Cutting back bamboo—a dilemma to be solved
 

We need to cut back our bamboo stand. It’s about 6’ now and we want to cut back to about 6-12”. Our Sawzall doesn’t work on it, and we would be reduced to cutting each one with our lopper, which would be quite a bit of work.

Since we are committed to doing this ourselves, do you see any easier way to cut it back? Suggestions welcome!

How about a gas powered trimmer with a metal tri-blade or circular blade. Some string trimmers can adapt to these type blades. These are usually straight shafted and heavier duty trimmers. If your bamboo is a smaller diameter, this should work well. Back in Michigan I used this method for clearing thick brush and small bushes and saplings.

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville has a lot of bamboo. Perhaps is you contact them, they will answer your question. As you know, bamboo is amazingly strong. Good luck. I don’t know how much you have, but it will be quite a project.

Chain saw

I do not understand why the sawall does not work, I have been using one of these for 30 years and it has never failed to cut. Please send me a PM and phone number so we can discuss DIYer to DIYer.

Sawsall
 

Tried cutting my bamboo. Unless very close to the ground the blade teeth grab the bamboo stalk and just shake it violently. That's my experience. My lawn care guys sometimes use their edge trimmer and it works.
Good luck.

I understand that Bamboo can only get more invasive with age. no personal experience but we were warned not to introduce to our yard. Perhaps eliminate the problem!

It is totally dependent on if it is "clumping" or "running" variety of bamboo.

Running Bamboo vs. Clumping Bamboo

You need to keep the blade guard tight against the piece, bamboo, so the teeth on the blade are cutting and pulling the bamboo into the guard. It’s not that the bamboo is hard to cut that will happen on any piece of wood if your trying to cut just using the blade.

I agree, A sawzall will cut through anything given the right blade.

Harbor freight sells an electric pole saw for about $75 sometimes cheaper. It is like a tiny chainsaw on the end of a pole. That will solve your problem and you won’t even need a ladder

Try a Japanese pull saw.

Machete

You need to rent a Brushcutter with a circular saw blade. Mine was made by Stihl. They aren’t cheap (I paid $450 for mine), but you can rent one. They look like professional string trimmers, but as I said, they have circular saw blades. A Brushcutter will cut through a two inch sapling in a second, and if you swing the Brushcutter into the bamboo, close to the ground, or a foot high, the way you use a string trimmer, it will cut cleanly. You can expect the bamboo to grow back, of course. A Stihl Brushcutter has a gas engine. I think there is also an Echo string trimmer than can take a circular saw blade and runs on a battery. That’s good for maybe thirty minutes, but maybe that’s all you need.

You could also use a chainsaw, but that may mean bending way over to cut. Also, it may not cut cleanly if the bamboo is too small or shaky. Also, small stalks sometimes get caught in the saw and derail the chain, which is pretty dangerous. Unless you are comfortable using a chain saw, I’d avoid that solution. Sometimes it makes more sense to call in an expert who can also haul away the brush.

I also recommend hearing protection and eye protection. I always use both earplugs and earphones as well as a chainsaw helmet with face shield. You don’t want to end up in the hospital with, say, a scratched cornea from a bamboo leaf. A chainsaw can cause permanent hearing damage in much less time than you would expect. I can testify to that.

A SawZall will cut through it with the right blade,
 

Yes a SawZall will cut it but you need the right blade for it, Harbor Freight has several that will work, depending on how much you have you might need several of them or use a chainsaw :boom::clap2::clap2:

I have an electric pole saw i will sell you for $50. I don’t use it any more. 810-241-9701. John

Just out of curiosity, what does one use bamboo for, and will they pick it up if you leave the cut stalks by the road on Wednesday morning if they are over a certain length?

Rent a chain saw, or a Panda!

I resorted to cutting one at a time with a lopers years ago up north when the bamboo that was there when we bought spread way too much. It took me several weeks to clear it, but it got cleared. It will regrow. I was told to pour vegetation killer down the open tubes. It took 2 years of doing this to totally kill off about 6ftx3ft of bamboo. You definitely have to work at it, but it's worth it in the end. I would never plant bamboo, ever. Good luck.

Great reference in the link.

Bamboo
 

Invasive plant - hire landscapers - they need the work

Thank you, everyone! We are mulling over everything you have suggested.

As always, VillageTinker goes over and above to help! We are lucky to have him in this forum.

The Sawzall will work great with a metal cutting blade. Very fine teeth, cuts through steel pipe. Available at Harbor Freight Tools in Fruitland Park.

Reciprocating saw. It will cut anything.

Excellent movie! But I doubt Danny Trejo will come just to trim the bushes :)

Did you try fine toothed blade? Something almost like metal hack saw blade?

Not if you have course tooth blade. It will just grab it back and forth.

Controlled by the roots or should I say out of control by the roots.

Try a chain saw. I used to cut down our stand of night blooming jasmine each spring with one. Easy Peasy.

Bamboo trimming
 

How about a chain saw? You can rent one and solve your problem,

Destroy it!
 

I call it Devils grass. It is very hard to confine and even harder to kill. It took me over a year of pain staking work to remove.

Set it on fire.

You have got to keep the stalk up against the stop plate near the handle. If you don't the blade will chatter all over the place.

Good luck! The more you cut it the more it grows! Get a backhoe & dig it out - even that won't work cuz down the road it will still grow back!! In the future selectively plant native (Fla) screening plants and manage those - much easier and looks good too! Good luck!

If they are close together, try taping several (as many as you can) together with duck tape. This will reduce the shaking. Cut below the tape. 👍 Then you can use your sawzall.

Will salt kill bamboo?

It does work if you hold the bamboo
 

The reason it does not work is that each piece being cut needs to be held so it does not vibrate or move which is the reason that it cannot cut!!!!!
He needs to get a helper to hold the piece that is being cut (use safety eye ware and Gloves) if the bamboo moves he will not be able to cut it
:boom::boom::welcome:

cutting bamboo
 

A circular saw works very well. Hold the guard back , start the saw and cut, goes thru like butter!

I've had "miniature" bamboo for 5+ years(like the kind you see around in The Villages landscaping) and am very happy with it. It really hasn't spread at all and I keep it trimmed to about 5 1/2'. I cut one of the bushes down to about 1 1/2' and keep it like that very easily. I use a hand pruner to cut it and have no problem.

I think you may be using the wrong blade, I have cut lots of wood, tree branches, even palm fonds with my sawzall and placing the saw and blade AGAINST the item to be cut with my right hand, I can use my left hand to apply force the the item to hold it against the saw and the shoe of the saw. Believe it on not, try using a metal cutting blade with very fine teeth and the high speed setting on the saw, this may help.
I could come by and demonstrate if you would like.