Key Takeaways Is Bamboo Clumping or Running? Understanding the Fundamental Difference One of the most critical questions any bamboo grower must ask is: “Is bamboo clumping or running?” The answer determines whether your bamboo remains a well-behaved garden feature or becomes an invasive nightmare spreading across your property and into your neighbors’ yards. What I … Read more
The call I dread most comes in spring. A neighbour — usually a new homeowner — rings to tell me their yard is being eaten alive by bamboo. Last April it was a woman two streets over who discovered running…
Running bamboo spreads — that’s not a flaw, it’s just what it does. The real question is which species you’re dealing with, because not all runners behave the same way, and knowing the difference can save you years of frustration (and a few arguments with your neighbors). After growing bamboo for over a decade and … Read more
Running bamboo spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes and can overtake a yard — or a neighbor’s yard — within a few seasons. Clumping bamboo stays where you plant it, expanding slowly outward from a central base. That single difference shapes every decision you’ll make about which type belongs in your landscape. What Actually Makes Bamboo … Read more
I still remember the morning I walked into my spare bedroom and noticed a thin green shoot poking up through a crack in the baseboard. At first I thought it was a weed that had somehow snuck in. Then it hit me — bamboo growing into house, my house, through the foundation wall. My stomach … Read more