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| Q |
I want to develop a space that can be used by young children.
I have a theory that children seem to really like bamboo - perhaps its the jungle like qualities, but also the clean stems and the swishing noise. Anyway I am wondering if there are any bamboos you could recommend that could do the following job:
- Grow above head height (say 3m) - but not really much higher.
- Thicken into a screen that would restrict views, but still let one 'see into' the screen to appreciate the forest of stems.
- Not be a beast that would take over the rest of the area and would curse ever planting.
- Also - be plantable to achieve this effect by June this year .
Finally - of course - be hardy and happy growing outside in whatever weather north London throws at it - for the next ten years anyway.
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| A |
Yes children love playing in bamboos and most are happy enough to withstand the coldest of winters planted outside in North London.
To achieve the effect by June this year you will have to plants several bamboos as they will not grown much between now and then.
We do not recommend you plant large specimens so planting several spaced out in one area sill give you some effect in June then in time the bamboos will establish and create the desired effect.
I suggest you plant Phyllostachys aurea or its vars as these is one of the shorter clumping bamboos but it will be 4M plus in london , you will find the other clumping bamboos a dense and not see through.
I therefore suggest you plant one of the more vigorous bamboos ie Sasa palmata Nebulosa or Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmii" and put in a root barrier in a large circle around the area when you plant them, so in time this are will become a jungle quite quickly but will still be contained and not take over.
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| Q | Can you send plants to a third party? |
| A | Yes , this is no problem we will send the invoice to you and the plants to your friend / client. |
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| Q | Do you send to the USA? |
| A | We can send books to the USA but sorry we only send plants within the Uk. We can send then to EEC countries if customers ask but it is very costly . |
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| Q | How do I care for the plants I have just received? |
| A | All the plants we supply are hardy and can be planted straight outside at any time of year or can be potted on into the next size pot ( none like to be over potted) into a multipurpose compost. Keep them moist until established, in very dry weather over the first summer an extra top up may be needed. Planting bamboos is the same as any other plant they will just need more room long term .
Plants in containers will need watered all year round but over the winter months this may only be once a month, but it is important to get used to the compost you use and know when it looks as though it is getting dry. If the pots are frozen for a long spell they will struggle to take up moisture so moving them to a more sheltered place is advisable.
Plants in containers should never sit wet all the time, as waterlogged soil has no air in it and the roots will soon rot off , a short dry spell and a good soaking is a better combination for healthy root growth. |
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| Q | How do we look after our "Lucky bamboo"? |
| A | This is not actually a bamboo, it is a Draceana and it is a house plant. I must be kept warm and moist . |
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| Q | Please could you tell me the dimensions of the pots, as i do not know what size a 5L or 10L would be. |
| A | Diameter of the pots are as follows
9cm is 3 -4 in, 1L is 4-5 in , 1.5L is 5in put deeper, 2L is 6-7 in, 3/ 3.5L is 7-9 in , 5L is 9-10 in, 7.5L is up to 12 in , 10L is 12-14 in , 15L is 14-15 in but deeper |
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| Q | When will my order arrive? |
| A | We send out our orders on Monday to Wednesday of each week by a 24 hour service in summer and 48 hour service the rest of the year.
They will be sent as soon as we can after we receive the order but at some times of year due to other commitments this may not be possible. If the plants are not ready for dispatch we will contact you and let you know. |
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| Q | Am I better to plant a bamboo that is tall already or a young juvenile plant? |
| A | Always plant a juvenile or a young nursery plant if you can. A bamboo can not store moisture in its leaves like shrubs and conifers so it is continually having to pump water up to its tips and new growth , so on a newly planted bamboo the shorter the plant the better . Getting a good root system established is a lot more important in the long term and will produce better results . |
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| Q | Are all bamboos invasive? |
| A | No.
Only a third of the bamboos are and these tend to be the larger leaved ones. eg Sasa, Pseudosasa (in some situations) and Pleioblastus.
The medium sized leaved bamboos ie Most Phllyostachys , Semiarundinarea will spread in time but are controllable.
The final third are clumping , these tend to be the smaller leaved Fargesia and Thamnocalamus.
All the bamboos can be kept under control with a barrier put in at the time of planting. |
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| Q | Are bamboos evergreen? |
| A | Yes , most are in the UK except Pleioblastus viridistriatus and the new Fargesia's frigida and frigidorum , which we class as semi evergreen. In colder countries the Fargesia and several others are semi evergreen or deciduous. |
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| Q | Are the leaves poisonous?
