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BGreen
05-06-2007, 07:46 AM
Today I started to install the barrier for my Phyllostachys rubromarginata.
the trench in 25' long and 6 1/2' wide. My neighbor and I like to descibe the clay soil and Kansas concrete. After digging the edges of the hole out and installing the barrier I knocked the middle section down. This will give me about 16" of clay bottom and 12" of good mixed planting soil... once I fill it back in, lol.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2831 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2833)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2832 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2833)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2833 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2831)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2834 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2835)

and my helpers
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2835 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2832)

the flying dutchman
05-06-2007, 09:02 AM
Wow, quite a job, a lot of succes with the bamboo after all the work.
Will you send a picture when they have grown?

ron

MediaHound
05-06-2007, 02:33 PM
When your done you can come over here and I'll show you what needs to be done. LOL!

Congrats! Looks like you should be able to tame the beast with that setup.

momoese
05-06-2007, 04:45 PM
Awesome! I know the feeling of working like a back-hoe making a trench for bamboo. We did the same thing here only with no barrier when we planted are Alphonse Karr clumping bamboo. I'll post some pictures later.

Steve in France
05-07-2007, 02:42 PM
Excellent job , best of Luck with it.
Later
Steve

BGreen
05-07-2007, 05:50 PM
Thanks everyone.
Since sat night we have recieved over 4" of rain, so now I have a cute little pond :2730:
I will post more pictures as this project advances, but below is what I came home to today.
Oh well a little more digging and a better drainage system I guess...
In the back ground you can see the building I am trying to hide.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2848 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2834)

Lilith
05-08-2007, 12:14 PM
I could definitely use you to work on my 5 acres, but only if you bring those precious dogs!!!!! So cute! I have 4 huge containers of bamboo to plant out. They weigh about 200 lbs each. I can't even move them alone. I'm going to pick a spot soon though and make my husband help me.

BGreen
05-11-2007, 04:45 PM
Thank you Gina.
The dogs think they are great helpers as you can see, or they may just want to see what crazy thing I am doing next, lol

BGreen
05-12-2007, 10:59 PM
Another update...
Pumped the water out... added 2.6 tons of sandy loam, 18 cubic ft of compost, too many shovel fulls of dirt, planted and added some mulch....

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2942 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2941)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2941 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2848)

I still have to add dirt to the outer edge and shape the yard to shed the water away.

Tropicman
06-28-2007, 11:36 PM
Just what exactly is red margin bamboo?
I have yellow groove bamboo,about 59ft long planted between mine and the neighbors driveway keeps it from running everywhere.It's about 25 to 30ft tall
now,very pretty and green all thru the winter months as well,sparrows roost in there all the time and the amount of bird poo underneath is un real!!!!
If you ever head south to Wichita,stop by for the grand tour of the tropics.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l302/dbrya1/MVC-005S-11.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l302/dbrya1/MVC-007S-12.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l302/dbrya1/MVC-012S-11.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l302/dbrya1/MVC-013S-12.jpg

BGreen
06-29-2007, 08:56 AM
Hello Tropicsman!

My wife's family lives on the South East side of Wichita. We head down that way about once every two months! I will send you a PM so we can talk, I would love a tour! :bananarow:

Red Margin Bamboo is also known as Phyllostachys rubromarginata. It is very vigourous and supposed to get the tallest in my area. I have two more bamboo beds I want to add, but didn't want to dig another bed this year ;)

PS: the pics look great!

Tropicman
06-29-2007, 10:52 AM
That will be great,I live on the southwest side of Wichita,I have a very small yard,but pack a lot of tropicals everywhere I can.
I can be reached at
Don Bryan
2909 South Martinson
Wichita,Ks,67217
316-524-0223
cell-- 312-0793
I'll be on Vacation last 2 weeks of July,not going anywhere,just spending time at in the yard,I'm really getting into hardy palms,and a forum I visit have a lot of guys from your area in it,so check out this link when you have the time.
http://www.palmsnorth.com/forum/index.php

Don:islandsharkbanana:

BGreen
06-29-2007, 03:12 PM
I checked out the other fourm and found some more of your pics.
How do you like the variegated Petasites japonica 'Giganteus'? I just bought some this year to try.
I will give you a call after the 4th so we can figure something out!

tlturbo
06-29-2007, 03:27 PM
Great pics - is that large dark red and green leafed plant in the last picture a canna? If not, what is it? Do you have any corms of it? I can trade bananas for some.

Terry

Tropicman
06-29-2007, 04:23 PM
Hey BG,
Hope you have it in a nice bright but shaded area,for when it gets hot they really tend to wilt,they like lots of water and shade.
Terry those either tropicannas or red castor bean,not sure which ones your reffering to,I have seeds of the red castor beans and tubers of the tropicanna,also have the canna musafolia.
Don

xyzzy
06-29-2007, 04:23 PM
Quote:"It is very vigourous and supposed to get the tallest in my area."

