Bamboo removal in Tampa, from the canes down to the rhizomes

Running bamboo spreads through long rhizomes that travel just under the surface and pop up new canes yards away from the original stand. We cut the canes, then trace and dig the rhizomes out with hand tools or a small machine where there is access. Because pieces left behind will sprout, we tell you plainly when a follow-up visit is needed and what to watch for in the weeks after the job. The dug rhizomes are bagged and hauled, never left in a pile where they can root again.

Clumping bamboo grows in a tight cluster and does not travel far, which makes it the easier type to remove. The canes are cut down, the dense root mass is either dug out or ground below grade, and the hole is filled and leveled so the spot can be planted or sodded. If you only want the clump smaller, we can thin out older canes and cut back the edge instead of removing it all, which keeps the screen while giving back some of the yard.

Where bamboo comes from a neighbor's yard, removing your side alone will not hold. A root barrier, a rigid panel set into a trench along the property line, blocks the rhizomes from crossing. We dig the trench deep enough for the rhizomes to stay below it, set the panel with a lip above grade, and backfill. It is the most reliable way to keep a running stand from returning, and it lets you and the neighbor each manage your own side without a standing argument.

Even a thorough dig can miss a piece of rhizome. New shoots are soft and easy to snap or cut when they first appear, and removing them before they leaf out starves whatever is left underground. We can come back after a few weeks and again later in the season to clear regrowth, which is usually all it takes to finish the job for good. You can also snap shoots yourself between visits; we show you what to look for.