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Digging up rhizomes...tools that make the work faster.

15 years ago

I'm still kind of a newbie...

I found myself digging up some B. Vulgaris Vittata for my uncle this last week...and couldn't help notice that it's pretty difficult work!!! I had a pointed shovel and bypass pruners. I also tried using a crowbar...but the head wasn't wide enough so it didn't really help.

What are some tools you use to make the work faster?

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Comments (12)

kentuck_8b
15 years ago
A good strong and sharp shovel, and an axe is what I use.

Kt
divahethr
15 years ago
having someone stronger than you is always good and a reciprocating saw sawz all etc. Things (shovels) with wooden handles are not good.
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Genericboi
Original Author
15 years ago
hahahaaa!

Divahethr - I was using a wooden handle shovel...and it broke! It was old...but I've broken handles before! Reciprocating saw sounds good!

Kentuck - I've thought about the axe before...but was afraid I'd damage the rhizomes.

i was also thinking about getting a "pry bar" but I haven't been about to find one wide enough.
kudzu9
15 years ago
I've found that a pickaxe blade is better at chopping through rhizomes than an axe, and a demolition bar is essential for prying, especially to avoid breaking shovels. However, if you want to make your life a lot easier and be able to take out any bamboo in a minute or two, there's no substitute for a bamboo spade. There is only one place I know you can get one, and I never thought I'd ever pay this much for a fancy shovel ($160), but I fell in love with it the first time I used a friend's, and immediately ordered my own. This is a shovel that is all steel, weighs about 20 pounds, and operates on the slide hammer principle. It not only works great on bamboo, but on any other large rootball plants like shrubs and giant grasses. I have no connection with this product other than my close affection for it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo spade
kentuck_8b
15 years ago
An axe works better for me. A pick axe has the blade horizontal and it needs to be vertical, with the handle like an axe.

However, I use it for clumpers, and the culms are much closer together, which is why an axe works great if its very sharp and you have few or no rocks. For runners, all I use is a sharp shovel.

Kt
Genericboi
Original Author
15 years ago
Kudzu9 - Wow! That's a beautiful tool!...but for $160...Yikes! Though considering time and the pain in my back...it may be well worth it! Thanks!

Kentuk - most all my bamboo in the ground are of the giant clumping types. I've tried axes...but I'm not that skillful with them. Maybe a wedge and hammer might work better for me. hmmm....
kentuck_8b
15 years ago
I tried wedges, but find they get stuck too easily and are hard to remove.

The axe is narrow enough, which is a must when culms are sometimes only an inch or two apart. I am pretty good with an axe, from years of swinging sledge hammers, but every now and then I scar or even split a culm.

My textilis has culms 2 inches in diameter and 40 feet tall and I can dig one culm up and pot it in less than ten minutes using an axe and a shovel.

There's no room for a sawzall or hand saw, unless I dig a huge hole around the rhizome. With the axe, I can whack through the rhizome in three or four swings, even if all of the soil is not removed from around the rhizome.

The less work, the better...that's why I use an axe. Whatever works...use it.

Kt
Genericboi
Original Author
15 years ago
Kentuck - less than 10 minutes?!?!?!? WOW! That Vittata I was digging up was less than an inch in diameter and it took me almost 45 minutes to get it out. Though, maybe I was being a bit too careful. I think you've inspired me to buy an axe! Thanks!
divahethr
15 years ago
i have to get me one of those shovels...
kudzu9
15 years ago
Yes the shovel is pricey, but, after I figured out how many hours I was wasting using conventional methods, it started looking cheap...
kentuck_8b
15 years ago
On clumpers, I dig around three sides of the culm using a shovel where there are no rhizomes, then use the axe on the side toward the plant, where the rhizomes will be. Quickest and easiest way I know of, and I've been digging bamboo for over three dozen years.

On runners I usually use only a sharp shovel, but then the groves I dig from are smaller than most...only having culms up to 2 inches in thickness and 30 feet in height. Larger culms would take different methods and different tools.

I have one of these, and if you're a welder, you can make a bamboo shovel like above yourself for less than half the price. Weld a spade end to the log splitter end and you have a bamboo spade.

Click Here

Kt
Genericboi
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, everyone!

It's almost that time to start digging the Vittata in the back yard. The largest culms are about 2 - 2.5 inches. It's getting crazy back there...so I think I'm going to make early X-mas presents for people!

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