Bamboo

Hi, all the best for 2017 ,

Ok I am wanting to introduce a few Bamboo plants, ive read about them being invasive sending runners out etc and how to prevent it if necessary,

My question is on planting them now, Homebase have a few nice tall plants, gold/black bamboo, there left out in all weather but slightly sheltered by a tall wall, but they should be well weathered,


My intension is to cut the bottom off the bucket there in, then plant them half in the ground/half out surrounded by a new planter filled with fresh soil to cover the rest of the pot above ground,

What's your thoughts please ?, i don't want to kill them.

 

I would keep them in a sheltered position for now and wait to plant them in the Spring, they should be going through a dormant stage at the moment. For extra protection, you could wrap the pots in some bubble wrapping stuff. I don't think we've seen the worst of the weather for this winter yet, so it wouldn't hurt to pamper them just a bit.

When you do plant them, give them a good feed!

 

They're very thirsty. I suspect your half sunken bottomless bucket plan might end up being quite high maintenance in the warmer months, unless you run the sprinkler every evening in summer.

 

Thank you M , I will follow this advise then, £40 each and I'm not made of money, I can put them on the decking close to the house, its quite sheltered there

Thank you C , I will be introducing a watering system, they wont be high above the ground roughly 150mm, I will be making something like this to put them in


I made a harbour planter last year




watering was high maintenance, will put the Bamboo a water feed in as well





Thank you C , I am one for watering often and have plans for a sprinkler system in the near future it was high maintenance last year watering the harbour planter, they will be about 200mm above ground, I am making something like this to put them in

 

Thanks John,

I didn't realise clumping meant that thank you, a bit of a story but I am trying to disguise a large satellite dish and could do with something asap,

The plants are nice and tall and already outside, at least I can put them round the dish in the day and move them at night.

 

@martin-f
I have two clumping bamboos Fargesia nitidia amd Phyllostachys nigra these are about 4ft by 5ft after 10-12 years. I do go round with a sharp spade and sometimes cutters and trim below ground. I have also given chunks to a couple of people.
I prune every year in late winter and mulch. Canes are useful around garden. I cut a lot of the leafs off the lower part of the Phyllostachys to show the canes. The only thing they don't like are the cold easterlys I get.

 

Thank you for the information Nigel , my local Homebase have two different types, Phyllostachys nigra and Golden, the Phyllostachys nigra is the tallest of the two probably 10/11ft,

A friend is picking them up for me tomorrow morning, i will have to see how I get on with them

 

Hi all, picked them up this morning, two black two golden, very pleased with them, the pots are bulging with roots, pushing the sides out,

I've put them on the decking its sheltered at low level, the roots should be ok as mentioned they have been out in all weather,

The tallest is over 11ft
.

 

They look grand
Might even tap you for a "cutting" from them next year

 

Thanks M, your more than welcome to a few, reading up on them, Propagate by division in spring

I will see what's available in spring

Phyllostachys nigra | black bamboo/RHS Gardening

 

Hi all, after pondering for a few days I've come up with a plan , found some barrels on eBay £10 each, they will have the top/bottom cut out of them and cut in half, end result should look something like this

 

Sounds like a plan!
Just curious: do you know what was stored in those barrels previously? I only ask because you may need to give them a thorough clean with a solution of Jeyes Fluid before using them as planters.
Not certain that my memory serves me correctly, but I have a nagging suspicious that @fat controller did something similar with barrels (as in cutting them in half for planters) ?

 

Thanks M, yes I did check coconut flavouring , the listing also states there safe, but thanks for the heads up
205 Litre 45 Gallon Plastic Barrel Drum Ideal Allotment Water Butt | eBay