"Rupert" wrote in message
...

"Des Higgins" wrote in message
. ie...

"mrs-baggins" wrote in message
...

I know there are loads of variety of bamboos about but has anyone any
experience of growing bamboo on a clay soil? I would like a bamboo to
grow to about 3 m to use as screening but a small bamboo i have had for
years just hasnt grown at all and it may just be my clay soil

I do not know any bamboo varieties by name but some will form dense
curtains/screens. Unfortunately, these ones do not know when to stop and
are very invasive and hard to control. One trick is to "contain" them by
mowing i.e. have lawn up to the edge of the screen and keep the grass
cut. The most likely explanation for the slow growth is the variety
rather than the soil but that is a guess as I have never grown any; they
sound scary.

http://www.stambamboo.com/

These guys above have a famous bamboo nursery in Ireland and their web
site gives some info.



--
mrs-baggins
I am pretty certain stambamboo supply a lot of the UK stuff that is sold.
The invasive bit really is overdone. In ideal conditions some varieties
may run but it does not happen overnight.
I have several so called invasive species planted about 6 years ago which
have clumped up slightly.

You will hear a rustling noise in the middle of the night and you will wake
up to find the curtains closed even though you thought you had left them
opened only to find that it is a wall of bamboo that has emerged overnight
and is blocking the light and that your car has disappeared and you will not
be able to open the back door or maybe I am exagerrating slightly.


I should be so lucky that they take off with a vengeance and make me rich.
I think Stam or some other big grower refers to the silly prices that
these plants command.