I rescued a clump of bamboo from a gardening job once. The lady had a small garden and it had taken over and broken through her fence.
Being a womble, and loving free plants, I thought...hmmm I need screening from the first floor maisonette that looks over our garden!
It has been living in a tuff tub until icouild find the right home. I'd never dream of putting it stright in the ground as know how hard it was to remove! ( I bent a six foot crowbar in getting it out!)
I've just watched an old Titchmarsh show where they upcycled an old water butt to use as container for it...as I'd just loaded an old leaky water butt in the car to take to the tip, I'm now thinking I may follow that example and stick the bamboo in that!
I don't think that would be big enough GD. You need big enough so that it doesn't feel restricted, and therefore grows properly, but big enough in each direction (especially depth) to contain the roots properly. I'd make something a metre square, or a metre long by 60 cm wide depending on the space you have available, and at least 60cm deep - as a minimum.
If the bamboo doesn't work, you can always remove it and have a planting area that has different conditions from the rest of the area - for instance damp, rich soil if the other bits are sandy, dry and free draining, or vice versa.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
GD - that container sounds cramped to me. Think couch grass on steroids. That's what the roots will be like so a bit more depth and certainly more width if it's to screen bins.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
The neighbour across the back from me has a bog standard green bamboo in a raised timber bed which is around 8 or 9 feet, roughly, in diameter, by about 2 or 3 feet deep. The bamboo has grown a lot - it's about 9 or 10 feet in height and diameter - and I remember it being planted before I moved from the house round the corner in 2009. It's probably been there about 10 years anyway, and has grown quite a bit in the four years I've been in this house.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This new garden has 5 clumps of 4 to 5 metre tall bamboo and I really, really dislike it so the idea of paying those sort of prices strikes me as daylight robbery.
The clumps have been neglected for at least 3 years if not more so I have OH working his way through them cutting out every other stem at the base and removing foliage up to head height on the remainder in a bid to make it a tad less unattractive and solid. The up side is that I will have a good supply of bean poles.................;;;
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
I rescued a clump of bamboo from a gardening job once. The lady had a small garden and it had taken over and broken through her fence.
Being a womble, and loving free plants, I thought...hmmm I need screening from the first floor maisonette that looks over our garden!
It has been living in a tuff tub until icouild find the right home. I'd never dream of putting it stright in the ground as know how hard it was to remove! ( I bent a six foot crowbar in getting it out!)
I've just watched an old Titchmarsh show where they upcycled an old water butt to use as container for it...as I'd just loaded an old leaky water butt in the car to take to the tip, I'm now thinking I may follow that example and stick the bamboo in that!
I don't think that would be big enough GD. You need big enough so that it doesn't feel restricted, and therefore grows properly, but big enough in each direction (especially depth) to contain the roots properly. I'd make something a metre square, or a metre long by 60 cm wide depending on the space you have available, and at least 60cm deep - as a minimum.
If the bamboo doesn't work, you can always remove it and have a planting area that has different conditions from the rest of the area - for instance damp, rich soil if the other bits are sandy, dry and free draining, or vice versa.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
GD - that container sounds cramped to me. Think couch grass on steroids. That's what the roots will be like so a bit more depth and certainly more width if it's to screen bins.
By the sounds of it Fairy, the waterbutt should be the right size container then!
Wonks
The neighbour across the back from me has a bog standard green bamboo in a raised timber bed which is around 8 or 9 feet, roughly, in diameter, by about 2 or 3 feet deep. The bamboo has grown a lot - it's about 9 or 10 feet in height and diameter - and I remember it being planted before I moved from the house round the corner in 2009. It's probably been there about 10 years anyway, and has grown quite a bit in the four years I've been in this house.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The fountain refers to the effect of all the foliage I believe Aym.
I think the 'blue' refers to the colour of the new shoots , so when it puts up some new growth you'll be able to tell.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Have a look at this Aym and you'll see why it's called blue fountain - glaucous foliage and fountain form - http://www.bamboogarden.com/Fargesia%20nitida.htm
Having paid a visit to GC today, I left without bamboo. The prices started at £30.00 up to over £80. I will have a rethink for that area!
Thanks for all your suggestions and cautions. However that didn't stop me looking for other ideas at the GC .....
Last edited: 19 February 2017 20:33:47
This new garden has 5 clumps of 4 to 5 metre tall bamboo and I really, really dislike it so the idea of paying those sort of prices strikes me as daylight robbery.
The clumps have been neglected for at least 3 years if not more so I have OH working his way through them cutting out every other stem at the base and removing foliage up to head height on the remainder in a bid to make it a tad less unattractive and solid. The up side is that I will have a good supply of bean poles.................;;;