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flatland2d

New to bamboo, have some questions, want to build a hedge

flatland2d
14 years ago

I've been researching bamboo for a little while now but am a little overwhelmed by all the information. I was hoping I could get some help here.

I am looking to build a hedge just inside the south side of my privacy fence (normal 6' fence) which is about 15' from my house. The main purpose of the hedge would be for added privacy and for a little shade on the house.

I am looking for something relatively thick and fast growing. I am not too concerned with invasiveness. I would like the height to be at least 10', but more would be better as that would give more shade. I want the hedge to be about 50' long.

Other considerations are the temperatures. This last summer we had 51 days over 100 degrees, which is abnormally hot. This winter we've had unusually cold weather with a couple of days in the teens.

I am interested in growing from seed, as I grow many other plants this way. I realize this will take longer and would be open to buying mature plants if I could find a local source that was not cost prohibitive.

I'm looking for any recommendations on types of bamboo to grow (fast growing, warm temperature tolerant), and maybe a reputable supplier of seeds if I go that route. Any other considerations?

Thanks for any help!

Comments (4)

  • kudzu9
    14 years ago

    flatland-
    Unfortunately, seeds are not frequently available. Bamboo only produce seed when the plants flower, and that happens on cycles that range from about once in 20 years to once in 150 years. Since the time of flowering is unpredictable, and occurs worldwide over a couple of year period, there are simply no seeds available for most species. While you can always get your hands on some seeds, they won't necessarily be for the species you want. If you do decide to go the seed route, be aware of the following:

    1. It's illegal to import any bamboo plants, rhizomes or seeds into the U.S. without a permit and a year-long quarantine (that you pay for), so stick to U.S. sources.

    2. Bamboo seed loses viability quickly, so make sure, if you can, that you are getting fresh seed and not something that has been sitting around for 6 months.

    3. The success rate I have had with seed has varied from 0% to 50% depending on the batch of seed.

    4. Some bamboo germinate within several weeks and others can take close to a year.

    5. Bamboo from from seed will typically take a couple of years to get a couple of feet high. I have one species that I grew from seed 2 years ago in my greenhouse which is getting close to 6 inches high! I would say that a 10' high hedge from seed-grown bamboo would take a minimum of 5 years and maybe more.

    So, I'm glad to hear you want to grow a bamboo hedge, ad I'm not trying to discourage you to try it from seeds, but I want to inject a dose of reality about just what may be in store for you going that route.

    If you can get some already potted bamboo plants, it will be a lot easier to achieve your goals. There are many running bamboo that could deal easily with those weather conditions: the lows wouldn't be a problem, and the highs could be tolerated if they have enough water. As for species, do you care if it would get over 10' (like up to 35')? Most running bamboo are going to get taller than 10'. And most bamboo grow pretty well, but they all generally need to be in the ground for at least 2 years before they really start to takeoff.

  • flatland2d
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for posting the quick reply. I had started to come to the conclusion that doing this by seed wasn't going to happen in the near future. I'll probably starting looking around at local nurseries to see what's available. If it becomes too expensive, I'll probably shorten the hedge to 10' or 20' because I'd get the most use out of that section. The rest can be added on to at a later time if I wanted.

    Height over 10' would definitely be a plus (35' is ok, too). I just need at least that much to block the view of my neighbor's house which sits at a higher elevation than ours. Their windows overlook our 6' privacy fence. And the taller it is, the more shade it will make.

    As far as shaping the hedge, I'm guessing it will need to be around 3' or 4' thick? And would I plant these staggered, or in a straight line?

    I'm still interested in growing from seed for fun and I find the black bamboo a little intriguing. Is there a good website or reputable eBay seller that sells fresh seeds? I've had mixed results buying different kinds of tree seeds on eBay before.

  • kudzu9
    14 years ago

    For the reasons I explained, seeds aren't available from many sources, particularly commercial ones because they can't maintain a continuing supply. eBay is the most common place to look, but many of the sellers are foreign (i.e., making illegal sales) and in addition there is no way to be sure of quality of any of the sources. Most of these folks are not in the bamboo business, so it's impossible for me to name any of the vendors as long-term, reliable sellers...they just come and go.

    I have grown from seed 5-6 times and most of the time I got my seeds from other U.S. bamboo growers that I keep in touch with. I did buy Moso seeds once on eBay, from a source in Florida, and I got 100 seeds for $6 and they were fresh and viable. If you want to try growing from seed, take a look at the eBay listings, see which ones are domestic, and email any vendors you are interested in to see if you can find out how fresh the seed is. And don't pay too much...I've seen people on eBay trying to sell a couple of bamboo seeds for as much as $10.

    So, now that you are educated about seeds, you can appreciate why bamboo is more expensive than you would think it should be: sellers of bamboo plants don't usually grow it from seed...they have to make a field division off of a plant which they have been growing for a couple of years, pot the division, stabilize it, tend it, and preferably let it grow in the pot for 6-12 months before offering it for sale. For a hedge that is 20' long, you would probably want at least 5 decent-size plants, and that might set you back $150-$200 or more total from a reliable commercial source, depending on the species. I do not recommend buying bamboo on eBay: almost everyone I know who has done it has been sent only rhizome or plants that are half-dead or worse on arrival. Many of the people selling bamboo on eBay don't know how to properly divide it: they're just people who have a patch of bamboo out on the back forty and are trying to make some money by digging up chunks and selling them to the unwary.

    If you planted runners, you could start making your own divisions in 2-3 years to fill out your hedge or to extend it. It's just the initial getting started that takes a while.

    My email is available if you click on my screen name. If you contact me, I'll give you some info on how to maybe get some decent plants at a lower cost.

  • moto72850
    14 years ago

    I planted mine in the 70's in discarded refrigerators (17) too keep the plants (golden & black) from invading my lawn. I used english ivy to improve the planter look. This, like yours, is along a fence line. The old refs finally rotted and I had to build a cement block wall (with foundation) to halt the spread. So I've had shade, privacy, and security for 30 years. I water with a soaker hose once a week. Love it.

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