Project Garden

Get yourself a mattock, the old boy said.

1) Dig-out (fastest “finish it properly” method)

• RHS notes mature clumps can have root systems up to ~1m deep and removal is challenging work.
• After removal, check for regrowth because stray rhizomes can still reshoot.

2) Repeated cutting / mowing (slow but effective)

• The principle: keep removing new growth so the plant cannot photosynthesise and eventually exhausts the rhizomes.
• Requires persistence over a prolonged period (think seasons, not weekends).

3) Professional removal (when access/extent is big)

• RHS explicitly suggests hiring a reputable specialist if it is beyond a normal dig-out.

Disposal (important)

• Do not compost rhizomes at home; use council green waste or recycling centre.

Weedkiller?

• RHS does not support routine weedkiller use for bamboo and notes it can take years even with systemic treatments. If chemicals are used at all, it must be regulated/label-approved herbicide use.

What damage can out-of-control bamboo do?

RHS summary (useful for client comms):

• Can damage paving / tarmac and has been known to spread into and damage buildings in some cases.
• Rhizomes are extraordinarily strong but will not lift sound foundations; the risk is exploiting existing gaps/cracks in walls, floors and drains while seeking new ground.

Practical examples you will see on jobs:

• Lifting or splitting block paving edges, patio joints, kerb lines
• Pushing through gaps by keeping walls, steps, shed bases
• Creating trip hazards and swallowing borders/lawns

Can it damage neighbouring property?

Yes — and this is where disputes happen.

• Bamboo is often planted along boundaries for screening, and RHS specifically flags this as a common cause of problems when it spreads into neighbouring gardens.
• If it encroaches and causes damage, private nuisance is the usual legal route, and owners may have to deal with it / pay costs (fact-specific, evidence matters).

Also worth noting: Defra has said bamboo is not currently treated as a national-scale threat in the way some invasive are, and they encourage prevention (barriers) and cooperation between neighbours. Grants: DfE, Defra, local councils

DfE (Department for Education)

I could not find any relevant DfE grant route for bamboo control in domestic settings (DfE is not the department for this).

Defra / government schemes

There are Defra / Rural Payments options for land or habitat management (not typical homeowner gardens). For example, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier includes an “invasive plant species control” action that explicitly lists bamboo species (Phyllostachys, Pseudosasa) among eligible species—this is aimed at environmental / habitat outcomes and needs an agreed management plan.

Local councils

For bamboo in private gardens, councils more often provide advice than money. Some may get involved if it becomes a statutory nuisance-type situation, but grants for bamboo removal are not commonly available.