Find out all you need to know in our Bamboo Thornbury FAQs

Everything you need to know about the management and control of Bamboo in Thornbury.

Bamboo has been gradually growing in popularity for many UK homeowners within the last ten years, nonetheless, unknown to many it is an active and fast-growing grass that is actually extremely challenging to contain and regulate. In the event that you have or believe you have Bamboo in Thornbury, we advise you to get guidance from a specialist such as Green Leaf Remediation who will advise you on your course of action to ensure it does not grow out of control and take over your garden or the properties around you.

Bamboo is known and liked for its attractive appearance and often its rapid growth which gives privacy in overlooked gardens in cities, towns and suburban areas. Many house owners plant it without comprehending its speedy growth and capability to spread and consume other vegetation. People should be extremely wary of growing it or taking on a residential or commercial property in which it exists as it is now known that a number of types of bamboo are actually extremely invasive and incredibly tough to regulate.

The UK Invasive Weed Control Industry is being called on more and more to eradicate and manage bamboo where it has been grown at residential or commercial properties without understanding that it will probably take over and consume areas, as well as spread from or over neighbouring gardens.

In conclusion, the experts have stated, that invasive bamboo is truly turning into a significant problem for British homeowners that may not have understood its growth rate and its invasiveness if not properly controlled. In some cases, the ‘running’ bamboo varieties can extend up to 30ft underground in addition to their considerable above-ground growth.

A number of mortgage lenders in the UK and The RICS (The Royal Insitute Of Chartered Surveyors) are incredibly averse to lending on a property where Japanese Knotweed exists or has been present, and an increasing number are now realising that bamboo is also a significant problem, however, still unrecognised by countless homeowners as an invasive weed that can easily grow out of control if not planted correctly and managed.

Bamboo seeds can still easily be purchased online or from garden centres all over the UK and this is contributing to the issue that homeowners are still uninformed of the repercussions of sowing and not controlling it. This commonly leads to it growing out of control and consuming the other plants and vegetation in a garden and perhaps even spreading to other house owners’ gardens and land.

Green Leaf Remediation & Removal have noticed a significant rise in the number of enquiries being received from worried house owners who have planted bamboo and unintentionally made it possible for the plant to grow out of control. Our UK weed specialists will evaluate the growth and suggest our best control and extraction procedures offering you the assurance that it won’t take over your garden. Contact us on 0117 321 7799 right away and our experts can easily arrange a cost-free and no-obligation site survey.

Bamboo Thornbury FAQs.

Is Bamboo a prohibited plant in the UK?

Bamboo isn’t presently classified as an invasive plant in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and there are no constraints when sowing it, however, the weed control industry is suggesting that bamboo can be as unpredictable as Japanese Knotweed with the exact same potential to spread out very quickly grow and infest huge areas of land.

There have been more and more recent claims from homeowners who have taken legal proceedings against neighbours and properties around them where their bamboo has been permitted to expand onto their residential properties and come to be a severe problem for them. There are different varieties of the bamboo plant and some are more intrusive and damaging than others.

What types of Bamboo are there?

Both the clumping and running types all possess large underground root and rhizome systems making them exceptionally difficult to control and extract without using an invasive plant specialist like Green Leaf Remediation.

Running Bamboo is the type that disperses quickly over and underground. It spreads very long, lateral rhizomes (root system), which can frequently reach up to 30ft from the primary plant. This leads to the plant quickly spreading with new shoots and growth developing in new locations or onto other land or property causing disruption all around.

It has been said that it can have the potential to become more harmful and difficult to remove than Japanese knotweed and it has similar capabilities in order to exploit and push through broken or cracked masonry, drains pipes, wall structures and patio areas inducing more damage as it flourishes.

Clumping Bamboo is understood as being less invasive than running bamboo, having said that, if it is left uncontrolled and unmanaged it can spread out and very quickly grow out of control.

If growing bamboo you ought to always check with a professional about the type you choose, together with growing it in containers or with solid root barrier systems in place so as to contain it to the location you want it for, which in turn will avoid the possibility of it spreading.

What is the big difference between clump-forming and running bamboo?

Clump-Forming Bamboo

This particular variety of bamboo features a root mass much the same as ordinary ornamental grasses, dispersing from the centre and sprouting canes greater than 5-10cm from the existing plant.

