I want to entertain the idea of bamboo as a screen in my back yard. I would
like something that gets 12 to 15 feet tall rather quickly and either stays
there or is easy to maintain at that height. I am in Houston, usda zone 9a, so
i need a hot and direct sun-tolerant variety. I need this to do well in a line
about 95' long, and hopefully just about 2' wide. So is bamboo a viable
option?

also:

how big is a 2-gallon vs. a 5-gallon plant, and does that mean there is just
one shoot or several? So - if i buy 2 gal or 5 gal, how far apart is the
optimal spacing, or in other words, how many would I need for 95'? I am sure
that has something to do with how fast i want a dense screen, so a range of
numbers is what I am looking for.

Thanks in advance for your help.

David

(Surfgeotwo) wrote in message ...
I want to entertain the idea of bamboo as a screen in my back yard. I would
like something that gets 12 to 15 feet tall rather quickly and either stays
there or is easy to maintain at that height. I am in Houston, usda zone 9a, so
i need a hot and direct sun-tolerant variety. I need this to do well in a line
about 95' long, and hopefully just about 2' wide. So is bamboo a viable
option?

Yes, Bamboo is VERY viable. You need to decide if you can get away
with a runner or if you have to use a clumper. If you are in a very
dry area, runners can be contained with water, water it where you want
it, it won't grow outside that area. It can also be controlled with a
lawn mower, but if you are planting it on the edge of a pain in the
butt neighbor, you might want to stick with clumpers.

Some good runners for your area, SEMIARUNDINARIA FASTUOSA, drought
tolerant very pleasing to look at, can get as tall as 30',
PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREA, very vigorous, can get as tall as 25'. Both of
those are taller than you indicated you would like, but keep in mind
that all bamboo can be topped at whatever height you would like, it
also encourages them to bush out.

Clumpers, are a little tougher, they generally can't handle freezes
too well. A good one for your project would be BAMBUSA MULTIPLEX
ALPHONSE KARR, probable ultimate height would be about 20'. Beautiful
yellow culms with green stripes, bright green leaves. If you would
settle for taller bamboo, BAMBUSA OLDHAMII can get as tall as 45', not
too likely in your climate, but it does grow tall, straight and bushy
with 2-4" thick culms.

A good person to contact in Texas is Kinder Chambers,
, he is in Buckholts, if he can't help you directly,
he would know who can.

If you want to look at some images and growth information for
different bamboo, look at this site, it is a treasure trove of
information:

http://www.endangeredspecies.com/tex...nfo/price.html

Most of the growth data relates to Southern California, but it is
fairly similar to your neck of the woods, a little less humid here I
imagine.

also:

how big is a 2-gallon vs. a 5-gallon plant, and does that mean there is just
one shoot or several? So - if i buy 2 gal or 5 gal, how far apart is the
optimal spacing, or in other words, how many would I need for 95'? I am sure
that has something to do with how fast i want a dense screen, so a range of
numbers is what I am looking for.

I have found that size does indeed matter. Get as large a start as
you can afford to buy. Try to find someone local where you know it
has been growing healthily, and get as big a plant as you can. If you
get runners, you can plant them further apart, they fill in faster,
the best way to ensure they run the direction you want would be to use
drip irrigation in a straight line and mulch that area so it stays
damp. The rhizomes will follow the path of least resistance, damp
soil helps it. Try for 15 gal starts if you can, you will be alot
happier. Clumpers, you'll want to put at about 5' centers, runners
about 8'.

Good luck with the BOO!

Chris
Chino,CA

Check out Maas nursery in Seabrook - URL below. They have a large selection
of bamboo and I am sure there is someone there who can answer your
questions. It is a fantastic nursery - you can spend a whold day just
looking around there. I now live in Maryland but when I visit my daughter
in Dickinson, TX I like to go there and look around.

http://www.maasnursery.com/




"Surfgeotwo" wrote in message
...
I want to entertain the idea of bamboo as a screen in my back yard. I
would
like something that gets 12 to 15 feet tall rather quickly and either
stays
there or is easy to maintain at that height. I am in Houston, usda zone
9a, so
i need a hot and direct sun-tolerant variety. I need this to do well in a
line
about 95' long, and hopefully just about 2' wide. So is bamboo a viable
option?

also:

how big is a 2-gallon vs. a 5-gallon plant, and does that mean there is
just
one shoot or several? So - if i buy 2 gal or 5 gal, how far apart is the
optimal spacing, or in other words, how many would I need for 95'? I am
sure
that has something to do with how fast i want a dense screen, so a range
of
numbers is what I am looking for.

Thanks in advance for your help.

David

Subject: bamboo rookie....
From: (Chris)

snipped


Good luck with the BOO!

Chris
Chino,CA


thanks for the help - from what i read i need a clumper. we get an average of
48" of rain a year here, so i am worried about runners.

about how tall will a 5-gal of the two clumpers you mentioned be? and will it
be a big clump or a few culms? can it be split? if i dont split it, i am
guessing that planting the clumps in single file will result in a screen about
2' thick in 3 or 4 years??

seeing as i am on a limited budget and need about 100 feet, thats 20 or so
plants at 5' centers, so cost is a factor.

