You’ve probably seen the bamboo horror stories in the papers and on social media. You’ve also probably seen professionals charging an arm and a leg to eradicate bamboo, so why can’t you remove it yourself? Here’s our honest answer.

Can you remove bamboo yourself? 

Can you remove bamboo yourself? Yes, you can remove bamboo yourself. But (and it’s a big but) it’s hard to remove bamboo well enough so that it doesn’t grow back. It’s a lot harder to dig out than it looks! We’re also sorry to add that handling bamboo incorrectly can actually encourage it to keep growing.

If you’ve got the muscle, patience and willpower then, yes, you can remove bamboo yourself. However, doing so means you won’t be issued with an insurance-backed guarantee, which is something only professionals can provide. An insurance-backed guarantee is a document that more buyers, solicitors and mortgage lenders are asking to see. It’s an official document that basically says: “This property is bamboo-free; but, if bamboo does return, a removal company is also obliged to return and remove it free of charge.”

If, however, removing bamboo yourself is something you still want to do, that’s okay. We’ve made a list of ways we’ve seen people tackle bamboo over the years, so you know what not to do. Number 2 is our favourite!

How NOT to remove bamboo yourself

1. Don't use garden shears

It seems like the most obvious solution to removing bamboo, especially if you’ve already got a pair of shears in the shed. And yet, you guessed it, pruning bamboo rarely works for the following reasons.

First, bamboo roots can be incredibly strong, often stronger than the above-ground canes, meaning shears won’t be heavy-duty enough to cut through. Secondly, chopped-up bamboo will regrow if fragments are left in the soil. And, thirdly, in order to prevent bamboo growing back, you must make sure you remove all its underground network, a job often left to machinery or at the very least a spade. So, all in all, it’s best to leave the shears for the privet hedge.

2. Don't use weed killer (herbicides)

We wish herbicide killed bamboo, because it would make our job easier! However, we sadly know the truth of the matter after eradicating invasive weeds for over 25 years: weed killer alone won’t kill bamboo. Here are a few reasons why. 

• Bamboo roots are extensive and store so much energy they usually "fight back" any chemical invaders.
• Running bamboo can be especially tall and large, so applying chemicals correctly to all the bamboo's foliage is nigh impossible.
• Pouring chemicals into cut stems or exposed roots won't do any real damage, because bamboo biology means it needs to "drink" the herbicide from its leaves. This would be like us trying to drink soup by pouring it onto our stomachs.

What’s more, and we’re stating the obvious here, digging a trench doesn’t mean you’ve removed the bamboo. Especially if you’re moving home, you’re still going to need an IBG (see above) for the exchange. From our perspective, we’ve seen more and more buyers pull out of sales when bamboo is affecting the property. When it can cost upwards of £2,000 to remove, it’s clear to see why! 

Have you tried removing bamboo yourself? Still got questions?

To say ByeByeBamboo and Hello Property Peace, send us your bamboo photos today.