Planting bamboo

laura92

I am thinking of planting bamboo in two raised flower beds along our exterior garden wall, beds are approximately 10f long, 2f wide and 2 and half foot deep. During the summer it would be mainly in the sun. I was going for fargesia as its a clumping type but wondering do I need to put in a barrier? How easy is it to manage? And as it will be in direct sunlight the best type to go for. Or any suggestions for an alternative to bamboo Any advice welcome as I'm a complete novice.

looksee

My advice would be simple. Don't. I had a black bamboo, Phyllostachys Nigra. It was sold to me as clumping, they lied. (this was years ago before you could look it up on your phone) It sat in a large pot and did absolutely nothing for years. Eventually I planted it in the garden, whereupon it went mad and made a desperate attempt to spread to the rest of the garden. Eventually I dug it up. I was digging up shoots for a good while after.

However. The Fargesia apparently can grow 9m high by 1.5 m across, so I very much doubt a 2ft raised bed would suit it. It is described as vigorous, which I suspect would mean it could demolish your raised beds.

Reckless Abandonment

Bamboo can get out of hand alright. But I've seen many examples where it looks fantastic. A good place to go is mountvenusnursery they have some impressive specimens in the ground, I would agree 2ft isn't very wide to get the full impact from fargesia it looks its best in a round clump a meter or more. Like the op I'll be planting a few different types this autumn down the end of my garden so wish me luck to :)

lottpaul

I'd also be inclined not to plant bamboo, anywhere, ever. I've tried different varieties and have always ended up digging them out - for years - and eventually trying to poison them and there's one patch I still haven't cleared. They are too happy in our climate. Their growing root tips are like spears that punch through almost anything. Good luck if you do go for it but you've been warned 🙂

emo72

I've lost the war on bamboo. I was once lied to myself that it would be easy to control.

HeidiHeidi

I had bamboo in a patio a few years back (no idea what type it was, a gardener put it in when I had the whole back done up) - a hole in the paving with slabs all around it.

It went rogue, and started lifting slabs (sandstone, proper heavy ones) to the point where the patio was getting to be a dangerous trip hazard.

I got it dug up - it involved bringing in a mini-digger, and excavating a rootball that was about twice the size and weight of a medicine ball!

For about three years after, I was having to chop and pour bleach on stray shoots that popped up well away from the original plant, to try and kill it off properly. Thankfully I haven't had any invasions for the last couple of years.

Never, ever again!!