On 3/17/2008 10:36 AM, Billy wrote:
In article
,
Bill wrote:

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo
I'd cut them back to about 3 feet and let the roots grow first. One
thing to remember about Bamboo it is all one plant. I grow a black and
a yellow.
When I give them away I give roots and 2 foot growths.

Bill

I know that some bamboo can be eaten, some are used for household
articles, and some used in construction. Are there non-running versions
of these?

What you want is a "clumping" bamboo. This group includes genus Bambusa
and a few other species. They range in size from B. oldhami (giant
timber bamboo) at as much as 55 feet high and 4 inches in diameter to B.
multiplex riviereorum (Chinese goddess bamboo) at as much as 8 feet high
and 1/4 inch in diamter.

Be careful. Do thorough research. Even some Bambusa species (e.g., B.
multiplex 'Golden Goddess') can be invasive. This particular variety
was planted at Gardens of the World (GOW) in Thousand Oaks, California,
in large plastic tubs sunk into the ground. Either the tubs cracked, or
else the plants sent runners over the edges of the tubs. In either
case, it is coming up all over the adjacent bed. However, the much
larger B. oldhami (not to be confused with Phyllostachys bumbusoides,
also call giant timber bamboo) was also planted at GOW. It spreads very
slowly and seems relatively easy to control. GOW also has P. nigra
(black bamboo), which has proven even more invasive than B. multiplex
'Golden Goddess'.

Of course, no bamboo is as invasive as horsetail (Equisetum hyemale).
Although it looks similar to bamboo, it is not related, even distantly.
In extreme situations, bamboo can be controlled by use of a
grass-specific herbicide (e.g., Poast) or a general herbicide (e.g.,
Roundup). Nothing controls horsetail except digging it out and hoping
you found every little piece of it.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/