About sixteen long, hot hours later, the bamboos are gone! It's been a few years since I've had clear views into my neighbor's yards.
***
That was the easiest bamboo removal I've ever been involved with. Usually I'm a DIY guy, but in this case paying somebody was the right call. It was remarkably hot every day he came over to dig, roughly 90ºF (32ºC). So uncomfortable I barely wanted to go out there and check on him.
It took him a couple of hours to really get the hang of it, but he appreciated the workout and the experience. The super-dry ground did not make getting the rhizomes dug out easier, but a strong bar for prying and a suitable fulcrum will beat any rhizome that grows here!
It's been a while since I've had a clear planting spot!
I do have a pretty substantial pile of canes now. I will certainly dump my leaves on top if I can, although I'm not sure if that will speed up or slow down the decomposition...
I expect that some of the rhizomes are still buried, as even if I was doing the removal myself I would not have been able to get every single one. This shouldn't present a problem though, as I'll be able to find them if/when they shoot in the spring.
Next up: planting! (Sounds easy, but it was not...)
.
This is the best bamboo removal technique ever! Can't wait to see what you planted.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wouldn't give for a neighbor kid with that kind of tenacity! I asked my youngest (14) for help with emptying an 8' stock tank of Phyllostachos atrovaginata rizomes. He lasted about an hour... Needless to say, that was not enough time. My oldest (17) declined, citing too much school work. Resigned to the fact that I might have to reach out for some real, outside help for this one...
ReplyDeleteWhat Anna said! Can you send that kid over to my house?!?
ReplyDelete