Everything you need to know about Bamboo in Rhondda

Bamboo has been steadily growing in popularity for a few UK property owners in the last ten years, nonetheless, unknown to many it is an active and fast-growing grass that is really incredibly troublesome to contain and also manage. In case you have, or think you have Bamboo in Rhondda then you should get advice from a specialist like South Wales Knotweed & Garden Services who will advise you of your best course of action to make sure that it doesn’t grow out of control.

Bamboo is known and adored for its ornamental visual appeal and commonly its rapid growth which gives privacy in overlooked gardens in cities, towns and residential areas and many homeowners plant it without realising its swift growth and ability to spread out and take over other flora. One needs to be incredibly cautious of planting it or taking on a building in which it is present as it is now understood that some varieties of bamboo are actually very invasive and extremely difficult to control.

The UK Invasive Weed Control Industry is being contacted more and more to extract and manage bamboo where it has been planted at a residential property without understanding how it may very likely take over, or where it has spread out from an adjoining property.

In conclusion, these experts have explained, that invasive bamboo is really emerging as a huge problem for British homeowners that may not have understood its growth speed and its invasiveness if not efficiently controlled. In some cases, the ‘running’ bamboo varieties can extend as much as 30ft below ground in addition to its significant 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 a growing number, are now becoming aware that bamboo is likewise a huge problem yet is still unrecognised by countless property owners as an invasive weed that can grow out of control if not planted correctly and managed.

What is the difference between Bamboo and Japanese Knotweed?

Bamboo stems are sometimes mistaken for knotweed as they have clear nodes that grow to the same heights as Japanese knotweed which is known as an invasive weed. There is however a main difference, in that bamboo stems don’t snap as easily as Japanese knotweed. The leaves on bamboo are atypical to Japanese knotweed as they are normally long and thin.

Bamboo seeds can still easily be bought on the internet or from garden centres throughout the UK and this is contributing to the issue that property owners are still unaware of the implications of planting and not regulating it. This often leads to it growing out of control and taking over the other plants and vegetation in a garden and even spreading to other homeowners’ gardens and land.

Green Leaf Remediation and Garden Services have seen a huge increase in the number of enquiries being received from apprehensive homeowners who have sown bamboo and by mistake made it possible for the plant to grow out of control. Our UK weed professionals will ascertain the development and suggest our best management and extraction solutions giving you the assurance that it won’t take control of your garden. Contact us on 01269 591651 right away and our team can arrange a free, and no-obligation site survey.

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Bamboo in Rhondda FAQs

Is Bamboo a prohibited plant in the UK?

Bamboo isn’t presently classed as an invasive plant in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and there are no limitations when planting it, however, the weed control industry is advising that bamboo can be as unpredictable as Japanese Knotweed with the exact same capability to spread out, swiftly grow and infest sizable areas of land.

There have been an increasing number of recent claims from house owners who have taken legal proceedings against neighbours and residential or commercial properties around them in which their bamboo has been permitted to expand onto their homes and come to be a severe concern for them. There are various varieties of bamboo plants and some are a lot more invasive and damaging than others.

What types of Bamboo are there?

Both the clumping and running types, possess large underground root and rhizome systems, making them remarkably troublesome to control and eliminate without employing an invasive plant specialist like South Wales Japanese Knotweed.

Running Bamboo is the kind that disperses swiftly over and also underground. It distributes very long, lateral rhizomes (root system), that may frequently reach up to 30ft from the primary plant. This results in the plant fairly quickly spreading with new shoots and growth emerging in new areas or onto other land or property causing disruption everywhere.

As a result of the range running bamboo can spread out, it has been said that it can have the potential to be more destructive than Japanese knotweed and it has similar abilities to exploit and push through broken or cracked masonry, drains pipes, walls and outdoor patios inducing more destruction as it grows.

Clumping Bamboo is known to be a lot less invasive than running bamboo, nevertheless, if it is left unchecked and unmanaged it can spread out and swiftly grow out of control.

If sowing bamboo you need to always consult a specialist regarding the type you choose, together with growing it in containers or with tough root barrier systems in place in order to contain it to the spot you want it for, which will prevent the likelihood of it spreading out.

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

Running Bamboo

A running bamboo spreads by its horizontal underground stems from which overground canes then grow. This underground stem extends and shoots up another cane 60-80cm beyond the original sowing site making it easy for it to quickly spread. This is why a bamboo’s roots need to be contained by a root barrier system or in an appropriate container to avoid it from spreading aggressively and colonising sections of the soil you do not really want them within.

Varieties Of Running Bamboo

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

Clump-Forming Bamboo

This variety of bamboo has a root mass much the same as standard ornamental grasses, dispersing from the centre and never developing canes greater than 5-10cm from the existing plant.

Varieties of Clump-Forming Bamboo

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

How fast does Bamboo in Rhondda grow?

This all depends upon the variety of bamboo along with the ecological elements of the area, soil, air, water and typical ground conditions. Bamboo is known to be a very unpredictable plant which suggests you ought to take extreme care and guidance from a professional if growing it or investing in a property where it is present.

Generally:

Running Bamboo has a tendency to grow to its full-grown height exceptionally quickly and spread aggressively. Some can grow up to 8 metres while others just make it to 1 metre, turning it into a huge unknown when planting it, or even if you already have it on your property. Their roots really need to be contained to prevent them from spreading as their brand-new canes can grow 90cm to 1.5 metres taller annually until they get to their utmost growing height.

