Are you asking yourself the question - "can I grow bamboo in my garden?" You're in the right place, today we're going to answer all of your bamboo growing questions!
British homeowners are being warned to not grow bamboo in their garden due to the potential dangers that the oriental plant can bring, with experts likening the effects of bamboo to the notorious Japanese knotweed.
Due to its screening capabilities and use within outdoor privacy measure, bamboo is an extremely popular choice for homeowners up and down the country, particularly within urban areas. However, its abilities to become highly invasive and out of control mean it can cause unpredictable and irreversible damage. Which, unfortunately, was the case for one homeowner in Reading.
The unnamed homeowner was forced to unearth her entire garden after bamboo grew to several metres in height and began to spread right across her garden towards her property, damaging her patio in the process.
Various forms of bamboo exist, namely ‘clumping’ and running’ that can have negative effects on surrounding areas. In this case, the ‘running’ bamboo found within the homeowner’s garden started to grow a large network of root and ‘rhizomes’, wreaking havoc on the property.
The rhizomes of bamboo are capable of spreading up to 30ft and if left untreated, can spread across and invade neighbouring property posing a huge threat to the foundations of homes.
Just like Japanese knotweed, bamboo has the ability to strangle plots of land as a result of its capability to damage property, breach brick, patios and cause cracks in concrete. It is known to thrive in a variety of soils, environments and temperatures with little to no maintenance.
Experts have stated that if you do choose to house bamboo on your property to make sure you choose a clumping variety as opposed to the running types. It is also a good idea to ‘place it within a pot or bed which is lined with strong vertical root barrier designed to contain bamboo.’
A retired couple from Reading has said they were mis-sold their bamboo by a local nursery, stating they were promised it would not grow further than waist height and would not spread. However, the bamboo shot up and out damaging both the patio and approaching house.
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So to answer your question - "can I grow bamboo in my garden?" The answer is yes, but do so with caution! If you're worried about the effects of spreading bamboo, you might want to avoid growing it. However, Japanese knotweed is infinitely more concerning if it appears in your garden!
To ensure you’re not affected by the damaging effects of bamboo or Japanese knotweed, contact us to talk about professional removal. If you have spotted bamboo or knotweed on or near your property and want to act fast before major damage can be caused, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the Taylor Total Weed Control team. We have a number of treatment plans available for you to choose from.
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