Once the bamboos begin to be planted in their final location, they will grow and spread. File photo.

The gardening season is coming to an end, but you may still have questions. If you need an answer, please go to Ask an Expert, which is an online question and answer tool provided by Oregon State University Extension Services. Oregon State University extension teachers and master gardeners respond to inquiries within two working days, usually less. To ask a question, just visit the OSU Extension website, enter and include the county where you live. Here are some questions asked by other gardeners. What's yours?

Q: I live on a very secluded farm with a large pond that can benefit from the bamboo root structure. I have seeds, but I don't know how to start them.

I also know that bamboo is considered an invasive plant, but since there are nearly 1,000 acres of private land around me, maybe I can control it? You can lend me any suggestions on how to propagate the seeds, we would be very grateful. – Lin County

A: You are correct in saying that bamboo can invade. Can you control it? maybe not. Why do you need bamboo around your pond?

Many plants near the pond can help absorb algae (sedges) in the water or fix the shore of the pond (many types of water-loving shrubs or trees).

For example, willow trees and red or yellow branches of dogwood are just a few examples.

Bamboo seeds are sometimes difficult to germinate. They should be in the refrigerator for about six weeks. Then when you want to grow them, first soak them in water for 24 hours to soften the outer pods. Some bamboo species prefer shade, while others prefer sunlight. You should research the variety you buy to see if you don't know yet.

I will start sowing indoors. Some bamboo species can take up to a month to germinate. Keep the soil moist but not humid, and keep it warm. Once they sprout, there will be growth lights. When they grow to about 4 inches, move them to a larger pot.

They usually grow fast, so be prepared to repot them as they grow. I will wait until the cold spring has passed and the weather and soil are at least 60 degrees and put them outside. Once they reach their final location, they will grow and spread.

It may be a coincidence, but I just got another question from the gardener and he wanted to know how to get rid of the bamboo because it is entering her vegetable bed (see below). I told her that it was difficult to remove. After she dug out all the roots, a trench that was 3 feet long and about 2 feet wide, lined with thick plastic or flexible metal plates, would do. She chopped them down and cultivated them, and then found that by cultivating the soil, the number of plants she planted had doubled. Most chemicals will not kill bamboo. – Sheryl Casteen, Master Gardener at Oregon State University

Question: We bought a house with a fenced garden. One side of the garden is a bamboo wall. I suspect it is a running bamboo. When we moved in 1.5 years ago, I chopped all the bamboo. This spring, bamboo shoots began to grow. I tried to dig them, and finally tried to cultivate the area. This results in clusters/clumps of bamboo shoots in distress from the roots.

What should I try next to remove bamboo from my garden? Continue farming? What is the best way to prevent outside bamboo from entering? Is it enough to dig a trench around the garden every spring to cut the roots, or is it enough to move a 5-foot-long strip outside the garden fence? – Benton County

A: My years of struggle with bamboo will help me answer your questions. It is getting less and less every year, but I dug it out year after year, until finally it disappeared.

Bamboo is very aggressive. You can try a variety of herbicides, but most of them will not kill the plant. The mother plant launches a runner, and a new plant grows. Tillage interrupted the roots, and as you can see, there are more new plants than before.

Dig a ditch about 3 feet deep and 2 feet wide, dig out all the roots you can find, and line it up with very heavy plastic or strong flexible metal sheets. I used heavy plastic (for pond lining) if it overlaps on all sides. I haven't filled the ditch for more than a year. Seeing the new shoots, I cut them off as soon as possible. I did put heavy stones on the bottom and surface to fix the plastic.

As for the outside of the fence, is this your property? If so, dig out as much as possible again about 3 feet deep, at least as wide as the bamboo you see, and line up with plastic threads, or you can consider placing it in a concrete pedestrian area.

Putting in cement can be very expensive. Some companies will come in and set up two trenches on either side of the fence as I suggest within a day. Then it's up to you to keep the roots and shoot.

The process of removing bamboo was longer than we liked, but once I left, I could plant shorter flowering shrubs, and the bamboo did not come back. – Sheryl Casteen, Master Gardener Promotion at Oregon State University

Question: How do I know if my paper maple tree survived the intense summer heat last summer. The leaves all rolled up, but they didn't fall immediately. Some branches are dead. It is green under the bark of the trunk. Will it rebound this spring? – Multnomah County

A: "Wait and see" whether your tree can recover from the extreme heat in June. This is quite a disappointing answer from experts, but it is the best I can do.

The heat is unprecedented, so this is a learning experience for us. Variable conditions, such as the age of the tree, the current soil moisture, and even the overall health of the plant, may affect recovery.

Partial restoration of trees and shrubs means difficult decisions for some homeowners. If a specimen is attractive in the landscape due to its symmetrical shape, but is now destroyed by death, is it sufficient to trim it to reshape it? Or it is the owner's choice to replace it. Sometimes it takes a year or two of growth for the owner to decide what to do.

Oh, don't rush to trim things that might grow slowly next spring. Some branches, if the bark is still alive, may start late.

For the next heat wave, check out this gardening tips article by OSU. – Jacki Dougan, Master Gardener Promotion at Oregon State University

Gardeners may want to place fences or protective devices around young trees to help prevent further damage. File photo. Joe Songer | jsonger@al.comJoe Songer | jsonger@al.com

Question: The 1.5-inch caliper crabapple tree I planted recently was beaten by a stag (deer) and the cambium was severely damaged. Is it worth continuing to observe if it can survive, or just pull it out now and replace it? – Yamhill County

A: Your tree may survive. It seems that the injury did not completely surround the tree. However, this tree will not have a good start because it will cause damage and potential risks for pathogens entering the tree. Structural problems and damage may also occur in the future (especially in the event of severe weather events, etc.). 

If possible, depending on your situation, it may be worthwhile to replace it with the knowledge that some problems may arise in the future. Putting some fences or protective measures around your tree will be a good prevention in the future. More information here. -Heather Stoven, Extension Gardener, Oregon State University

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