Pot-Planting Bamboo

[osideterry]

I picked up a couple Phyllostachys aureas as 5 gallons last year real cheap. I immediately potted them up to 15s. Last weekend I cut the bottom out of the pots and planted them. I'm figuring the pot is a rhizome barrier... for a while.

The good news is the planting bed has concrete in front and behind, and other kinds of bamboo on either side. Is this one of those things you're not supposed to do?

[Walter John]

  osideterry said:

I picked up a couple Phyllostachys aureas as 5 gallons last year real cheap. I immediately potted them up to 15s. Last weekend I cut the bottom out of the pots and planted them. I'm figuring the pot is a rhizome barrier... for a while.

The good news is the planting bed has concrete in front and behind, and other kinds of bamboo on either side. Is this one of those things you're not supposed to do?

My advice Terry, remove this bamboo pronto, while you still have time. Just keep it in a nice big clay pot, it'll still look good in the garden.

[popper1]

Unless you have huge amounts of land, I agree with Wal. I would stick with clumping bamboos. I have 6 or 7 species and they grow well where they are supposed to be, not where ever they want!

[doubravsky]

Terry... the rhizomes will exit the pot pretty quickly. If your entire bed is encased in concrete, the worst you'll have is that it will take over the bed. Still, I can't help thinking with all of the clumpers available, you'd be better off keeping it above ground in a clay pot and keep the ground for clumpers.

[BigFrond]

That plastic is not good enough. It will degrade in a few years. The plastic barrier needs to be 3 feet below the ground and at least 4 inches above the surface. You should plant the Mexican weeping bamboo (Otatea acuminata) or Mayan Silver (Otatea Glauca). They are slightly bigger but sooooo much better looking, and do not take over the yard. I have the Mayan silver. It's well worth the cost.

[osideterry]

Thanks for the unanimous warning. There going in big pots, and this weekend. I've only grown clumpers, and have no firsthand experience with runners.

One more bamboo to get your advice on. Again, this was cheap at Home Depot. Bambusa tuldoides ventricosa, or Buddha Belly. After buying, I ended up reading Palmbob's review on Dave's Garden - ouch. Should I dig this up before it's too late also? (bracing for impact)

[popper1]

I have seen a clump of B ventricosa that is about 10 yrs old and 15' in diameter. Probably 2 - 3 x that tall. Not the best looking clumper either.

[Gonzer]

[osideterry]

Bamboo Checklist:

1) Dig up Phyllostachys. Replant in clay pots

2) Dig up Buddha Belly. Replant in green waste bin

3) Don't buy $20 bamboo at Home Depot unless it's Oldhamii or Alphonse Karr.

[FRITO]

I will have to dissagree with these comments about running bamboo.

its not a man eating plant that will run you out of your garden. if you can control your lawn you can control bamboo.

most shoot in the spring and if you walk your garden once a week (most of check it daily) you can easily contain any "runners" that pop up. the plastic pot will even keep it in chjeck for a season or two probably.

I would be glad to take tis invaisive mmonster off your hands

I wish homedepot offered $20 running bamboos here.....

install a rizhome barrier in an allocated spot for it to fill in. in a few years it will be much more impressive than a clumper which tend to have a narrow base and weeps or leans over on the top. that is if you want the jungle/ dense screen/ privacy look without fear if you take a vacation this monster will invade the garden.

thats my $0.02

[Walter John]

I'd leave the budda's belly in the ground. To maintain the area just lop off some of the outside growing culms as you see them. They turn on their belly look best when deprived of food and water.

[ariscott]

Wal is right, if you keep removing and only keeping a few culms, they will develop the Buddha belly... I have seen it at someone's place and it was definitely not 'wamin'. If you let them go, they don't look too good, but good for shade because they tend to droop. So, your call...

Regards, Ari

[Creekside]

I try to prevent people from planting ventricosa, a very aggressive, unattractive clumping bamboo. Wamin is a little cold-sensative, but a far better choice, remaining smaller, with bulging nodes, and no need to constantly keep in check. The running bamboo might work with the plastic pot barrier for a little while, but once it's out, it will not stop at concrete, but go right under it (unless we're talking about a very large area of it.) I grow a lot of bamboo, but ventricosa is not one of them, and ranks on my list somewhere near Brazillian Pepper Trees and Poison Ivy. Not that I'm opinionated or anything...

[osideterry]

My experience with this Buddha Belly is that if you go more than 2-3 days without watering it, the leaves turn brown and fall off. If you water it more, it's new culms grow out in all directions, and those culms branch in every other direction. I was hopeful I could trim it into shape, but I'm not so sure.

For now I'm leaving those 3 in the ground until I can find replacements. Bambusa chungii, Bambusa lako, Bambusa dolichoclada, and Gigantachloa atroviolacea would be nice.

[ariscott]

Really? I only water mine once a week and we are in the dry now, so no rain whatsoever....

Regards, Ari

[osideterry]

Hi Ari,

Mine's been in a pot, and I think the soil mix might be draining too well. I went overboard on the pearlite a bit. I'm curious to see if it holds it's color better in the ground... before I replace it with something less chaotic.

[ariscott]

Bamboo generally doesn't do well in pots. If you are thinking about removing it, go with B. lako if you don't have much room. They are nice, very well behaved and slower than the rest (for me anyway - or maybe the rest are faster ). Also, if you have a lot of green stuff around it, a bit of black will finish it off nicely....

Regards, Ari

[doubravsky]

Terry,

I've got G. Atroviolacea... I heard that Lako is a little more tender than the Gigantochloa is.... you might consider that. Other than defoliating completely Jan 07 (came back in the spring), mine has done pretty well....

[osideterry]

Thanks Dave - The G. atroviolacea looked happier than than the B. lako at Dean's place. I think I prefer the matte over the gloss texture as well.

Anyone have a better source than Pura Vida Tropicals? That's where I'd look first.

[Mark_NoVA]

There on the West Coast, Tradewinds Bamboo (http://www.bamboodirect.com/) is a great place to buy bamboo. Good prices, plants, service and advice--the owner, Gib Cooper, is an expert, and director of Bamboo of the Americas (http://www.bamboooftheamericas.org/). Listed prices include packing/shipping.

  osideterry said:

Anyone have a better source than Pura Vida Tropicals? That's where I'd look first.

[doubravsky]

There's a guy in Chino Hills.... Jim Rehor, that has a good supply, but that's a bit of a drive for you....

[popper1]

Another black you might want to think about is Dendrocalamus asper 'Hitam'. It does get considerably larger than the other two if that is a problem, but it is said to be more cold hardy than the other two. I have it and it is an excellent grower, it puts up large culms quickly. But it can be difficult to find and can be pretty expensive.