Moving Bambb

[doogiegh]

I have about a 100' of Bamboo that is a good 6' thick if you were to walk thru it. I want to rent a mini excavator, scoop up bucket loads of the bamboo (after using a sawz-all to cut circular clumps of root balls) and transplant the bamboo so that I end up with a 200' run of bamboo 3' thick.

See the pic attached as to what I want to do. The bamboo can't spread too much further back as there is a brook/stream back there and any roots will simply flood out. And I control the growth of the bamboo forward into my yard in the spring by simply moving down any new sprouts that come out into my grass area.

Can I cut the existing bamboo from say... 18' tall to a mere stub 5' tall or so, and transplant without harm?

 

[Ash_403]

Do you know what variety of bamboo you have there? If this in in Central NJ, I'd guess it to be a cold-hardy clumping bamboo. Your idea sounds possible to me, if you can get enough root mass with your scooped bucket loads.
You can cut down bamboo in height. The new shoots shouldgrow to your now established 18' height...or so. It may take a few years for the relocated plants though.
Is this bamboo at mature/maximum height now?

Here is a little information on clumping bamboo. http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy clumping.htm#Pruning clumping bamboo

 

[doogiegh]

I am in Central NJ and I do not know the exact type/species of Bamboo that I have. As mentioned, my ultimate goal is to take my 100 foot by 6 foot area of bamboo and make it 200 foot long and only 3 foot wide as my original picture showed. I fully understand that the transplanted bamboo, if I cut it down in height, will look "different" for the next 2-4 years but I'm ok with that. And even if 1/2 of what I transplant dies, I'm ok with that. This is all part of a 5 year "plan" and I know it will eventually spread out real nice and fill in; it just doesn't happen overnight. I'm game to hear any other tips or tricks to make the job easier, that is for sure.

 

[blades]

Heck most people are just trying to get rid of it- your first I've heard wanting to cultivate it.