I have been reading the forum assiduously and appreciate all the sound advice here.

This spring I planted several clumps of Phyllostachys bissetii that I purchased from a local grower (Triple Brook Farm, they do mailorder too.)

My plan is to keep it in grove about 100 feet in circumference in the center of which will be a small patio of very large, irregularly shaped flag stone.

After reading heavily here, I see that trying to use a barrier to keep it within my grove is a waste of time and don't mind the rhizome pruning.

My first question is about when to do the pruning. I see most here do it in late fall/winter, but you also mostly are in much warmer areas. Winter here is the real thing. I actually have some rhizomes moving right now (within my bounds) but I'm assuming I would want to prune when they're done spreading. Should I just look to do it as late in fall as feasible?

My second question is in regards to my little patio in the center. Do I need to worry about infiltration of rhizomes into this area? or can I just nip off any shoots that come up between the stones since it doesn't matter if the entire area under the stones is full of rhizomes?

Thank you for all the information I've already consumed here, as well as any advice you might have.

Bob

Thanks! These stones are really too big to lift up once they're down so I'm not going to be able to get to anything that gets underneath them, just nip off shoots that come up between stones. My guess is the area underneath them will eventually be criss-crossed with rhizomes.

I'll try to get an image up, there isn't much there so far.

Bill

Thanks. I am digging a trench. I figure I can fill it with leaves after they fall and then next year, remove the nicely composted leaves, check for spreading rhizomes, and later refill...