Update: Six months on and I've been cutting the heads off any bamboo shoots that pop up. I've had to take the clearing saw to them about 3 times through the spring and summer. Now there isn't much bamboo appearing, so it seems to have worked so far. Instead I've got weeds to deal with. This area will be turned into a gravel driveway eventually.
@@TokyoLlama I live in France and i heard that if you want to keep bamboo but not let it spread too much, you will have to surround it by cement underground, so it can surround the root and not let it spread too much. I'm not an expert tho and it's only something i heard, i would recommend to search for more info tho.
You have to dig them out. However digging bamboo up is extremely difficult(My dad did once and he cursed the death bamboo to hell) and some people prefer to get professionals to blow the roots up with dynamite.
The "music" is clearing me out of this channel although I was really enjoying the opportunity to see up close the amazing artistry and craftsmanship traditional Japanese homes. Unfortunately that makes that music all the uglier.
I thought the music was very expressive of the work he's doing here. Hard. Repetitive. Can't ignore. (I also turned the volume WAY DOWN and put cc on.)
Sharing bamboo removal stories (Pennsylvania) -Six months ago I didn't know a thing about bamboo and accepted a seller's story line that is easy to manage and provides a great privacy barrier. I don't share their opinion. As a result, I'm removing by hand 1/4 acre of 50 foot x 2" (+) bamboo. Using a sawsall I cut the stalks at or below the soil. Then I'm separating the leafy section, the stalk, and the root ball. The stalks and leafy material are being recycled for mulch. The root ball or as much of it as I can get goes to my burn pit. Every time a see a rhizome, I split it and follow it in opposing directions with a hatchet. The rhizomes go to the burn pit. I'm six months into the process and most of it on my hands and knees. BTW, this is on a hill, and being replaced with pachysandra and blue spreading evergreen. Hope this is worthwhile to someone.
I was successful removing my 1/4 acre of forty year old, unmaintained bamboo forest... However, it was all done manually. Sent fifteen, 15 yard containers of bamboo to the dump; left the culms in the ground (they are dying), and burned innumerable piles of rhyzones in my burn pit on site. Since then, I patrol everyday for any new survival shoots... The property looks amazing now!
Hi, just discovered your channel,.. you are living my dream,... the buying & renovation part , not the cutting bamboo part. You should have used the tractor !!! or did you sell it ! I can tell you from experience , waiting for bamboo to " run out of energy & die" is somewhat wishful thinking,.. but good luck. I will get back to binge watching your videos & live my dream thru you.
Yes, we sold the tractor. I found the bamboo cutting slightly fun. I've cut it back again a few times. Seems to be much slower to come back now, but could be the season.
With certain invasive weeds in the United States, you water the ground, then cover it with black plastic sheeting for about 8 weeks during hot weather. It makes the roots rot away quicker.
bamboo is more invasive though. every main stalk that shoots up out of the ground can be supported or can become the support system, called a 'mother tree', for a huge network of underground horizontal growing feeder roots. each time a root reaches a genetic distance from the 'mother tree' it grows a fresh bamboo shoot and it grows up out of the ground. some bamboo species are 'clumpers' they grow in bushes that are tight. and other species are 'runners' that spread out and create swaths of land like bamboo forests. we're talking acres upon acres of bamboo in less than five years if it's not stopped. oh and bamboo shoots can break building foundations if the 'mother tree' isn't killed first. so, black plastic isn't exactly going to deter a bamboo shoot. there's even an ancient Chinese torture manual that 'supposedly shows' how to stake a man to the ground over a bamboo shoot and it'll grow up THROUGH his body. but that's mostly an urban legend/folk tale/mythology. it'd take more than a year or two for a shoot to pierce through a man. and he'd die of exposure, dehydration, starvation first and start to decay. therefore his corpse would be quite easily pierced. his body would also be fertilizing the soil underneath his corpse making the shoot grow even faster. which would probably make it LOOK like the bamboo shoot killed him as it grew up through his still living body. :)
Im getting so incredibly excited just watching this. That stuff I do as a part timer at a moving company besides my computer science expert job, just because I love seing places transform into amazing landscapes when you give them a little bit of love and care.
@@TokyoLlama I thought your choice of music was terrific. It suited how quickly you were moving cutting the bamboo in fast motion. I had no problem with the volume, and if I did I would have turned it down in the youtube viewer controls.
@@rossmacintosh5652 There may be a few people who, when it comes to being interested in signing on to Japanese farmhouse restoration, would really love to hear music that is associated with the honor and dignity of such a place. It can be done ... both showing the effort and care of the renovator/owner, and supporting the superb skill of the builder. I had to turn off the techno-buzz and it left the vid rather 2-dimensional ... I do look forward to the evolution of music and video as renovations develop. An incredible opportunity to experience something I would have loved to do, if it had been possible way back in the 70s. Deeply appreciate watching this farm come back to life.
