I have an area of bamboo on my property that was originally planted to create a visual barrier between my property and the property next to mine. It's awesome, but each year it gets more and more out of control. I usually just cut off the stalks that grow into the yard and forget about them, but now I have another area that I would like to put some bamboo to create a visual barrier. Does anyone have any experience in transplanting bamboo? I have been researching it online and it seems like a real pain in the ass.

4/27/2013 3:12:29 PM

Here is a picture of a small part of the bamboo I am working with, if it helps:

4/27/2013 3:30:48 PM

I have not transplanted it. When I bought my house there was a "bush" style bamboo in the back yard. i have no idea how many types there are, but it was nearly impossible to get rid of. I had like 20'-30' roots I had to pull up. If I just cut the main plant, chutes would come up all over the yard from the roots.

Not sure if yours is similar, but that root system was massive. Considering the trouble I had killing it, not sure you'll have trouble transplanting it. If you ever think you might want to get rid of the bamboo, use something else. Killing it is the devil (at least the kind I had)

4/27/2013 3:48:05 PM

From my research, it seems that there are 2 types: Clumping and Running. From the look of the plant, I thought I had Clumping. But after digging around out there a bit, there are definitely "runners" connecting some of the plants. So I may have a mixture of both to deal with.

And I definitely don't want to remove them. The natural fence they provide is awesome, I just want to relocate some of it to another area.

4/27/2013 4:06:10 PM

It'll probably be ok, but take a good bit of root with you if you dig up individual plants.

The roots on mine were about 1/2"" in diameter near the "main trunk" from my recollection.

You might have a helluva time trying to dig up a plant to transport

[Edited on April 27, 2013 at 4:34 PM. Reason : aaaa]

4/27/2013 4:30:39 PM

Bamboo is a fast growing weed. Easily it can grow 2 feet in a season. I've been looking at putting a bamboo border in my yard as well. I'd like to see how this thread goes.

4/27/2013 5:50:27 PM

From what I know of bamboo, I would never use it as a border. I hear it gets out of control fast and becomes a huge maintenance issue. Bamboo makes a helluva frog and flounder gig though. Why not plant a row of cedar trees for the boder?

4/27/2013 8:40:09 PM

A row of cedar trees? I would assume that would be (1) expensive, (2) not a significant visual barrier, and (3) slow growing as hell.

4/27/2013 10:19:17 PM

Leyland Cypress, then?

4/28/2013 10:35:53 AM

No doubt it can definitely take over your whole yard if you don't stay on top of it every year. Usually I can catch it early enough that I can just run over the baby shoots with my lawnmower. This year I had quite a few I had to cut with garden shears. But the benefit far outweighs the maintenance imo.

That being said, I have a ton of land and this bamboo is in an area on the far end of my property where no one ever goes. If I had a small yard, I don't know that I would consider using bamboo.

[Edited on April 28, 2013 at 11:08 AM. Reason : a]

4/28/2013 11:07:06 AM

Leyland cypress is what I was speaking of. I see this all the time, but I don't know the cost, I'd guess $50/ 7' tree?

Back to the op, I have no clue how to transplant bamboo.

4/28/2013 11:26:40 AM

Leyland Cypress are extremely susceptible to disease and bag worms. be wary.

4/29/2013 8:48:42 AM

I did a row of evergreens for privacy/screening at my last house. It was rocket cedar,cypress, or something like that.

it grew from about 4' tall when I planted to about 12 feet tall when we sold the place last year (about 3.5 years)

4/30/2013 1:29:13 PM

Instead of leyland cypress, I'd use cryptomeria.

Pardon the Clemson link. http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/trees/hgic1025.html

4/30/2013 1:53:28 PM

cryptomerias are great but also (if you plan on living in the home for the long run) look at hollies. nellie steves, mary nells etc make great screens and don't mind being close together... leylands, cryptos cypress etc like to have their personal space.

that being said my nursery (in asheboro) has starting leylands @ $15 so they're cheap but you can get a nice sized holly for $35-45, we've got big 15' ones too for $250-300 if you want instant gratification

5/19/2013 7:06:42 PM

Bamboo is listed as an invasive species for the state along with Privet, Tree of Heaven, Chinaberry, and all the other woody species destroying North Carolina's ecosystem. Please do us all a favor and do not plant invasive species or release invasive animals.

5/30/2013 6:45:36 PM

Is cudzoo (sp.) considered an invasive species as well?

5/30/2013 8:53:02 PM

yes, very

5/30/2013 8:55:43 PM

That's what I figured.

[Edited on May 30, 2013 at 10:27 PM. Reason : .]

5/30/2013 10:27:28 PM

Yeah bamboo is the fucking devil if you want to get rid of it. Do not plant it or attempt to transplant it.

As for Leyland Cypress, those should be avoided as they die easily especially in our area. Go with some of the other suggestions in this thread as they are more hardy.

5/31/2013 11:32:38 AM

Bamboo is an asshole all day long.

5/31/2013 11:37:52 AM

Quote :

"A row of cedar trees? I would assume that would be (1) expensive, (2) not a significant visual barrier, and (3) slow growing as hell."

Cedar works great around here. The cost depends on what stage you buy the plants. They do not grow terribly fast, but they create a great barrier and can help a lot with drainage problems.

If you can wait a few years, one cheap strategy is to put a lot of seedlings very close together, so the strongest ones will take hold. It makes a great, cheap, barrier, but it does take a few years to get good size. This also gives a great supply of free Christmas trees.

6/2/2013 8:06:04 PM