Why is that the tallest in your area?

I grow Phyllostachys Vivax and Phyllostachys pubescence which grow absurdly big here in the UK. The former grows 20ft from seed in 3 years! (sudden jump on the third only 3ft at 2 years). Pubescence is a bit slower getting started. Perhaps they are TOO BIG for your purpose?

tlturbo
06-29-2007, 04:30 PM
I was talking about the plant just right of center that appears to have a washingtonia palm in front of it. It looks like a huge Tropicana canna but the topicana cannas I have NEVER get any bigger than the one just to the right of the hosta clump (in front of the big plant that I'm talking about). They have orange flowers. The castor bean has the star shaped leafs right?

Terry

Tropicman
06-29-2007, 04:39 PM
Hmm my tropicannas reach 5 ft or more by the end of summer,these are very heay varigated,some are over 4ft now,but yet to bloom from all the rain and cloudy wether we've been having,I also have intrigue,which has the same colors as the tropicanna,but has the leaf shape of a hawiian ti plant,which has red flowers.It reaches about 4 to 5 ft in height also.I love them both,very tropical looking.

Lagniappe
06-29-2007, 06:01 PM
My tropicanna bloom at 2-3 ' as well .

BGreen
06-29-2007, 06:34 PM
Quote:"It is very vigourous and supposed to get the tallest in my area."

Why is that the tallest in your area?

I grow Phyllostachys Vivax and Phyllostachys pubescence which grow absurdly big here in the UK. The former grows 20ft from seed in 3 years! (sudden jump on the third only 3ft at 2 years). Pubescence is a bit slower getting started. Perhaps they are TOO BIG for your purpose?

Living in a zone 5b/6b limits me on the bamboo I can plant. From talking to bamboo growers the colder the climate the shorter the bamboo. P.rubromarginata just averages out to be the tallest.

Tropicman
06-29-2007, 09:05 PM
Pete,I lived Bossier City 1960 and again 1967,spitted a few snow flakes that winter.
I wondering about this tropicanna,one of the guys at work said his only reached 3 to 4 ft as well,and mine always get taller than that,is it the location I wonder, from the tuber that I originally got mine from, Horns Canna farm,from Oklahoma.

Lagniappe
06-30-2007, 12:58 AM
The culture tag that came with mine shows 6' max . I fertilize mine a lot and their soil is very heavy clay type . They do manage to send out pups through the mulch but they may be dwarfed by the soil composition . Just a thought.

xyzzy
06-30-2007, 02:29 AM
Do you get lower than -15 degrees C? If not, P Pubescence will grow. P Vivax will only take -5 degrees C.

Pubescence starts off forming a nice bamboos screen, but eventually forms a giant timber bamboo plantation, which if managed wll remains narrow like a hedge, of culms up to 4 inches wide! The shoots you cut off to keep it narrow are edible and yummy.

My Canna tropicana always go to 5 or 6 feet. They get an early start though because they are frost hardy here and normallt dont full die down in winter.

Tropicman
06-30-2007, 12:13 PM
Mine get a very late start,they don't even pop out the ground until late May,but I compost right in the bed I grow everything,I use to have heavy clay,but since I compost right where everything grows my soil is excellent
In the fall I cut everything down and let it rot right where it grows,after a few years the soil is really good and fertile.

BGreen
05-27-2008, 09:25 PM
Going to have to get some pics, but my bamboo has added close to 30 new shoots so far this year! Very glad I put the barrier in! Pics coming soon

Tropicman
05-27-2008, 11:47 PM
hey Ben,
how tall has it got to now?
I talked to a school teacher friend,and his has traveled quite a ways and has poke holes thru his pond liners!!!

Kylie2x
05-29-2008, 04:42 PM
Yes!! I want to see pic's.. !!!!
LOL I can kill bamboo...I have a couple of pieces of Variegated and some Black but that is the only thing that has survived...I would love to have a big stand of it...It grow on the side of the road... just not at my house...ROFL!!!!

BGreen
05-30-2008, 09:46 PM
Ok here are some new pics, hard to see with the weeds in the background, but most of the green is bamboo.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9930 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9928)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9928 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9929)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9929 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9927)

The two tall sections, Phyllostachys aureosulcata, were planted in the fall, and have a few new canes close to 7' tall.
Most of the P.rubo canes are 3'-5' and still growing.

The P.aureosulcata before planting:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=4597 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=4237&ppuser=484)

And my wife bought me a new palm, and wanted to share:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9927 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=4623&ppuser=484)

Chironex
05-31-2008, 12:42 AM
Seeing your bamboo and the Tropicana Cannas is really something. Very nicely done. I have just started my Trop. Cannas, Ti plants and waiting for my bamboo to germinate. Can't wait! Thank again for sharing the photos.

