Is heavy mulching okay in my grove?

[doodlebug]

I've got a nice little grove of Phyllostachys Atrovaginata and I've been hard at work today pulling weeds/grass between culms and laying down newspaper. On top of the paper I'm laying a nice 2-3 inch layer of bark mulch.

I'm not done yet, and just realized...I didn't ask permission. LOL.

Seriously, is this likely to smother the rhizomes or anything? It's looking quite striking, and my real goal is to keep the weeds down, plus look tidy.

Thoughts?

[doodlebug]

I added a picture of my project:

[Eastlandia]

I dont know your location, but usually bamboos growing in cold areas benifit from heavy mulching in the winter. Of cource I dont think they mind the added nutrients from decay in the summer months either. I dont know what is in newspaper, but I dont think it can hurt anything. Its paper and some ink and bacteria cant...grow...on it...

Yah, I dont know, good luck. I always wrap divisons in wet newspaper during transport. You'll be fine.

[Mark_NoVA]

The problem with newspaper is that it doesn't let air through, which is not good for any roots you may want growing underneath. If you want nothing at all (no tree roots, bamboo rhizomes, etc.) growing underneath, that's fine. Otherwise, use weed fabric instead, and no more than a few inches of mulch.

[philinshelton]

I have used newspaper under mulch on many new plantings, including a P. bissetii hedge. It worked great. The newspaper will decompose over a short time, but does a great job of smothering weed seeds on new plantings. I used it on a fall planting, and the new shoots came up right through it in the spring.

[mantis]

The problem with newspaper is that it doesn't let air through, which is not good for any roots you may want growing underneath. If you want nothing at all (no tree roots, bamboo rhizomes, etc.) growing underneath, that's fine. Otherwise, use weed fabric instead, and no more than a few inches of mulch.

Question: does weed fabric cause any harm to new shoots, or do they just go right through without problem?

I put down weed fabric and covered with a few inches of mulch. Just wondering if I should pull the fabric back from the base of the boos a little more than where it is now.

And yes I've seen the pictures of rhizomes breaking through the barriers, and shoots coming through pavement, but I just want to make sure I'm not suppressing any new growth.

[Roy]

...snip...

And yes I've seen the pictures of rhizomes breaking through the barriers, and shoots coming through pavement, but I just want to make sure I'm not suppressing any new growth.

What a killjoy you are. Here was a excellent opportunity for me to show Michael's "bamboo de pierce da pavement" pictures.