I have a black bamboo which is in a heavy clay soil, it was planted five years ago. I have cut away a few of the runners but was unaware that I should keep some too. It was after planting it that I heard it could become a problem in wetter milder winters. I have sat here wondering if it needs to go. I thought it was a clumping one now I am wondering if I need to future proof as my old knees won't want to dig it up in a few years time.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
If you want instant impact, you may find Fargesia a little disappointing as it takes a while to establish before sending up new culms of any significant height. If your budget will allow, I'd suggest you buy plants in at least 10 litre pots to get off to a quicker start.
@GardenerSuze , black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) is a non-clumping bamboo (sounds nicer than runner!). They can be perfectly behaved while young but then suddenly their desire to run, as explained so well above, becomes their mission - to form a grove is their genetic programme! I don't want to worry you but I'd think about removing it or placing it in a contained area where it cannot run, allowing a few new canes to grow on each year. I always thin out my Phyllostachys each year when the new canes appear, selecting the thickest and best coloured canes to grow on and removing the thinner less attractive old and new canes.
Oh that’s ok then @KT53, yes there is a lot of misinformation out there in both directions. It’s the disreputable suppliers that claim the runners are clumpers that make me steam.
Tricky decision @GardenerSuze, but if it’s already started to run, maybe best to tackle it before the knees give out, so I’m with @Plantminded there. The only reason I manage rather than exterminate my P. Aurea is that it’s in the far corner of my plot, the nearest outlier some 10m from my garden. If it starts a serious bid for the garden however, it will see the sharp end of my machete!
I would also go with larger plants in 10L pots for the fargesia. There is an orthodoxy (correct for lots of hedging plants) which says plant small and they will establish better and grow faster, but that’s just not the case with a clumping bamboo unless you are extremely patient. Ruinous on the pocket though, they are not cheap! Something else for the OP to consider..
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
We got our fargesia rufa as a tiny pot from one of the mail order plant sellers, I think it was about a foot high and in a 12cm pot. It took probably 5 years to look like anything and maybe the next ten to really look like something impressive. So I'd definitely echo plantminded above and try to get decent plants. I wouldn't be overly worried if they didn't cover the whole area to begin with as they split really easily and grow strongly once established ime.
All very good points, thank you. Good to know that buying bigger plants was preferable unlike hedges. Budget is not a problem, I'm in no rush and don't need instant cover. Also, good point around the aesthetics of bamboo on one side and Leylandii on the other. I'm thinking may be I'm better off planting a Portuguese laurel or Photinia next to the neighbour's hedge on right.
Could consider bamboo at the back of the garden. The fence at the back will last for a while and give enough time for bamboo to bulk up.
I haven't even started thinking about what I'll plant on the left, which is my responsibility and have been patching broken fence panels every time we get some damage from a wind storm. This year I'd like to sort out the boundaries with living plants first that don't fall over due to a bit of bad weather.
The bamboo expert on G's World some years back clearly wasn't such an expert then He was adamant that eventually, they all spread, and can be problematic. It put me off them completely, although I don't really like them anyway.
If you just want to hide the bottoms of the leyland hedge, you'd be better with something like Beech as a hedge - it can be kept tight/narrow, as long as you leave a bit of room to get in behind for any maintenance. Most of that could e done from your side anyway. Once established, it doesn't mind drier conditions. If it's a fence with those lap panels, they're always more difficult to keep upright. I can't see the fence well enough. It might just be 'done'. A hit and miss fence, or double sided [same thing] filters wind far better
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Plantminded@thevictorian@Nollie Thank you for all your advice I will consider replacing it. I clear all the lower leaves and keep it under control. The top screens a neighbours wheelie bin, it was the only plant that I could think of that would do the job next to a wall. Don't drink or smoke the only addiction I have is plants so more than happy to treat myself to a bigger plant!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
there is a lot of misinformation out there in both directions. It’s the disreputable suppliers that claim the runners are clumpers that make me steam.
I'm quite sure many GCs are selling some bamboos claiming they are trouble-free and clump-forming when they are nothing of the kind. A neighbour planted supposedly clump-forming in her front garden and now it is going down to Oz and coming up through the pavement. A digger might be the only way to get it out. It's the bain of her life and was so worried it would affect the sale of her house, as JKW might be. I told her that the invasion of michaelmas daisies was far more off putting. Lol.
I think you're right about misinformation in garden centres @Fire. I also think that some garden makeover programmes and garden designers have a lot to answer for by providing instant fixes for impatient owners wanting privacy and not knowing or explaining the difference between clumping and non-clumping species. The ensuing problems then lead to bamboo being regarded as in the same league as Japanese knotweed! It's a real shame because if chosen correctly and well maintained, bamboo can have a dramatic and respectable place in a garden.
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Tricky decision @GardenerSuze, but if it’s already started to run, maybe best to tackle it before the knees give out, so I’m with @Plantminded there. The only reason I manage rather than exterminate my P. Aurea is that it’s in the far corner of my plot, the nearest outlier some 10m from my garden. If it starts a serious bid for the garden however, it will see the sharp end of my machete!
I would also go with larger plants in 10L pots for the fargesia. There is an orthodoxy (correct for lots of hedging plants) which says plant small and they will establish better and grow faster, but that’s just not the case with a clumping bamboo unless you are extremely patient. Ruinous on the pocket though, they are not cheap! Something else for the OP to consider..
Could consider bamboo at the back of the garden. The fence at the back will last for a while and give enough time for bamboo to bulk up.
I haven't even started thinking about what I'll plant on the left, which is my responsibility and have been patching broken fence panels every time we get some damage from a wind storm. This year I'd like to sort out the boundaries with living plants first that don't fall over due to a bit of bad weather.
He was adamant that eventually, they all spread, and can be problematic. It put me off them completely, although I don't really like them anyway.
If you just want to hide the bottoms of the leyland hedge, you'd be better with something like Beech as a hedge - it can be kept tight/narrow, as long as you leave a bit of room to get in behind for any maintenance. Most of that could e done from your side anyway. Once established, it doesn't mind drier conditions.
If it's a fence with those lap panels, they're always more difficult to keep upright. I can't see the fence well enough. It might just be 'done'. A hit and miss fence, or double sided [same thing] filters wind far better
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm quite sure many GCs are selling some bamboos claiming they are trouble-free and clump-forming when they are nothing of the kind. A neighbour planted supposedly clump-forming in her front garden and now it is going down to Oz and coming up through the pavement. A digger might be the only way to get it out. It's the bain of her life and was so worried it would affect the sale of her house, as JKW might be. I told her that the invasion of michaelmas daisies was far more off putting. Lol.