Bamboo ?

[sarahkeast]

Anyone grow bamboo for use in garden ? either to eat or for the canes ?

Thinking of trying some but a bit nervous as it can be pretty invasive. Altho I dont really have any space for it, so it will likely end up stuck in a corner or more likely in an ole leaky trug bucket.

Any recommendations on varieties, or sources ? thanks

[seasidegirl]

Yes it is invasive. I would only grow it in a pot for this reason. Years ago I on a gardening job I had they had huge clumps of it in a border and it was coming up in the lawn a metre from the edge of the plant.

Also my current neighbour has some that he grows for canes as well as the appearance. It's making its way into my garden both in and under a privet hedge. It's tricky because he's a lovely neighbour but I've had to mention it to him twice. He said 'oh just dig it up' but in the end I had to tell him that I had sown some new grass and didn't really want to keep digging it up to remove his bamboo. He's made efforts to block it but I don't think it will work.

[happyhippy]

I would definately just stick to growing it in a container.Our neighbours 2 doors up have a bamboo border out the front,and its actually lifting the tarmac footpath!!!!!

[Odsox]

I would definately just stick to growing it in a container.Our neighbours 2 doors up have a bamboo border out the front,and its actually lifting the tarmac footpath!!!!!

Yes, I can confirm it does that.
There is a "wild" patch of bamboo on the roadside near here and it actually comes up in the road, and this is a major road not a country lane.
I personally would steer well clear of it in a garden.

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

I had no idea that bamboo was this bad! I didn't know you could grow it in this country either. I have a concrete yard full of pots so I might be safe to try some - I'd love to grow bamboo.

Do I get a plant from a garden centre or seeds?

[becks77]

Oh dear I think I must be the only person to not have suceeded with bamboo and actually killed it very successfully within 3 weeks of planting! Hangs head

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Oh dear I think I must be the only person to not have suceeded with bamboo and actually killed it very successfully within 3 weeks of planting! Hangs head

Me too. Tried three times now

[MKG]

I read up on this last night. You can get two basic types of bamboo - the clumping variety and the running variety. It's the running variety which causes major invasive problems. You have to keep the clumping variety under control, but it's far less invasive.

Mike

[becks77]

Interesting Mike, may try one last time

[seasidegirl]

Pumpkin I'll post you a couple of roots if you want to PM me your address.

[Ellendra]

I've tried growing the clumping kind a couple of times, but it never took root. To be honest, I think it was DOA. But, someone a few blocks away has a nice hedge of it, and I'm pretty sure it's the same kind I was trying to grow, so I might see if I can buy a clump off of him to grow.

An online friend of mine has the running kind. He has a small moat around it, and has to keep cutting the roots that try to sneak across the moat. He said before he put the moat in, he had shoots coming up 15 feet from where he'd planted it!

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Bamboo surrounded by a moat sounds amazing! When I've got the room that is definitely something I want to try out!

[clanpowell]

Yes it is invasive. I would only grow it in a pot for this reason. Years ago I on a gardening job I had they had huge clumps of it in a border and it was coming up in the lawn a metre from the edge of the plant.

Also my current neighbour has some that he grows for canes as well as the appearance. It's making its way into my garden both in and under a privet hedge. It's tricky because he's a lovely neighbour but I've had to mention it to him twice. He said 'oh just dig it up' but in the end I had to tell him that I had sown some new grass and didn't really want to keep digging it up to remove his bamboo. He's made efforts to block it but I don't think it will work.

I was exactly the same when we lived in the "shire" I took on a friends garden and their neighbour had a bamboo in their garden. The majority of my time seemed to be spent digging up bamboo shoots rather than actual gardening. Avoid like the plague!!

[okra]

We have planted some clumping variety bamboo from dug-up rhizomes and after a few attempts quite a few are now growing. A very useful crop with so many uses is well worth the effort.