Bananaman88
05-31-2008, 07:57 AM
Nice photos, Tropicman!

I also grow Tropicanna and mine rarely get over 3' tall, though as mentioned by others, I have seen them get large. In fact, I've seen them well over 6'! I think mine stay small due to the fact that there are some large Ilex opaca (American holly) and an oak planted nearyby. So I'm sure there is a great deal of competition for the available moisture. Just my opinion.

BGreen
06-29-2008, 09:38 AM
Ok another update.
Now that all the new clums have leafed out you can really see the mass...

http://benjgreen.homestead.com/files/plants/Bamboo/Bamboo_bed_1_June28_08.jpg

sandy0225
06-30-2008, 06:48 PM
I'm growing yellow groove Phyllostachys aureosulcata, and my tallest cane is up around 17 feet now. Not too bad for zone 5a! It's four years old now though. We're also limited here in which varieties we can grow. It took three years before it got tough enough to not winter kill some of the canes in the winter, but this year it's bullet-proof.

BGreen
06-30-2008, 08:15 PM
Nice Sandy!
Any pics? I went with the Rubo. because I was told it would get the largest for the cold hardy types, but then had to add the aureo because the clum color...
I am also looking at getting some Fargesia 'rufa' because it won't spread. I have a nice place in the front where it would look great!

sandy0225
06-30-2008, 09:32 PM
I'll get some taken, maybe tomorrow, depending on customers and watering, and put them on a separate post. I don't like to "hijack" other people's posts. Sorry that I did that. I get excited sometimes!

BGreen
07-18-2010, 07:55 PM
Here is the bamboo bed in July of 2010.
Filling up nicely!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=34450&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=34450)

Tropicman
07-18-2010, 10:55 PM
Hey Ben,
Nice looking green you got there,filling out nicely!

Raules
07-19-2010, 01:24 AM
Very good work! The beautiful bamboo at you has grown, my congratulations!

stevelau1911
07-19-2010, 02:48 PM
Being in approximately the same zone as you, I planted a rubromarginata division last summer which got a bit of leaf burn over last winter probably due to not enough time to establish, but this year it has made many new small culms, nothing close to what you have. Hopefully next year mine will be pushing 10ft like that. I'm still kind of impressed that you went from spindly 3ft culms to a grove in 1 year.

March 2010 with leaf burn.
http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo/326/dsc00580.jpg

June 2010, and still shooting now, but still everything under 4ft.
http://www.bambooweb.info/images/bamboo/326/dsc02451.jpg


Quote:
Originally Posted by xyzzy View Post
Quote:"It is very vigourous and supposed to get the tallest in my area."

Why is that the tallest in your area?

I grow Phyllostachys Vivax and Phyllostachys pubescence which grow absurdly big here in the UK. The former grows 20ft from seed in 3 years! (sudden jump on the third only 3ft at 2 years). Pubescence is a bit slower getting started. Perhaps they are TOO BIG for your purpose?
Living in a zone 5b/6b limits me on the bamboo I can plant. From talking to bamboo growers the colder the climate the shorter the bamboo. P.rubromarginata just averages out to be the tallest.

Being in this zone it seems like moso does pretty well as single tarp protection is enough to prevent leaf burn here, but vivax gets top killed regardless of getting tarped.

BGreen
07-19-2010, 05:14 PM
Thanks everyone,

We had a really harsh winter here last year, multiple days below zero and a few -10 and colder. During most of those days we had a nice blanket of snow but that didn't protect the bamboo. The Phyllostachys aureosulcata had mulitple canes with leaf burn and I cut out 3 or 4 canes that were killed, but all of the P.rubromarginata canes leafed back out, very tough stuff. I will see if I can find a picture from last year and post it too. Most of the canes are now about 1/2" diam. and the whole bed is going to get some fertilzer this fall for the first time!

stevelau1911
07-19-2010, 06:32 PM
Sounds like you had a much harsher winter than I had. It only got down to about 4F last winter here on the coldest night according to my weatherstation so I'm probably in a warmer zone 6 than you. I hope that means I will be seeing 1/2 inch diameter canes next year given that they are reaching the 1/4 inch mark this year.

Red margin is pretty hardy, but not the hardiest. Parvifolia and Atrovaginata gets through winter with less damage than this here.


I also see that you have a barrier on the whole thing. Are you worried about it getting root-bound in there at all? It might require some rhizome pruning since rhizome & roots will be continuing to grow over the same area.

BGreen
07-27-2010, 02:27 PM
I know I will need to prune rhizomes back after a while, but not worried about it yet. With my yard and how fast this bed filled up I will take the extra work to keep this a little more under control.