I want to start growing bamboo!
 

I'm interested in growing bamboo both indoors and outdoors. I would
like a little advice on how to get started, since from the reading
i've done it seems there are a lot of variables and options and it is
a bit overwhelming.

I live in Denver, CO so we get a lot of sun. It's warm in the summer
and snows in the winter. My only option for outdoor planting would be
potted in an area that gets heavy afternoon sun.

Indoors, obviously, I can control the environment :-)

My questions a

what type of bamboo should I use?
Is it even possible to grow bamboo outdoors in colorado?
Where do i get the seeds?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thank you so much in advance

I want to start growing bamboo!
 

On Jul 16, 10:17*am, wrote:
I'm interested in growing bamboo both indoors and outdoors. *I would
like a little advice on how to get started, since from the reading
i've done it seems there are a lot of variables and options and it is
a bit overwhelming.

I live in Denver, CO *so we get a lot of sun. *It's warm in the summer
and snows in the winter. *My only option for outdoor planting would be
potted in an area that gets heavy afternoon sun.

Indoors, obviously, I can control the environment :-)

My questions a

what type of bamboo should I use?
Is it even possible to grow bamboo outdoors in colorado?
Where do i get the seeds?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thank you so much in advance

Also, forgot to mention, for those not familiar with Denver - it is
high altitude and very low humidity.

For reasons you can google yourself, you can't get seeds for most kinds of bamboo. And for those you can get the seed, it takes a loooong time to get a sensible plant. Also, they probably aren't the kinds best suited to pot cultivation.

Hardy bamboos are typically hardy to about -25C (-10F), but that is hardiness in the ground. In a pot left out of doors in the winter, you would have to protect it if it looked like getting that cold. It does also need some moisture in this season, which can be difficult. The main things that potted bamboos die of in cold conditions in winter is, er, drought. Or else drowning if the drainage freezes up.

The smaller Fargesias like rufa and smaller cultivars of murieliae are good for pot cultivation, as are various Shibataea and Pleiobastus, which are small. The smaller Phyllostachys are commonly put in containers, but are harder work, since they require dividing every 2 or 3 years when their roots fill up the pot. This site has some good stuff on container cultivation of bamboos, and recommendations.
http://www.mjbanks.co.uk/homepage.htm