Bamboo (help!) advice please. We have several substantial stands of bamboo next to / near to our property line. Say, 1 M diameter. I want to raise the level of our land by 50cm or so as the neighbor's water drains into and floods parts of our property.  We cannot fill around the stands as it will create a water pocket and also will effectively be giving that part of our land to the neighbor.

 

Here is the question: If I cut the bamboo to be flush with the finished new level of fill will it continue to grow? I would mark it and cut at 50 cm (or so) and use it as the indicator of fill level. The stump ends of the stalks will be at or just a bit above the fill.  We want to keep the bamboo and not kill it. My  wife insists that this will kill the plant but I don't see why it would.  Thanks v much.

45 minutes ago, notrub said:

Bamboo (help!) advice please. We have several substantial stands of bamboo next to / near to our property line. Say, 1 M diameter. I want to raise the level of our land by 50cm or so as the neighbor's water drains into and floods parts of our property.  We cannot fill around the stands as it will create a water pocket and also will effectively be giving that part of our land to the neighbor.

 

Here is the question: If I cut the bamboo to be flush with the finished new level of fill will it continue to grow? I would mark it and cut at 50 cm (or so) and use it as the indicator of fill level. The stump ends of the stalks will be at or just a bit above the fill.  We want to keep the bamboo and not kill it. My  wife insists that this will kill the plant but I don't see why it would.  Thanks v much.

If it's anything like the bamboo stand I had in NZ, you would have a very hard job killing it!! Seems to grow like a weed and  is very weed-killer resilient.

No warranty implied or inferred but bamboo is tough stuff, I've had bamboo fence posts sprout leaves in the past.

 

I reckon it will be fine to do what you suggest.

 

If I understand it correctly Bamboo grows pretty fast, why not experiment with one plant to show your wife there's nothing to worry about. Just a thought from a city boy ????

It will regrow with no problem ,but not to the original   height, and the Nor-Mie,the edible bamboo shots will be smaller to.