Clump-forming bamboo has a tendency to develop to lower than 5 metres tall due to its modest culms but they are able to grow equally as wide in time if not effectively regulated. The new canes of clump-forming bamboo can mature to 30-45cm taller each year up until it reaches its maximum height.

What is the Bamboo Culm?

The bamboo culm is used to describe the bamboo shoot itself. The culms are actually mainly hollow, however, several 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 between the nodes.

Is Bamboo in Rhondda invasive?

Bamboo is exceptionally invasive and like Japanese Knotweed, it spreads out using its root system and will certainly be invasive unless controlled by a professional like South Wales Knotweed & Garden Services. Bamboo is remarkably sturdy meaning it will grow in most soils and in extreme climate conditions.

Bamboo has now acquired its bad reputation for irresponsible planting as if planting along with the appropriate control methods in effect, it can be manageable.

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

What varieties of ground does Bamboo do well in?

Bamboo is remarkably robust and not at all fussy when it comes to soil type. This may be an advantage if grown for the correct reasons and correctly regulated.

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

Not many individuals understand that bamboo is grass, nevertheless, a lot of the fast-growing invasive bamboo types have an extremely tree-like appearance and so are often described as bamboo trees. Their stems might be just about anything from a few centimetres in height and as much as 8 metres within just a few years, with their stem diameters varying anything from 1 mm to 30 cm.

Can you grow Bamboo in pots?

If you want to grow Bamboo in Rhondda at your home, it could be grown in sturdy and strong pots or containers depending upon which type they are. Growing them in a pot or container will prevent them from spreading out and cultivating your property.

Can Bamboo devalue a property?

Bamboo in Rhondda is becoming much more well known in the property, mortgage and the UK invasive weed industry as a plant that can devalue a residential or commercial property because of its highly invasive and unpredictable characteristics.

An increasing number of mortgage companies are now asking if bamboo exists at a property and some may well not lend on it thus always do your research before providing on a property and making an application for a mortgage.

Is Bamboo poisonous to people?

When eaten, bamboo contains a poisonous substance that generates cyanide in the human stomach. The shoots can be edible, nevertheless, before they need their exteriors cut away they must be boiled before eating them, however, it still isn’t advisable. Our experts would advise that human beings and animals do not eat bamboo.

Is Bamboo sturdier than wood?

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

Is Bamboo green in winter months?

Most types of bamboo are evergreen thus they remain green and also vibrant throughout the cold weather when most other plants have died back and this has helped to make them extremely appealing to homeowners who do not understand their invasive growth. They can drop a few leaves during the course of the year but it isn’t a substantial 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 importance in their native home.

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

A few of those qualities include being fast-spreading, prevailing over indigenous vegetation and being insusceptible to natural predators such as pests or fungis.

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 professionals that can be depended resolve problems affecting buildings and property generally.

About Our Bamboo Management & Control Services

Bamboo makes a favourable contribution to the environment in addition to it being aesthetically pleasing as well as it is a fantastic plant to use if you are requiring privacy in an area. Having said that, we suggest extreme care and we would certainly not encourage planting Bamboo in Rhondda in a conventional residential garden due to its invasive root growth. It will spread underground as well as grow very quickly above ground, taking over the other plants and vegetation in a garden.

Planting Bamboo is very similar to planting Japanese Knotweed in your garden, however, it isn’t yet against the law to do so. Japanese Knotweed is well known by homeowners as being an invasive weed but Bamboo seeds and plants are still extensively sold across the UK however possess the same invasive characteristics as Knotweed and are going to swiftly take over an area if not handled the right way.

South Wales Knotweed and Garden Services have seen how invasive Bamboo in Rhondda is and our team have actually helped many customers who were initially unaware of its damaging and unpredictable nature when they initially planted it, or when they first brought their home to remove and manage their bamboo infestation.

Bamboo in Rhondda is typically cultivated along boundaries in or around a structure to provide privacy to a residential property. Throughout the last couple of years, we have observed how this has led to many uncomfortable and avoidable conflicts with neighbours whenever the bamboo has expanded out of control onto their property.

Our view is that while bamboo is not yet certified as an invasive weed as Japanese Knotweed is, more significant awareness and concern for this plant is called for. There are over one hundred species of bamboo, with upwards of 30 or so varying species frequently located in the UK.

The general 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 regulated and managed, however, they won’t colonise as much soil as the running species do.

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet and will quickly colonise new land, and in doing this, will rapidly consume open spaces and can cause major damage to many solid structures.

The rhizomes aren’t as brittle as their Japanese Knotweed equivalent, making them a challenge to get rid of if you are not a professional. Once a bamboo rhizome has developed itself within the soil or between a solid construction, removing it is the same as trying to take out a rope from a solid slab of concrete.

South Wales Knotweed & Garden Services offer several removal and control solutions when it involves bamboo. Every single infestation will have its own challenges and our experts are going to calculate the best extraction and management methods depending upon your property and site.

In the majority of circumstances, our team of experts work with an excavator to remove the majority of the bamboo’s rhizome. Our experts can additionally install an appropriate ‘root barrier’ that avoids 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 specialists will offer you a control and management solution so it can remain without spreading into regions you don’t want it to.

If you have an invasion of bamboo or are concerned you have Bamboo in Rhondda contact us today at 01269 591651 to arrange your free and no-obligation site survey. Our bamboo specialists will evaluate and provide you with different solutions depending on your residential or commercial property and needs.