Is there anything different about the soil between the locations. Also bamboo likes a lot of water. My back yard was intended to just have a patch, and I used a container (a buried bathtub) but it escaped and now has completely taken over the garden and invaded my neighbors yards.

You planted bamboo on top of a fence?

@majorrich Along the top of the garden the soil is a lot more drier and ‘rougher’, they look like they were only planted a few week ago. Also, weeds grow a lot more there as well. Down the side they are huge.

Bamboo likes a lot of water, but not to be standing in it. My bamboo didn’t come in real good for a season or two. Now I have thirty foot stalks that are only a month old. .

@Headhurts Weeds can change the pH of the soil. You might need to pull them and lay some topsoil. You might want to take a soil sample to your local cooperative extension or university.

@Cupcake Thanks for that. I think you might be spot on there.