What Are The Downsides of Growing Bamboo?

Bamboo has particular growing characteristics that, when unmanaged, can become irritating. Bamboo grows very quickly, and the “running” species are named such for a reason, as they can easily overtake an average residential size backyard relatively quickly, and even move into the neighbor’s properties.
However, with proper planning and site selection, bamboo can very easily be controlled, and the potential negative can be quickly refocused as an exciting opportunity.

The other downside is that bamboo requires a substantial initial time investment. The first harvest is not for 3-7 years after initial planting, depending on species and intended use, and the whole time, it is still taking resources such as natural fertilizers and water, although both in relatively low levels. This can be contrasted with the fact that the same bamboo planting will continue to grow larger and more productive over its lifetime, which can be up to 140 years!