Roofing underlayment as a bamboo root barrier?

[kire]

Hello.
One local bamboo hobbyist recommended me roof underlayment materials a root barrier.
Anyone used something like this w/ success?
Thanks,
Erik

[ShmuBamboo]

If you mean tar or felt paper, that will not be strong enough to stop bamboo rhizomes from growing right through. Nor is that stuff very sturdy. It would break down in the soil. What they sell as bamboo barrier is a heavy plastic liner (about as thick as injection molded plastic plant pots) that the rhizomes cannot grow through. It does not always work, as the rhizomes can and do grow under it or over it. I found that it works best if sloped at an angle away from the bamboo. That way the rhizomes will be forced to the surface and you can cut them when they appear above the barrier. You can get the same results by digging a trench around the bamboo and filling it in with leaves or loose material. Then go in and snip any rhizomes that grow into the trench every so often.