Bamboozled.....

Bamboo.....ahh, they are so lovely, evergreen and easy to grow. But, you've heard such terrible stories about bamboo taking over that you really are not so sure about using them in your yard. If you're puzzled, or rather, bamboozled, maybe I can shed a little light on the subject.

There are basically two kinds of bamboo. Running and clumping. The running bamboo spreads by sending runners out from the main plant. A few inches to a few feet away. The roots are tough, the new shoots pop up and the bamboo forest expands. Some spread very quickly, others not quite as fast.

Clumping bamboo means that the roots stay in a clump. It tends to keep to itself. It will expand some but nowhere near the pace of the running bamboo.

When it comes to varieties, there are hundreds to choose from. Green to golden yellow to black stalks, and leaves also can vary in color. Thin stalks to massive stalks. Towering to dwarf.

As a thrifty gardener, I dug up a few clumps from a neighbor's yard. I liked the height, the color, the airiness and the nice movement in the gentlest of breezes. I had a nice side-yard I wanted to screen from the neighbor's view so I put in five clumps HOPING they would spread. After about 5 or 6 years, I was glad to report that they did spread nicely. They filled in the row and I started giving away starts to my friends.

Tips: Plant running varieties where you know that you want them for a long time. Full to part sun, water and fertilize normally. I like to use a groundcover and also plant some accents around them. They are wonderful backdrops. To keep a group from leaning all over the place, pound in a sturdy stake and tie them up at whatever level is appealing to the eye. Thin out any scrawny shoots. The emerging diameter is also the mature diameter. I cull out my bamboo once or twice a year. Save the sturdy stalks for garden use later on. Sweet peas do nicely on bamboo stakes.

You can also keep the bamboo in bounds by erecting an 18"barrier around your planting area. Concrete, steel or other rugged material. Wood will rot and be quickly penetrated. Bury all but the top 2-3inches of the barrier. This lip prevents roots from climbing over the barrier. Another effective barrier is water. Bamboo will not cross water, so a stream or pond is a good edging for them.

Again, a thrifty way to subdue bamboo is to use a sharp edged shovel once or twice a year and go around the perimeter of the bamboo. Cut through any roots trying to escape. It will head them back without too much effort. I don't bother to pull the roots out, cutting seems to do the trick. Some may disagree with me on this but it has worked both times that I've grown bamboo.

Plant

Stake

Thin

Trim roots

Enjoy!