| How
do you identify bamboo? There are a number of
ways to ID different bamboos but one of the best is by looking at their
shoots. With most plants a positive ID is made by looking at their flowers.
Since bamboo flowers so infrequently this is not practical. The vast
majority of the bamboos I grow are in the Phyllostachys genus. These
all shoot in the spring and every species has shoots with a distinct
look. They also shoot at different times during the spring so this also
helps in identifying a particular species. The earliest shooting Phyllostachys
I have is P.violescens. The first shoots appeared this year on about
March 8. The next to shoot is P.h. pubescens
(Moso bamboo).
Which bamboo is right for me? It all
depends on what you want to do with the bamboo and where you live. Some
bamboos are best for screens while others are
ideal for specimen or display plants. Although most are very cold hardy
you will need an extra cold hardy species
if you live in a cold climate. When requesting information let me know
your location and what your plans are for the bamboo. The best way to
contact me is thru email or call
me at 205-283-5638.
Clumping
or running bamboo, what's this all about?
Most
clumpers are tropical or sub-tropical while most cold hardy bamboos
are runners. The few cold hardy clumpers can't take the southern heat
and only thrive in northern climates. I grow mostly runners along with
a few clumpers that I place in the greenhouse every winter. Clumpers
stay in nice tight clumps while runners can be very invasive. It's not
this simple and you can find out more here.
It is possible to control the spread of runners. Take a look here for
information on controlling running bamboo.
What
do you mean by 2 gallon or 3 gallon size plants?
These represent the container size the plants are
growing in now. Since all new growth comes from the rhizome/root system,
the larger the container the faster you can expect large canes. Most
of my plants are pruned to 48" for shipping and, depending on the
species and container size, may contain one to several canes. A 2 gallon
container is approximately 9 1/2 inches in diameter. Depending on the
species the plant will be 3 to 5 feet tall. A 3 gallon container is
about 11 inches in diameter and will have canes 4 to 6 feet tall.
How many plants are in a two gallon container? I
get this question a lot. There is ONE plant in a container. There may
be 1, 2, 3 or more canes but it is ONE plant! The canes are all connected
underground by the rhizomes. You will be able to divide it after a year
or so but if you do so now it will possibly kill the plant or at least
set it back and void the warranty.
What
is a "field specimen"?
These are large plants with big rootballs that are
wrapped in burlap. Depending on the species these can be 10 to 25 feet
tall with rootballs 12 to 24 inches in diameter. These are often used
to form an instant screen or grove.
How can I control running bamboos?
Bamboo will not cross water, such as a pond or continuously
flowing stream. You can also place underground barriers in it's path
to control it's spread or grow it in containers. Here
is detailed information on controlling bamboo.
How many plants do I need? / How far apart should I space plants?
In general about every 5 feet. However, you can plant
closer or further depending on your budget and how fast you want a screen.
If you simply want a grove to admire and walk through you can start
with one plant, or perhaps 3, planted in a single area. With regular
watering and fertilizing the grove will about double in size each year.
Can
I grow bamboo from seed?
Yes, if you can find bamboo seed! Bamboo only flowers
and makes seed on rare ocassions. In some cases it may be 100 years
or more between flowerings. Because of this it is not common to find
bamboo seed available. Although seeds are more common in countries such
as China, Japan, India, etc. these are not usually available in the
United States because all live bamboo plants and seeds must go through
a two year quarantine when imported here. We were able to obtain Moso
Bamboo seed a couple of years ago and currently offer unique
clones from that seed. With my groves of P.angusta
and P.viridis flowering I hope to be lucky
enough to collect seed from these species. Time will tell!
Is
bamboo the fastest growing plant in the world?
Perhaps.I suppose there may be faster growing plants
but it's hard to imagine once you see new shoots come up in the spring.