@@exploringlife738 that's the beauty of RU-vid, creators get to be creators. He obviously liked the music, it's his video after all. We are just along for the ride! He said the house was only about 30 years old, it's not an ancient temple. I think he makes the music himself, lighten up.
Here in the States, our aunt planted a running variety of bamboo about 40 years ago. Since the it has taken over the yard on the east side, completely swallowing a summer house that exists down there. My sister bought the house after our Aunt passed away. We have tried several methods to try to get some control over eradicating it, but it does come back. You have to watch it and be proactive in getting out and ready to chop it down at ground level as soon as you see it. The only way we almost got rid of a lot of it was this. Two years ago we had severe winter cold and snow for several weeks, with days well below freezing and nights pushing close to 0 degrees F during the same period. As soon as the weather warmed, it appeared we had a lot of dead bamboo (which still shows up in the middle of the thicket two years later). If you ever want to plant bamboo in your landscape, be sure you buy and plant the clumping varieties, not the running ones.
Your crazy to plant BAMBOO ANY WHERE !!! EXCEPT for "heavenly Bamboo!!! I think anyway???? I am so over ran with Bamboo here in the PACIFIC NORTH WEST, ITS HORRIBLE !!! I AM ABOUT READY TO GO NUTS !!!!😢
We have had since we bought out OK house 20 years ago a substantial amount of Japanese knotweed to clear, and keep cleared took us about 10 years of Slash, burn, poison twice annually. Totally different climate but still very invasive - good luck. Only recently found your channel so binge watching to catch up xx Certainly enjoying the unique aspects of your challenge.
five years of exposure, IF it was under the open sided roof of that shed. Japan has a rainy season/monsoon. they're tropical and on the Pacific side of the main island near Tokyo. typhoons. aka hurricanes as we call them on the Atlantic side of the world.
Even if it would have been kept in a closed storage it would have been hell to figure out how to start it for anyone not that good with engines (like me), it could have also needed a few parts to repair.
One thing to watch out for when using a brush cutter: walk the area first to determine if there are rocks, wires or metal poles sticking up in the area you are attempting to clear. You don’t want shrapnel flying off in all directions. You seemed to be aiming very low. I would go higher for the first attempt, and then clear what you’ve cut so that you can take second pass. Also, cutting bamboo off close to the ground is not really necessary.
Yes, we have ryobi tools in the US. Home Depot carries the brand. They're good tools. I had a cordless drill and it is still going strong. Good luck with the bamboo dude. Your going to need it!! Bamboo is EXTREMELY strong and invasive! It will grow right through a concrete foundation if it gets close to a house. Once you have it I've never heard of anyone getting rid of it. Sorry to bum you out. But I'll be watching to see if you have good luck with your plan. Fingers crossed for you!
I did not know that tip about cutting the bamboo until it just stopped growing. Something to remember because a lot of the akiya I've seen online have thick groves that would need clearing. Arigato gozaimasu for the vid and info!
You can put black plastic over the area keeping the bamboo from getting sun light. Leave the plastic for a few month. Then you can turn the soil and plant something else.
Looks like a lot of opportunities here for video content. Maybe get that tractor up and running to help with the yard work. It would be interesting to get that solar hot water maker up and running if possible. Looks like a good Airbnb opportunity.
What will you do with all the bamboo? Firewood? Is there any benefit for you to have some bamboo growing on your property? It's such a renewable resource.
I’ve mulched most of the bamboo to use on the garden (after I make it). We’re also given some of it away to neighbours to use as stakes for their tomato vines. We don’t really have fences but some of the neighbours use it to make fences though.
What part of Ibaraki is this? We are also close to Joban (Mito station) and live in the countryside. Love to trade bush cutter stories if you have time. I’m looking forward to watching more of these country home renovation videos!
Woow que cantidad de trabajo pero sacando todo ese bambú se renueva el lugar y el solo vuelve a llenar ese espacio y podrá plantar otras plantas, flores y arbolitos mas lindos 😁
It may take a few years but you have to never let it get energy of the sun. Every week look around even where it never was before. Round Up won’t touch the stuff, so don’t bother.
I wish you the best of luck in this struggle, which will go on for years. I was thinking that unfortunately the bamboo will gratefully grow into the area occupied by the shed after it was removed, increasing the area it’s already taken over.
I'm telling u its worth all ur money and effort knowing the rent their is so Takao foa small room..ull find gem there it's a big space..ull realized how lucky u are soon..I had lived in ibaraki..
