Gardens on the edge of Cowbridge are often big and open, with long boundaries and fields beyond, which gives running bamboo room to spread. We remove it by cutting the canes down and digging out the rhizomes and roots, then clearing the waste, so you can see the ground again.
A screen planted years ago can become a clump several metres wide, pushing into lawns and boundary hedges. We will assess how far it has gone, tell you what we would take out and work through it carefully.
With generous space comes generous growth. In a large Cowbridge garden, bamboo can spread for years before it becomes a problem, because there is simply more soil for the rhizomes to cross. By the time the canes are popping up in the lawn, there may be a mass of root running well beyond the visible clump. Sometimes it reaches the far side of a path or hedge.
That is why we trace the rhizomes rather than judge the job by the canes. In larger plots the dig can be extensive, so we work in stages, checking the soil for fragments as we go. The aim is to leave behind as little living rhizome as we possibly can. That is what decides whether bamboo returns in a year or two.
Many village-edge gardens in the Vale have old boundary hedges and mature trees, and bamboo often grows right up against them. Digging beside hedge roots calls for care, so we cut the canes, clear the top growth and follow the rhizomes out gently, leaving the hedge and trees in place wherever we can. We also work out where waste can be stacked before the digging starts.
We remove all the waste, which on a large clump can fill a trailer. If your garden has a long drive, a gate or soft lawn, mention it so we can bring suitable equipment. Cowbridge properties vary a lot, and a short chat before the visit helps us plan properly. It saves us arriving with the wrong kit for the ground. Tell us in advance and we will be ready.
Whatever the method, small fragments of rhizome can lurk in the soil, so new shoots sometimes appear after clearance. Pull them while they are young and they rarely get far. If you want us to return and check the area, just ask. We also cover Llanblethian, Llantwit Major, Llandough and St Hilary near Cowbridge. Do ask if you are a little outside the town.
A few jobs we have completed. We also work in and around Cowbridge.
We work across South Wales. Pick your town to see how bamboo removal works locally.
Running bamboo spreads through underground stems called rhizomes, and stopping it means digging them out thoroughly rather than just cutting down the canes.
Read the guide →Spreading bamboo can lift paving, push into wall joints and block drains, so it helps to know which type you have and when to act.
Read the guide →
Tree surgery is priced job by job rather than from a fixed list, so this guide explains what moves the cost up or down and how to get a firm figure.
Read the guide →Yes. We cut the canes and then dig out the rhizomes by hand around the hedge roots, leaving the hedge in place where we can. It is slower than a clear dig, but it avoids unnecessary damage to planting you want to keep.
A running type can send rhizomes a surprising distance, sometimes several metres, in a season or two. That is why we follow the roots rather than guess. We cannot give an exact figure for your garden until we have dug and seen what is there.
Our work is mainly in gardens and around houses. If bamboo has spread onto adjoining land, tell us where it is and who owns it. We can clear what is on your property, but the other owner would need to agree to anything beyond that.
Tell us what needs doing and where. We will come back to you, or call 07766 919630 if it is urgent.