These can grow 24 to 36 inches or more in a 24 hour period. When bamboo
shoots emerge from the ground in the spring they reach full size in
just a couple of months time. This includes the giants. It is extraordinary
to see a 4 to 5 inch diameter shoot burst from the ground and reach
full height (60 feet or more) in just a few weeks. You can easily see
the change in height each day. However, once a new culm (cane) reaches
full size and leafs out it never grows any higher although it may live
up to ten years or more. This means you can prune bamboo at the end
of spring and not have to worry about pruning again until new shoots
emerge the following year. The
above facts often cause some confusion. If you plant a 2 gallon specimen
of one of the giant bamboos, it will not send up full size canes the
first spring. The bamboo has to form a grove and build up reserves over
a few seasons, sending up larger and larger canes each spring. When
the grove has reached a large enough size it will send up full size
(giant) canes each spring.
Do
I need to dig a really big hole to plant my bamboo?
Many growers and gardeners tell you to dig a
hole twice the size of the rootball. Recent research and practical experience
has shown this is not necessary. In fact this can often cause some plants
to become rootbound as the roots travel around the hole, staying in
the backfill and taking their time about penetrating the surrounding
soil. I've found that a hole just slightly larger than the rootball
works best.Bamboo grows much differently than most plants. The rhizome
will go out in a straight path, more or less. Hole size won't matter
at that point. If the soil is hard, or heavy with clay, use a pick to
break up the sides of the hole to give a place for the roots to move
outward.
Do
I need to fertilize my bamboo?
Fertilizing regularly (about 3 to 4 times a
year at least) is probably the best way to get your bamboo to grow faster
and bigger. Next is mulching. I grow a lot of bamboo and it's easy to
see the difference between the groves that are fertilized regularly
and covered with mulch and those that aren't. The first couple of years
of a new planting is really crucial. I try to put down a couple of inches
of composted horse manure in a circle around the new planting and cover
with mulch. Once the grove starts maturing it provides it's own mulch.
If you can't get compost then use a commercial fertilizer like 8-8-8
or 10-10-10. The best times to fertilize are in late winter, late spring,
and mid summer and fall. I also try to water when we have a dry spell,
it really helps to produce more and larger shoots in the spring. The
best (and safest) way to fertilize is to place the fetilizer/manure/mulch
on top of the soil after backfilling. I've done this with hundreds of
plants (not just bamboo) and am always amazed at the results. So, although
you don't "need" to fertilize your bamboo you will be much
happier with it's growth if you do.
Help,
my bamboo is out of control and taking over, what can I do?
Running bamboos
can be agressive and very invasive in some cases. To control
your running bamboo you need to know a little about it's habits.
You can find info about running bamboo and how to control it here.
I
live in a very cold climate, can I grow bamboo?
Yes, you can! Most all of the bamboos I sell
are cold hardy down to about zero and several are hardy to well below
zero. You can find pictures and descriptions of the more cold
hardy species here. Several are hardy down to -10 to -15. This means
they will stay green and leafy down to those temperatures. Once the
grove is well established it can survive even colder temperatures. It
may suffer top kill but the roots can survive and send up new canes
in the spring. Planting in a protected area and mulching heavily will
help.
Do
you offer tours of the nursery?
We are a mail order only nursery. We are not
zoned for retail sales and are not insured for business to be conducted
on site. However, if we are not busy, and you call us ahead of time
we may be able to arrange a visit. But... we are quite busy most of
the time and with our many other interest and a big family please understand
if we cannot accomodate you. Although some other nurseries "love"
to have you visit their nursery, they also require a substantial minimum
purchase. Love ain't cheap.
Do you sell Lucky bamboo?
No! This popular plant
is not a true bamboo, it's not even related! It is a type of tropical
house plant called Dracena. It does look a little like bamboo, but it's
not. If you do a search for "Lucky Bamboo" you can find lots
of information on the web.
This is one plant that is often mistaken for bamboo, here
are some others. |
.To
order by credit card, call me at 205 283 5638.
Or visit my