I had to turn the volume way down that music if that's what it was was a really hard on the ears and the head. I can't wait to see your finished product
Does the tractor run that came with your home I would have used it to clear the property, you need to take out the roots or that bamboo with keep coming back , I just took out two patches last year , what a job !
to me that is a string trimmer with saw blade. and you and you can buy a string head at a later date and turn it in to a string trimmer, if need. there are more costly ones that have a quick connect heads. that allow you change the head/working end to many other tools such as broom, blower, soil tiller. hedge trimmer, pole saw, snow blower. in the sort term it may not be worth it, or the up front cost, but if you need all these tools it will save you money and shed space. sorry i went on a rant i love tool watching projects like see what kind of problems they run in to. keep up the good work.
New subscriber here. I'm looking at the clearing of the bamboo and thinking that using a Machete (Cutlass) would be a lot more efficient. Speaking from personal experience. I'll be looking at all the other videos in the series. All the best for the future.
Machetes won't cut thicker culms without considerable effort +5 chops. And the blade dulls very quickly. It was the first thing I tried. Now really large bypass loppers on the other hand work well. Brush cutter is still less effort and gets very low to the ground.
We're a 1/2 year down after this video and your struggle with the bamboo. I had a garden renovation when my help was asked. Turned out it was covered in bamboo. I had it fenced underground by concrete and taken of all the ground including the roots. then had it covered in concrete with drainage and filled with earth. It awful to have bamboo, you can't cover it with black plastic as it comes right through, it's so strong. So don't cover it with gravel, it will be your returning nightmare. Just like the lawn, Japan can be so hot and it needs gallons of water then. I am so curious how all will turn out. Made Japanese gardens but not in Japan ;>D
My Red Max weed trimmer dealer told me to slam the blade into those bamboo stalks. He told me to swing the trimmer like I was trying to hit a baseball. I did and it worked perfect. Only problem is public works will only pick up the bamboo if it's cut in half.
This might be a silly question but: Is there a way to sell all that bamboo? It seems like a lot of waste and I wondered if someone might want to take it for a small price.
Water it to promote growth and keep running a lawnmower at the lowest settings overtop of that area whenever you see new shoots. It will speed up the process or alternatively you could use vinegar. The se methods worked well on my property.
How is this turning out for you? I’m curious for your Reply. I bought a house with a huge patch of bamboo between me and the neighbors yard/fence. Unfortunately where I live all the big bamboo removal company’s are quoting me 8-12k to get there equipment out to me and get the job done because of how far away I am from them and I don’t have that kind of money anytime soon to spend on bamboo but The longer I wait the more it grows out and runs farther and farther. I was actually told by a old old landscaper in my home town that has had good success with removing bamboo that Aslong as you cut off all the main root systems from spreading( aka putting up a barrier between me and the neighbors yard) cut it down to ground level. And mow it for 3 years it will eventually run out of energy and die. He told me he’s done it dozens of times with his clients and up to a acre of land at a time. He said Aslong as you stick to it.You will notice progress and the roots slowly will rot from underneath. I’m trying to find any method that doesn’t involve 10k. does it seem to be working for you? Thanks again.
Clearing saws are meant to be swung from side to side, steadily clearing a path. Do not treat it like a power saw and methodically cut each piece of shrub. Swing -> slice -> move. Swing -> slice -> move.
Hello, Thank you for your video. I saw you were using a gas powered wood chipper any thoughts on this, what is the maker/model, cost? was it worth it? I know I can rent one that is quite high powered? Also what about the width of the wood or type of wood? Only for bamboo?
I have a Woodmaxx DC-1260 and it chips it ok, but I'm still left with lots of stringy mess after a first pass. Still better than burning it, because then you get lots of popping from all the moisture content inside.
@@atomictraveller First of all thank you, for your comment. Let me explain the meaning of common sense. First make sure no one / nothing is around when you work with a machete. Safety First. Second: Private property in Japan. No one will trespass your property without permission. Reason ?, its called Respect. Have a nice day.
@@JackalJBlack i clear land professionally, all day, for a golf course in arizona, where everything is sun baked hard as fuck, pointy, full of sand/hard to cut, et c. no such thing as private property as far as fauna are concerned, depends what you want to do i guess. fun tip: my fave machete from thailand "knife making village" aranyik, holds a lovely edge, super heavy special (mine is 6 lbs :) worth it if you fancy teh extravagance. yeah for sure, a region of pointy bamboo cuts would teach a form of respect, specially with a trip wire and a coating of shit. i always like to rush out there and cram weasels up their ass heather o'rourke stylee afterwards, stops em coming back.
