Bamboo ...

Marran

I have a clump of bamboo which has been in situ for nearly 10 years.  The clump has grown but is fine.  However, a couple of weeks ago I noticed a bamboo spike which has grown pretty rapidly and now over a metre tall (it appeared about a metre from the clumping bamboo).   It looks completely different to the clumping bamboo ... do you agree it looks like trouble? 

Hostafan1

I think " trouble" might be an overstatement. At that stage you can uncover the "root" back to the parent plant and cut it off

Marran

Thanks @Hostafan1.  It was the fact that it had sprung up very quickly, from nowhere, which worried me. 

Helix

It seems your bamboo has got to the stage in life where it wants to leave home....be vigilant.  Check regularly for runners and trace them back to main plant and remove them otherwise you and your neighbours will end up living in a thicket.   If you keep an eye on it then should be manageable. 

Hostafan1

Marran said:

Thanks @Hostafan1.  It was the fact that it had sprung up very quickly, from nowhere, which worried me. 

I think the fact that the spring up very quickly , from nowhere is one of the things I love about them