a few years later, they may begin to wish it would go away. Bamboo has thick, tough roots and stout underground runners, and is so aggressive it can quickly get out of hand.

University of Tennessee  Extension agents note that controlling bamboo can be a years-long process. If you want to get rid of it, cutting down the canes is only the first step – and if your bamboo stand is thick and unruly, that can be a daunting task. Make the cut as close to the ground as possible, then digging up as many of the roots as you can. Some Extension agents suggest treating any new-growth with non-selective herbicide (such as Roundup).

You may never get rid of all the roots – especially if it has migrated to the neighboring yard and the neighbor does not follow the same control methods. So if you replace the bamboo with lawn, be prepared to mow frequently as the bamboo begins to grow again in spring. The shoots seem to shoot up several inches overnight, but mowing them down before they get too tall (or breaking them off with a swift kick) will keep them under control.

Garden events coming up

May 19

* Gardening A to Z, a gardening workshop presented by the Davidson County Master Gardeners. The day includes four gardening lectures (including Jeff Poppen, the Barefoot Gardener), question-and-answer booth, plant sale, and Jr. Master Gardener White Elephant Sale, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.at the DCMG Demonstration Garden at Ellington Agricultural Center. Admission is free; lectures are $2 each or all four for $5. Information: http://dcmggardeningatoz.weebly.com.

*The Mid-South Chapter of the Lupus Foundation’s Down the Garden Path garden tour and plant sale May 19 and 20. Visit nine gardens in Belle Meade, Green Hills and Franklin. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Saturday, noon– 6 p.m.Sunday. Tickets are $20 prior to the event, $25 on tour days, and proceeds benefit the Lupus Foundation of America, Mid-South chapter. www.lupusmidsouth.org.

Looking ahead

Plan a road trip on June 9 to Rugby, Tenn., for an all-day event at Historic Rugby Cumberland Plateau Gardens. The day begins at 9 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) with “Rugby Landscape Gardening From 1880 to 2012” by Rick Murphy, followed by “Garden Design Sun to Shade” a workshop by Bob Washburn of Wolf River Valley Growers. Lunch, garden tours and a British Cream Tea round out the schedule. The cost is $40, and advance reservations are required. Proceeds benefit Historic Rugby. Information, 888-214-3400.