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| I have some bamboo that someone gave me. Its in a garden cart right now because I was told its very invasive. Its time to plant it in the ground, but how can I plant it with a barrier so it doesn't spread everywhere. Looking for ideas. Thanks in advance |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by steve1young Zone 7a Long Island (My Page) on Tue, May 8, 12 at 13:18
| I highly recommend NOT planting it. Sorry, but unless you purchase a clumping (non-spreading/running) bamboo from a very, very reputable seller that will stand by their claim of the bamboo they sell you absolutely, positively being clumping (non-spreading/running) then you could very well be playing with fire. Not only can this stuff spread like crazy (even in Zone 4), but if at some point you regret your decision to plant it and you decide to rip it out, it can be almost impossible to completely eradicate as even a little tiny piece of root/rhizome can grow into a bamboo plant. If, however, you decide to chance it then I would recommend researching the web for a reputable bamboo seller that also sells a rubber liner/barrier product. I still wouldn't recommend planting running bamboo. And, I hope you don't find this advice too preachy, but my honest feeling is that if you can afford to purchase the barrier, then maybe you can afford to purchase and plant clumping bamboo instead of invasive bamboo. Either way, best of luck to you. |
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| It would be even worse if it was not real bamboo, but japanese knotweed, which is often confused with bamboo. Compare JK images with your plant to be sure. HTH |
Here is a link that might be useful: JK images
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| I would also urge you NOT to plant it. My neighbor has a stand of it that abuts my yard and it is a menace. Runners have traveled deep under a brick wall 12 feet away and then pop up in the middle of my flower beds. They also can be completely separated from the original stand and lie dormant, then with a little bit of water, they come up to the surface - I had to dig out a whole bed of plantings to pull out a 6 foot long root that made a surprise appearance. It is awful, awful stuff. |
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| I saw someone planted in a container, otherwise, it is hard to control. |
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- Posted by nevermore44 (My Page) on Tue, May 8, 12 at 14:46
| Definitely think it through and make sure it will work for your growing area and your gardening style. If you can get to a TSC store.. or are near any farm store, you could purchase the large feed/water bins, remove the bottom, and sink them into the ground to act as a barrier. On the other hand though, i have a friend who has a huge 20ft tall stand against his house and then has lawn up to the stand. The roots obviously run all over the place under the lawn. All the shoots that appear in the lawn are just mowed back. He hasn't had any issues on keeping it in it's place. My father has had a stand against his house for 25+ years of the yellow groove type. He has nothing but stone walkways and garden beds surrounding the stand. The gardens fill the whole back yard (no lawn). His too has runners that go 20+ feet out from the stand.. which send up shoots heavily in the spring. All he does is just cut the shoots off and all is well. He can keep the footprint of the stand the exact same each year. Now obviously he digs into decent runners as he is tending his garden beds which he has to deal with, but it's a decent trade off in his mind. He is an avid gardener though, so he can stay on top of it. If you are a every once in a while gardener... and would rather just plant and forget it.. i would stay away from it (unless you try the underground barrier method) |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, May 8, 12 at 16:36
| from someone who calls themselves a FRIEND?? you might want to consider this equation ... and friendship wrap it in a garbage bag.. seal with duct tape ... run it over with your car ... then burn the remnants.. then shovel it into the garbage can .. for the landfill .. and then consider driving over to your 'friends house' .. and smacking them upside the head.. and ask them WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ... in the alternative.. thank them.. and in august.. explain it died unexpectedly ... ken ps: there are plants i share with my friends.. and there are plants i give to other people ... |
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- Posted by buyorsell888 Zone 8 Portland OR (My Page) on Tue, May 8, 12 at 18:07
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, May 8, 12 at 18:35
| Gosh, you'd think someone had handed the OP the plague of the earth!!Honestly folks, running bamboo can be planted very safely if you just follow a few simple guidelines - like ALWAYS plant with an approved bamboo barrier correctly installed or in a container. And don't ignore it after planting.....routine, ongoing maintenance is part of any cultivated garden, whether it be bamboo or any other aggressively spreading plant. And clumping bamboo is just another large growing, clumping ornamental grass - no problems, no worries :-) |
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| Just cause a friend donated it to you, do you feel you must plant it? |
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- Posted by mad_gallica Z5 Eastern NY (My Page) on Tue, May 8, 12 at 22:16
| I'd like to hear about these extremely aggressive, even in zone 4, bamboos, please. Years ago, I decided that it made no sense to worry about both a plant overrunning everything, and the same plant dying out. With bamboo, my experience has been the only side worth worrying about is the dying out side. Between the lawnmower and the climate, the poor thing barely stands a chance. Even after this winter, it looks like it was hit with a blowtorch. |
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