Running Bamboo

A running bamboo spreads by its horizontal underground stems from which the overground canes then develop. This underground stem extends and shoots up another cane 60-80cm beyond the original sowing site allowing it to fairly quickly spread out. This is why a bamboo’s roots should be held by a root barrier system or in an appropriate flowerpot to stop them from spreading aggressively and colonizing parts of the soil you don’t want them in.

Varieties of Clump-Forming Bamboo

Fargesia murielae ‘Simba’
Fargesia murielae ‘Volacno’
Fargesia murieliae ‘Winter Joy’
Fargesia murieliae ‘Rufa’
Fargesia nitide

Varieties Of Running Bamboo

Phyllostachys aurea
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis
Phyllostachys Nigra
Pleioblastus pygmaeus Distichus
Pleioblastus variegatus
Pleioblastus viridistriatus
Sasa tsuboiana
Sasa veitchi

How fast does Bamboo Thornbury grow?

It all depends upon the variety of bamboo as well as the environment and elements of the location, soil, air, water and general ground conditions. Bamboo is known to be an exceptionally unpredictable plant which in turn means you need to take extreme care and guidance from a specialist if growing it or investing in a residential or commercial property where it is present.

Running Bamboo tends to grow to its full-grown height exceptionally quickly and spread aggressively. Many can grow up to 8 metres whilst others just reach 1 metre, making it a huge unknown when planting it, or if you currently have it on your property. Their roots need to be contained to stop them from spreading as their brand new canes can grow 90cm to 1.5 metres taller yearly until they reach their utmost growing height.

Clump-forming bamboo tends to progress to less than 5 metres high due to its small culms but they are able to grow equally as broad over time if not successfully managed. The new canes of clump-forming bamboos can easily grow up to 30-45cm taller annually until it reaches their maximum height.

What is a Bamboo culm?

The bamboo culm is used to describe the bamboo shoot itself. The culms are mainly hollow, however, some varieties have solid culms. There is a solid joint at the beginning and end of each culm segment, called a node and the internodes are the segments in between the nodes.

Is Bamboo Thornbury invasive?

Bamboo is exceptionally invasive and like Japanese Knotweed, it spreads out by using its root system and will be invasive unless controlled by a specialist like Green Leaf Remediation. Bamboo is exceptionally durable meaning it will grow in most soils and in extreme climate conditions.

Bamboo has now obtained a bad reputation for irresponsible planting as if it is planted with the appropriate control methods in place, it can be manageable.

Bamboo spreads from its fast-growing roots that drive horizontally through the soil with its lateral buds which then steer upwards to create the canes. Running bamboo will cover ground faster than a clump-forming bamboo type and usually takes homeowners by surprise at how quickly it spreads out.

What varieties of ground does Bamboo flourish in?

Bamboo is exceptionally hardy and not at all fussy when it comes to soil type. This can be a benefit if planted for the right reasons and correctly managed.

Is Bamboo a wood, a grass plant or a tree?

Very few individuals know that bamboo is grass, nonetheless, a lot of the fast-growing invasive bamboo varieties have an extremely tree-like appearance and so are often referred to as bamboo trees. Their stems can be just about anything from a few centimetres in height and up to 8 metres in only a couple of years, with their stem diameters ranging anything from 1 mm to 30 cm.

Can you grow Bamboo in pots?

If you want to grow Bamboo at your home, it could be grown in flowerpots or containers depending on which type they are. Growing them in a pot or container will most likely stop them from spreading out and cultivating your property.

Can Bamboo decrease the value of a property?

Bamboo Thornbury is becoming a lot more well known in the property, mortgage and the UK invasive weed industry as a plant that can decrease the value of a property because of its particularly intrusive and unpredictable characteristics. More and more mortgage companies are now asking if bamboo exists at a property and some may possibly not lend on it thus always do your research before offering on a property and making an application for a mortgage.

Is Bamboo poisonous?

When eaten, bamboo contains a toxic substance that produces cyanide in the human stomach. The shoots can be edible, however, before they require their exteriors cut away and then boiled before eating them. We would definitely advise that people and pets do not eat bamboo.

Is Bamboo stronger than wood?

Bamboo is understood to be 2-3 times harder than most hardwoods from the Janka Hardness Test which is worked with for categorising wood by its hardness. The universal Janka hardness test (from the Austrian-born emigrant Gabriel Janka, 1864-1932) measures the level of resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear.

