clumping bamboo
 

just curious.. im looking for some clumping bamboo i need a large clump of rhizomes the more the better.

to be clear i do not need running bamboo only the clumping cold tolerant kind.

im hoping someone has a large surplus of this stuff growing on their property... maybe we can work something out??

Re: clumping bamboo
 

Just got rid of some today!

Re: clumping bamboo
 

just in case someone wonders across this post in the future im covered,and i think i have more than i need.... thanks a lot..

Re: clumping bamboo
 

If someone else if has some... I'm looking for some alphonse karr, but any other will do...

Re: clumping bamboo
 

I just bought some locally at a place close to Pensacola Fl. and let me tell you....it's expensive. I paid $70 for a small pot of 3 stalks about 4 ft. tall. I got Bambusa Textilus Mutabilis. The place is called "Boo for You" and he has all kinds of bamboo. My first trip there last year I dropped $150 quickly.
I just wanted to make sure I did'nt get a running bamboo that would take over my yard.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

I may end up ordering some...

Re: clumping bamboo
 

The only clumping bamboos I have are the fargesias which don't do well in the southeast, but thrive up here in the north where it never gets hot.

What's wrong with growing running bamboo? I have around 20 or so species of runners, and they're pretty cool. You can actually train a running bamboo to grow like a clumper, and your climate is probably perfect for a lot of running species.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

It's just that I live in a subdivision and the area is very flat and wide, unless I plan a runner dead-center in my yard, I'd be afraid of involuntarily sharing with neighbors...

Re: clumping bamboo
 

If you are in fairly tight spots, you could probably get a runner growing through the 1 side barrier method to make sure it doesn't go to that neighbor's side, but keeping the other side open will allow you to rhizome prune, and make sure it never gets crowded. Also growing a runner that doesn't make that many rhizomes or even shoot that much, but gain size such as Phyllostachys dulcis is pretty safe.

Their rhizomes grow within the first few inches of the soil, and often come out of the soil so they are pretty easy to locate thus making them pretty easy to control. I don't know about your area, but around here, I've been able to go bamboo hunting, trying to find houses with people growing bamboo in their yards, and then asking them for divisions, which is how I collected a few of my bamboos.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

I've thought of the barrier method... but I figure it would be much simpler to have a clumper, on our recent trip to Disney, I got to see some "alphonse Karr" in person and really liked the look. Problem is that even getting a small amount by mail is gonna run at least $45 with shipping.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

Ron,

You are a glutton for punishment planting "Large" clumping bamboo....lol...

Spend 5 minutes planting.....then hours and hours trimming..stay clear of fences, wires, etc.,..some on the board are familiar with species that are not as work intensive as the two primary species we grow: Black tropical bamboo ("Gigantochloa atroviolacea") and Golden Painted Bamboo ("Bambusa vulgaris vittata"). The poles get 40 feet high and weigh over 200 pounds (in large part due to all of the lateral growth).

Gigantochloa atroviolacea - Black tropical bamboo

Too2Bamboo | Bambusa vulgaris Vittata - Painted Bamboo, Hawaiian Golden Bamboo

We also grow Buddha's Belly ("Bambusa ventricosa"),

Choose your variety "wisely"....(remember Raiders of the Lost Ark)

I like the Dwarf Buddha Belly Bamboo ("Bambusa vulgaris Wamin"); "Dwarf" being the operative word:-)

Good bamboo links:

Introduction to Bamboo

Good luck!!

Re: clumping bamboo
 

thanks everyone.. i now have alphose carr which i am pretty satisfied with so far. i am thinking if getting a runner and putting down a barrier in some places.. im not very familiar with a lot of bamboo by proper names just the Alphonse carr and black bamboo. black bamboo is a runner i kept it in a container.


im not really a bamboo nut as of the posting of this thread but
i have been checking out what others are growing in my area and i i dont think i would chance any timber bamboo like i saw one guy growing on his property. looks good but a culm as big as a some types of pine is too much.

i have been observing how tall some of the culms get on the bamboo get in my area and decided which one i want to try out. i have had my eye on one that looks a little like a willow. the reason for this is because i dont want to spend lots or money for a small size plant have to wait for it to grow and still not be satisfied with it.

i will bury a two foot deep barrier well away from any fence line and keep watch on it.

as for anyone who does not want to risk chasing bamboo go with a clumper. i dropped $80 for one big 15 gallon Alphonse carr and two medium ones. i have culms as thick as my thumb and 13 ft high on the big one.

the guy gave me a break after helping him with his pindo palms..told him he didnt need to use a lot of expensive copper on crown rotted plants...peroxide is cheaper. i use it.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

Hey Ron;
I got the clumping textilis just going on the seller's suggestions for my desire to have a big bamboo that will not get away from me (clumper) and thrive in my zone 9 area.
But, I really wanted the bigger stuff like the black bamboo that Chris mentioned. So I am thinking about doing the barrier thing to get the bamboo that I desire. I would like to get the black bamboo if it would do well in my zone 9.
I figure as long as I can find the front door it will be fine. :ha:

Re: clumping bamboo
 

well im figuring the metal flashing that you would find in home improvement stores will work.. i dont think most runner roots go any further than 2 feet deep. i will bury it and make a complete loop. ive seen a few Mennonite people in my are use flashing and they made a bamboo islands on their farm landscape and it looks good. i will try it i will trim anything that gets a foot from the barrier. ive heard of someone using an old cattle watering container with a rusted bottom. they just cut out the rest of the bottom and buried it like the flashing.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

I do that with my banana's and my new Black Bamboo (ty RMPLMNZ)
except is wasn't flashing it was the metal roof panels I had left over from my house. I tool my metal shears and ripped it down (12" approx) and buried it to make a damn.

I will tell you this after seeing the clump of bamboo rmplmnz has........it will move fences! So even if you make a damn, I would almost bet overtime the base will push it out. Just keep that in mind I suppose if your trying to keep it contained in a very small area.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

yeah i would imagine. thats why i had the idea of clipping everything that gets close to the barrier. i decided to go with steel material. that has about the thickness of a pile used in construction,and its 24 inches deep. im more worried about the rhizomes going under it that pushing it really. im not saying they cant push it, i figure if i dont allow any big culms to grow around my barrier . that would probably help a lot.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

I know this far north with cool summers, running bamboos don't run, but I've never seen rhizomes get any deeper than a few inches, and I've heard that barriers can force rhizomes to dive deeper than they normally would.

Once you grow a bamboo for a little while, you may find that it is much easier to control with annual trimming. I've had trouble getting mine to spread out around here because it just doesn't get warm enough for rhizomes to grow that much.

Re: clumping bamboo
 

Bo,

I have several clumping bamboos..you are welcome to divisions if you make it to Tampa.

Chris

Re: clumping bamboo
 

ok i got the 24 inch barricade to be safe. you really dont think they would go any deeper if the roots are not packed and its kept trimmed? if annual trimming is done it would help control the growth, did you mean just thinning out canes near the barrier or randomly removing a few canes from the center of your plot?

Re: clumping bamboo
 

You have to control the "Rhizomes"...they will send new shoots low and keep pushing the barrier....