Foolish or not - Border or Pot

[Chuckles]

I've given these 2 clumps of Bamboo a new home ;D a friend had them in pots and was going to dump them Now I'm worried if I've done the right thing, not a clue if they are the type that take over or not, any idea ? I also don't know how to look after them either what sort of conditions do they like. They look rather tatty, was I silly taking them on. They could go in a border or I could maybe split them up into 4 pots, not really sure what to do

[Deleted]

Chuckles what is the bamboo called i will look it up for you.

Karen

[andy]

I'd keep them in pots until you find out just how invasive they are....split them up and pot them into normal potting compost. Don't let them dry out and feed weekly. The "tatty" bits will look better when the new shoots appear in summer. Obviously you can trim them up too if you have the patience.

HTH

[Amo]

Hmmm I'm quiet wary of bamboo having had two huge clumps in the past. They weren't invasive, just always where I didn't want them.

How about, as they look like large pots, taking the bottoms off the pots and planting the bamboos in the pots, in the border?? They have a bottomless run and you have control.

[jean]

Not foolish at all Chuckles, they look like lovely plants I'd keep them potted, either split them or repot into a larger size and like Andy said wait and see, if they are invasive they will probably try and put out runners underground so planting straight in to soil could be a back breaking mistake

[Rosefriend]

I said years ago that I would never have another Bamboo in the garden (took hours to dig it out - the next one flowered within a year and died of course) and up to know I haven't. However down the road some new people have moved in and they have brought with them some enormous ceramic pots (possibly 150 litres) full of different varieties of bamboo including a rather nice black one.

As we are open to all sides as high fencing isn't used here, they have used it a natural screen around the terrace - I must say that it looks very nice.

I would certainly give it a chance.

RF

[Dutchy]

Bamboo Keep them in pots until you know how invasive they are.
My neighbour has a ( no I am sure it is not invasive and they are in pots in the ground ) Bamboo which is making a pretty strong effort at reaching my pond over 12 meters away. And unfortunately yes it is succeeding.
I pull the ingrowing shoots out but every year it does at least multiple meters and it ruins my border to have to pull it out. ( I can because it stays relatively close to the surface in the clay )
Sheer terror this narrow leaved one they have.
Two houses down has the black stemmed one.
Lovely and not as invasive as the one nextdoor but nevertheles it grew into a huge clump and is more than 4 meters high. Don't go for it RF unless you can keep it in pot which I doubt will work with this big one.

Make doubly shure you have a clump forming and not a spreading one before you plant it.
Andy is right they do need a regular feed in a pot.
In winter most Bamboo look tatty.
The problem is that it takes them until june/july before they realize they should do something about themselves.


Bamboo can be lovely plants, I hope my rant has not put you off.

[Plocket]

Until you know what they are I'd keep them in pots. It wouldn't do any harm to split them and I would have thought each one would split into three or four.

[Rosefriend]

A couple of roads away from us a young couple have pots full of Bamboo and have also started making raised beds to put them it. I hope they didn't mind me wandering around their garden - the dogs obviously do - they haven't got a fence yet !!



RF

[Chuckles]

Feb 13, 2008 13:11:42 GMT Rosefriend said:

A couple of roads away from us a young couple have pots full of Bamboo and have also started making raised beds to put them it. I hope they didn't mind me wandering around their garden - the dogs obviously do - they haven't got a fence yet !!



RF

Sorry folks I completely forgot about this thread until I started attacking the Bamboos yesterday.

Thanks for all the tips. Your neighbours garden does look rather nice RF and those pots of Bamboo look really good.

I got the large spade out and started to try and split them in two my god were they tough to split up, I managed to get half way through one and then had to get OH to put some man power into it.

I've bought two potato tubs to plant them in and have two square wooden planters to sit them in. Hope to have them sorted in the next few days, I'll post a pic when they are done. I'm still not sure where they can be sited in the garden yet but I'm sure I'll find somewhere

[Plocket]

I should have said that they were as tough as old boots, or tougher! They are useful plants though, and provide colour even through winter. I've just cut a clump off my nigra and had to use secateurs to cut some of it!