Bamboo

[mass_burner]

I have my eye on 3 clumping bamboo bushes ~3'-4' high that I can get for $100. My only concern is rate of vertical growth won't be fast enough.

 

[begreen]

Patience grasshopper.

 

[mass_burner]

Patience grasshopper.

Funny. How quickly will get up to 6/7 '

 

[jeffesonm]

There is a series of photos on this page that shows the growth from a handful of canes to a full grown 15' hedge over four years: http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy clumping.htm

 

[jeffesonm]

I am the proud new owner of 7 fargesia scabrida and 3 fargesia rufa. Hoping to get them in the ground this weekend.

 

[begreen]

Funny. How quickly will get up to 6/7 '

In a year or two at the most.

 

[jebatty]

Any chance of invasive spreading through seeds, air borne or critter spread?

 

[begreen]

Haven't heard of that. The clumping variety does spread, but not by runners so it is much slower and outward from the plant. The website link Jeff provided earlier has good info and photos of how big they grow from year to year.
http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy clumping.htm

 

[mass_burner]

I have 3, 3' bamboo plants on hold pending final mark down. At markdown they would be $75 for all 3.

 

[Bret Chase]

Haven't heard of that. The clumping variety does spread, but not by runners so it is much slower and outward from the plant. The website link Jeff provided earlier has good info and photos of how big they grow from year to year.
http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy clumping.htm

I am plagued by running american bamboo on my property. it sucks.

 

[begreen]

It took me years to get that under control and it still sneaks up in a densely planted bed where it can hide as it grows.

 

[Bret Chase]

It took me years to get that under control and it still sneaks up in a densely planted bed where it can hide as it grows.

my biggest problem is that exists across propery lines....even if I get mine under control..... the neighbor's are renters.. and the landlord doesn't give a crap.

 

[begreen]

Yes, I have the same issue in reverse on our property with an English elm that spreads forever underground. You have to admire bamboo's persistence. Tough plant.

 

[mass_burner]

Yes, I have the same issue in reverse on our property with an English elm that spreads forever underground. You have to admire bamboo's persistence. Tough plant.

You sound like the cyborg on Alien.

 

[begreen]

I am. All your bytes are belong to us.

 

[mass_burner]

So back to the bamboo, how far apart should I place them. I have 3 about 3' tall. I have 20-25' to screen.

 

[begreen]

4-5 ft apart. You may need a couple more plants.
(broken link removed to http://www.bamboogarden.com/Bamboo%20growth%20rate.htm)

 

[mass_burner]

4-5 ft apart. You may need a couple more plants.
(broken link removed to http://www.bamboogarden.com/Bamboo%20growth%20rate.htm)

The tag read 3' wide. So put them about 40" apart starting from the right. The right 15' side is what I'm really concerned with screening. On the left side, I put the fake bamboo in a semi circle around a stump, then continuing the line with the real bamboo.

Planting around mature trees is a pita, and our rock soil doesn't help either.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

My only concern is rate of vertical growth won't be fast enough.

Try Spray-n-Grow. That stuff is amazing. As an experiment, I tried it on half of a privet hedge one summer. I did only two applications, and forgot about it. The next spring, I was looking out the back door wondering what in the world was going on. Half my privet hedge was a good 18" taller than the other half, and bushier, denser, and in all ways healthier than the other half. My wife and I scratched our heads for a bit until we remembered my experiment.


Just. Two. Applications.