Bamboo

[Paul Narramore]

Not a subject I know a lot (or anything) about. I do know that some bamboo is clump forming and can take over a garden, but my friend would like some 'friendly' bamboo in his new garden, say 6ft tall, perhaps variegated. We have the offer of some grasses, but any suggestions for bamboos and labour-saving plants for a sunny, sheltered border. Thank you:)

PS My wife loaths our Spotted Laurel but I'm not parting with it!

[Miranda]

Having recently put a good bit of effort into removing a bamboo, I'm wary of recommending any of them for a small garden, Paul. Once they get settled they can be really vigorous and can be hard work to get rid of. Remember that in Asia bamboo forms large forests - there can be a good reason not to put them in a small space.

Saying that, your friend could try some in a large container which would stop it from taking over. There is a good selection, and some interesting information here: http://www.hardybamboo.com/

[Paul Narramore]

Thank you Miranda. I once had a difficult garden to manage as the owners were too busy. Husband away in the City in his Audi, blond wife at the gym all day, Polish au pair doing the cleaning, and child at nursery school. You know the sort. Anyway the rear garden shot upways at 45 degrees with monster brick steps to the top. A previous owner had planted bamboo and it has gone mad sending shoots up everywhere. I cut back what I could, dug up what I could, then covered what ground I could with a membrane. However I fear it was a lost cause and really need major excavation.

I understand that not all bamboo is invasive so was hoping to discover one of these. I may have to resort to the large container though.

[Cheyenne 09]

A good trick with Bamboo is if you plant it in a large container for a little while the roots will grow in circles for a while before it would start to become invasive again. A few that i have are and i don't have any probelms with them invading other areas of the Garden. :) I hope this helps a bit.

Phyllostachys nigra - Black Bamboo Slim black canes and small leaves
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis' Golden-groove Bamboo.
Chinese Bamboo with White strip Running Down the Middle of the Leafs
Bamboo Fargesia Rufa
Pleioblastus viridistriatus (auricomus) - The best golden variegated Bamboo with bold green and yellow striping.


Cheyenne 09

[Paul Narramore]

Thank you so much. Out with the books then.

[Neil]

Help,
I have a clump of very invasive Bamboo which I want to destroy as it's spreading along the garden amongst other shrubs. At the moment I am trying to dig and pull it out, with great difficulty. Are there any easy ways of killing it, chemicals etc?
Thanking you in anticipation,
Neil.

[Paul Narramore]

Neil

The short answer is 'No'. Fortunately I don't have any but I did have a garden to look after once which was infested with the stuff. I cut it down to the ground and painted a glyphosate brushkiller on it again and again. It had grown in amongst the shrubs and for all I know it's still there, thriving. The bamboo just laughed at my attempts to kill it.

Digging with a pick axe and removing every scrap is the only solution I'm afraid. Any bamboo I may plant in the future will be in a buried pot or container.

[Neil]

Thanks Paul for your prompt reply. Will just have to carry on digging and winching the stuff out. maybe you could tell me do the roots go down far or are they mainly lateral? So far I have only just started the perimiter. Hoping they Hav'nt gone under a wall.
Thanks again
Neil

[Paul Narramore]

I'm sorry Neil, I have no real knowledge of bamboo only my failed attempts at trying to kill the stuff on behalf of a customer. I did try to dig and fork a bit out but it was like trying in dig into concrete. As I might have mentioned before, I tried covering the stuff with a membrane after using weedkiller but I could see the damned stuff trying to poke through, a bit like London's O2 Stadium.:eek: And to think some people make a bit of fuss of Pampas Grass. A pussycat in comparison.

[Neil]

Thanks anyway Paul. I'll keep digging.

[Penny]

Hi I have been told that Phyllostachys Aurea (Golden Bamboo) with narrow stems is the clumping type of bamboo. If your bamboo turns out to be that and you have too much I would be very interested in some!

Thanks
Penny