bamboo

Has anyone grown bamboo in large 2 foot deep containers? I am thinking of using this to block the view of the house next door...

I haven't, but I have seen some clumping bamboos out there. I don't know if they'd get big enough, but if so they might be an easier option.

The clumpers can get quite big - my neighbour has several types.
"Choose wisely" was his advice to me!
They are incredible plants, though, and worth growing in a container. Get the largest you can find - they will fill it!

Thanks for the info - I heard that it is best to grow bamboo in pots to avoid a "bamboo takeover" so I just need to decide which type!

Yes, good info for me, too. I had no idea that even the bamboo "clumpers" couldn't be trusted. :-p

I'm currently growing Fargesia Robusta in a raised bed ( 4x6 timbers) as a privacy screen and it's very happy. My neighbor a couple houses down also is growing one of the clumpers, without barriers, I think (She's not a friendly neighbor) and our mutual neighbor has not complained about a Bamboo invasion yet-and it's been there for almost 10 years.

I've also got two pots of a running bamboo, I think it's Fishpole bamboo. So far, so good! They're in really large (tree-sized-20+ gallon?) black nursery pots and are doing well in year 2, however, I think that one has now rooted into the ground, so I've got a project soon. I'm probably going to move them into half-wine barrels this fall.

There's several bamboo nurseries here in the Portland area. Have you heard of Bamboo Garden? They have instructions about barriers, installation, and sell more than 300 varieties of bamboo. They classify them by type and expected eventual size. It's a great resource, and the folks out there are terrific, too. Check out the info on their website.
http://www.bamboogarden.com/

This is a very small nursery (home-based by appt only), and seems to mostly specialize in clumping, smaller types, but they have good info, too.
http://www.fargesiaheaven.com/index.html


I think the issue about clumping bamboo comes down to strength and force of the rhizome, as opposed to vigorousness and fast-traveling rhizomes in the running type. I am watching mine pretty carefully nonetheless.

Anyway, good luck with your bamboo-they're such beautiful plants.

Susy - I didn't know you were such a bamboo officianado. All the more reason for me to come visit your garden sometime.

My brother and SIL live on a small lot on a cul de sac in North Seattle. 50 years ago somebody planted bamboo. Fortunately, the only space it has to move is where they harvest it to use as supports, etc. But I have a friend who used a jackhammer to dig out the neighbor's bamboo that had come under her fence.

Kathy, I was really wanting to put in a nice grove of bamboo many years ago. So, I did a lot of research-I've even got a roll of bamboo barrier with stainless screws, etc somewhere in my garage. But, plans change and we put in raised beds instead-a better choice, probably, for this small space and neighborhood. If I ever have an acre I'll put in some black bamboo somewhere. So I just finally got the bamboo I'd wanted for ages last year. It's small, not all that impressive, like a full sized grove would be, but you're still welcome to visit whenever...

Yes, if it does get away from you, it would be tough to get rid of-lots of persistence and hard work-and patience. I think planning and careful planting is key.

Planning . . . . what's that? Heh. Yes, you're right. And bamboo is pretty amazing stuff.

Thank you all for the info - I will use big 2' deep galvanized feed bins with drainage holes. I also need to find out which types can tolerate some shade. I heard about Bamboo Garden and I plan to go. Fun project!

I have a Fargesia dracocephla 'Rufa' that is a great clumper. I grows in moderate shade on the north side of my deck stairs. I cut it all down on the word of the Bamboo Guru at Sky, who said it had bamboo mites, that needed control. So I did. And took cuttings of it. None that I kept, but there is next year.

But the plant is a 6-8 foot tall clumping bamboo with culms that can get up to 1/2 inch in diameter. The other reason for the cut was that my plant had undersized culms, and the cutting would get the bamboo to grow bigger culms.