(Surfgeotwo) wrote in message ...

about how tall will a 5-gal of the two clumpers you mentioned be? and will it
be a big clump or a few culms? can it be split? if i dont split it, i am
guessing that planting the clumps in single file will result in a screen about
2' thick in 3 or 4 years??

seeing as i am on a limited budget and need about 100 feet, thats 20 or so
plants at 5' centers, so cost is a factor.

When buying bamboo, you are buying the "rhizome" more than the canes.
The canes are almost completely disposable. When you get the plants
home, make sure you cut the pots off of the plant carefully, don't
yank them out of the pots. I use a linoleum knife, it is perfect for
cutting pots.

Once they are in the ground, soak them thoroughly, and (if you are
lazy like me) use a drip irrigation system to keep the area damp,
mulch helps quite a bit. No standing water on either of the clumpers
below. They like moist soil, but they don't have gills. The plants
may be a little shocky, sometimes they even look thoroughly dead..
they almost always come back.

Hold off fertilizing for about 6 months, then regular old time release
lawn fertilizer is good. It is hard to over fertilize bamboo, but I
hear it can be done, if you use time release you should be ok.

After one year, my 5 gal Bambusa Oldhamii is about 7" tall with a few
canes about 3/4" in diameter. It is still weak. When I got it, there
were 3 or 4 spindly canes about 3' tall. After 8 months, my 15 gal
starts have shoots about 18' tall and 1" to 2" in diameter. Only use
these plants if you want tall thick screen. Follow the link below and
look at "Long Beach" 1998-2001.

http://www.endangeredspecies.com/tex...ambusa/BO.html

I bought a 7 gal Alphonse Karr, it is 7' tall (topped, it should be
taller, but it came that way) with a few canes the largest being about
3/4", about max culm diameter.

Alphonse Karr is probably closer to what you want for your hedge.

What you could do, is get what you can afford and plant on 10'
centers, and then as budget permits fill in a gap. It will take some
time for these plants to build a decent hedge, especially from small
starts, but bigger starts will cut time off of the job. It is a
balance of time vs. money, I bought 5 gal Phylostachys Bambusoides
(Giant Timber Bamboo) for a section of my yard between a wall and
concrete deck, and I really wish I had gotten bigger plants. The ones
I have now, are good, but my buddy bought larger plants at the same
time and his performance is twice what mine have done.

Hope it helps!

Chris
Chino,CA

thanks again, a big help. i saw the long beach photos yesterday and thats
really what i want, if the alphonso karr is a little less tall then it might be
better. time to visit a couple of bamboo dealers around here and see whats
available and works best in this area. we have a very hot, humid summer to
100+, drought possible but watering is not a problem. dropped to low to mid
20's this winter a couple of times.

darn, i sure wish i had an extra $1000 to splurge on bamboo!

(Surfgeotwo) wrote in message ...
thanks again, a big help. i saw the long beach photos yesterday and thats
really what i want, if the alphonso karr is a little less tall then it might be
better. time to visit a couple of bamboo dealers around here and see whats
available and works best in this area. we have a very hot, humid summer to
100+, drought possible but watering is not a problem. dropped to low to mid
20's this winter a couple of times.

Both should do well. Alphonse Karr will be about 1/2 the height of
Oldhamii (Long Beach).

darn, i sure wish i had an extra $1000 to splurge on bamboo!

Don't we all :-)

Alphons Karr doesn't like cold weather. I live in south seattle and mine
dies back every winter. so far it has come back in the spring but I
think it's right on the line here.

Surfgeotwo wrote:

thanks again, a big help. i saw the long beach photos yesterday and thats
really what i want, if the alphonso karr is a little less tall then it might be
better. time to visit a couple of bamboo dealers around here and see whats
available and works best in this area. we have a very hot, humid summer to
100+, drought possible but watering is not a problem. dropped to low to mid
20's this winter a couple of times.

darn, i sure wish i had an extra $1000 to splurge on bamboo!

It seems to me that planting a runner on the property line is the perfect
way to make a good neighbor INTO a 'pain in the butt neighbor', rather than
not planting because he/she is one.

John



, but if you are planting it on the edge of a pain in the
butt neighbor, you might want to stick with clumpers.

Bri wrote in message ...
Alphons Karr doesn't like cold weather. I live in south seattle and mine
dies back every winter. so far it has come back in the spring but I
think it's right on the line here.

From Endangered Species website--

Alphonse Karr

Loses leaves around 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Loses canes around 0 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rhizomes die around -10 to -5 degrees Fahrenheit.


From ABS sourcelist--

B. Multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'

Min Temp 12F

According to Weather.com, Houston has had an all time low of 9F, but
average low of 45F. Once established, it can take a bit of cold
without too much damage, but unless it get colder than it ever has
before, it should come back.

How cold does it get in your area?

Chris

Chris wrote:

I bought 5 gal Phylostachys Bambusoides (Giant Timber Bamboo)
for a section of my yard between a wall and concrete deck, and
I really wish I had gotten bigger plants. The ones I have now,
are good, but my buddy bought larger plants at the same
time and his performance is twice what mine have done.

Chris, did he use 15 gal. plants?

I want to plant 2 clumps of Oldhamii and I'm debating between buying
15 gal. or 24" boxes. The difference in price is significant - approx.
$200 vs. $450. Will I see a that much difference in growth to justify
the extra cost?