Is Bamboo green in the wintertime?

Most types of bamboo are evergreen thus they stay green and also vibrant throughout the winter months when the majority of other plants have died back and this has made them remarkably appealing to homeowners that don’t understand their invasive growth. They might drop some leaves during the year but it isn’t a significant amount.

Property Care Association Bamboo Comments

Dr Peter Fitzsimons of the Property Care Association, a trade body representing invasive weed control contractors and consultants, said bamboos are “woody” grass that has commercial significance in their native home.

However, he said that in the UK the plant has attributes similar to those of an “alien invasive species”.

Some of those characteristics consist of being fast-spreading, dominating indigenous vegetation and being insusceptible to natural predators such as pests or fungus.

He added: “We have been calling for some time for the many species of bamboo to be added to Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act to enable effective regulation.”.
What is the Property Care Association?

The Property Care Association (PCA) is the UK’s leading trade association that represents specialists that can be trusted to resolve problems having an effect on structures and property in general.

What does the PCA say about their members?

• • • Professional trustworthy site surveys and investigations that deliver peace of mind through detailed investigation and correct diagnosis for homeowners and businesses.
    • Services are provided by trained, knowledgeable, vetted and qualified surveyors and inspectors.
      Contractor members are able to complete highly specialised repairs and treatments, effectively, efficiently and safely, using skilled experienced site operatives.
    • PCA members are required to meet and maintain robust membership criteria. This covers aspects of services including professional qualifications, technical competence, service delivery & financial stability.

About Our Bamboo Management & Control Services Thornbury

Bamboo makes a favourable contribution to the natural environment, as well as it being visually pleasing and it is a wonderful plant to use if you require privacy in an area. Nonetheless, we suggest extreme care and we would not advise growing Bamboo in a typical residential garden due to its invasive root growth. It will spread underground as well as grow swiftly above ground, taking over the other plants and vegetation in a garden.

Sowing Bamboo is quite similar to planting Japanese Knotweed in your back garden, however, it isn’t yet illegal to do so. Japanese Knotweed is well known by homeowners as being an invasive weed but Bamboo seeds and plants are still extensively offered across the UK but possess similar invasive characteristics as Knotweed and will rapidly take over an area if not managed appropriately.

Green Leaf Remediation have seen how invasive Bamboo Thornbury is and we have helped a lot of customers who were initially unaware of its harmful and unpredictable nature when they first planted it, or when they initially brought their home to remove and manage their bamboo infestation.

Bamboo is often cultivated along borders in or around a structure to provide privacy to a property. Throughout the last couple of years, our team have seen how this has resulted in numerous unpleasant and avoidable disputes with neighbours whenever the bamboo has extended out of control onto their land.

Our belief is that while bamboo is not yet registered as an invasive weed as Japanese Knotweed is, greater understanding and concern for this plant is needed. There are over one hundred varieties of bamboo, with in excess of 30 or so varying species typically found in the UK.

The fundamental guide to the different bamboo rhizomes (roots) is:

Runners – these will ‘run’, meaning, spread laterally and quickly.
Clumpers – these will continue to grow if not correctly controlled and managed, however, they won’t colonise as much soil as the running species do.

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants easily available to buy and will quickly colonise new soil, and in doing so, will very quickly consume open spaces and can cause significant damage to many solid structures.

The rhizomes aren’t as fragile as their Japanese Knotweed equivalent, making them a demanding task to remove if you are not an expert. Once a bamboo rhizome has established itself within the soil or between a solid construction, removing it is the same as trying to take out a rope from a solid piece of concrete.

Green Leaf Remediation offer different removal and control solutions when it comes to bamboo Thornbury. Each infestation will have its own challenges and our experts will work out the best extraction and management methods depending on your property and site.

In many situations, we work with an excavator to take out most of the bamboo’s rhizome. Our team can additionally install a suitable ‘root barrier’ which helps prevent the rhizome from continuing to spread within your own and neighbouring residential properties. If you would like some of the bamboo to stay then our experts will offer you a control and management solution so it can remain without spreading out into regions you don’t want it to.

If you have an invasion of bamboo or are concerned you have Bamboo Thornbury contact us today at 0117 321 7799 to arrange your no-obligation site survey. Our bamboo experts will assess and offer you different solutions dependent on your property and requirements.

You can find out about the UK’s countryside code here.