Bamboo

[striver]

Does anybody have experience growing bamboo? I like its properties as a screen, but I'm afraid it would soon overgrow my yard and take over the surrounding cornfields.

What sort of cold hardy bamboo would be best?

 

[journey11]

My BIL grows a couple different types of bamboo. I'm not sure of the names. One is a pretty black-caned bamboo. They are hardy here in 6b, although the tops may winterkill on a really cold year, it will still come back from shoots. It does take over unless you keep the surrounding area mowed regularly. It will continue to press its borders with new shoots, so I would plan to plant it in a large, out of the way area. It is nice to have a source of free bamboo stakes though! They run about $3 each at Tractor Supply, but I can go cut as many as I need from my BIL's patch now that it has established itself, often as many as 40-50 every couple of years, so it really saves me money.

 

[seedcorn]

Sounds like crab grass on steroids.

 

[Nyboy]

I have read horror stories about it. One town on long Island made it illegal to plant.

 

[ninnymary]

I have the clumping kind along one side of my yard to give me privacy from the neighbors. Just to be safe, I did put down a bamboo barrier. The barrier is a flexible roll of plastic that is about 2 feet wide. Pieces were cut and shaped into an oval, duck taped the ends overlapping, and buried. I then planted the bamboo in side of it. I've had bamboo for years and never had a problem. I have since divided it and stopped using the barrier for the new plantings. Still no problem.

Mary

 

[bobm]

From the real estate point of view . If you have bamboo growing in your property and decide to sell the property ... it will be the LAST house to sell ... if it sells at all. Just too much for the buyer to handle and upkeep.

 

[ninnymary]

bobm, mine takes absolutely no up keeping and looks beautiful. I'm sure my house would sell quickly and for lots of money.

Mary