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| A | No they are not poisonous to fish, humans or animals. The new shoots are very tasty to them all though !!!!!!!! |
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| Q | Best bamboos for pots and containers outdoors? |
| A | Chimonobambusa marmorea ( and forms)
Fargesia ( and forms)
X Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima'
Indocalamus tessellatus
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. aureocaulis
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis
Phyllostachys humilis
Phyllostachs nigra
Pleioblastus ( most species)
Sasa ( most species)
Semiarundinarea kagamiana
Semiarundinarea yashadake
Shibatea kumasasa
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| Q | Can we plant bamboos at this time of year? |
| A | Bamboos can be planted at any time as long as the ground is not frozen. If you have clay soil it is better to plants in the spring when the ground is starting to warm up rather than at any other time of year. |
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| Q | How do I plant and look after my bamboo? |
| A | Plant as you would any other plant. Bamboos may look tropical but they are tough and easy , so should be treated like any other plant in your garden. Bamboos are better to be planted in a hole that is just a little bit larger than the rootball, just loosening the soil around the hole with a fork slightly to break any pan that may have formed. Water well after planting and also over the first year is very important, as they must not dry out. Water well once a week , or when needed (depending on the weather and time of year) rather than daily as this will encourage surface rooting, this should be done until the roots have got hold and the plant is capable of taking up enough water through the root system it has produced. |
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| Q | How wide apart should i plant bamboos? |
| A | We usually recommend one per meter but this does depend on your budget and the effect you are looking for. The more space you can give between each bamboo the better as they look much better as individual specimens rather than all squashed together. Since most of the bamboos arch out once mature, a 3m spacing would be ideal , but this is looking long term and most of us do not have the space `and time to wait for them to do that.
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| Q | I have clay soil and my garden is very exposed. Which bamboos can I plant? |
| A | Most of the bamboos are hardy enough to grow in exposed sites but you will find some grow better than others. We find that the Phyllostachys , Fargesia and the medium sized leaved bamboos ie Semiarundinaria are the most reliable. The larger leaved bamboos can can become shredded if extreme conditions and the small leaved Thamnocalamus should be avoided until they can be given some shade .
In clay sold you are better to plant in spring rather than in the winter so the bamboo is not having to sit wet over the first winter. Bamboo's have a very fleshy root system which can rot off if the ground around the roots is too wet, until the root system has established itself. |
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| Q | I have Honey Fungus can I grow bamboo? |
| A | Bamboo is not affected by Honey Fungus at all . |
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| Q | I would like a bamboo for inside my house?
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| A | All the bamboos we grow are hardy bamboos that will be happy in a conservatory, and would benefit from being put outside for a few weeks a year as they need a dormant spell during the year. The best bamboos for in the conservatory are the Himalayacalamus and x Hibanobambusa tranquillans.'Shiroshima'. Bamboos can grow well in an atrium or very light situations but the less natural light they get the more leaf loss and yellowing that will occur.
Others include
Indocalamus tessellatus
Pleioblastus fortunei
Pleioblasts pygmaeus
Shibatea kumasasa |
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| Q | I would like to plant a bamboo by my pond , which is the best one to buy ? |
| A | It does depend on what sort of liner you have in your pond as most of the bamboos have roots that will pierce a plastic / rubber pond liner. Fargesia are the best to plant in this situation. If you would prefer to plant one of the others, just sink a root barrier between the bamboo and the pond, it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you have a natural pond or a hard pond liner the other bamboos will be look wonderful and be fine by the pond. |
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| Q | I would like to plant a hedge that is not too vigorous in the roots as I have heard bamboos can be invasive. What d you recommend? |
| A | You will be best to plant a Fargesia or a Thamnocalamus. Some of the Phyllostachys will stay in a clump for several years but will then go walkies. We always recommend you plant different bamboos as this will give you a lot more interest and if selected well, each bamboo can be seen as an individual plant as opposed to all looking the same and merging into one . |
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| Q | My bamboo has a lot of yellow leaves on it . Why? |
| A | At certain times of year all evergreens drop their old leaves when they are being replaced by the new ones . All the bamboos do this at different times of year, and some do it for longer and more than others. Fargesia tend to do this a lot more than the others and this is usually over the winter months .
In a garden situation these leaves should be left around the plant as they act as a mulch to help keep to it moister around the roots.Also the nutrients in the leaves will leach out into the soil and benefit the bamboo the following season. |
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| Q | My bamboo is in a container and looking very yellow. Why? |
| A | It sounds as though your bamboo has run out of food.
Bamboos should be potted on every year or every other year into the next pot size up , never over pot a bamboo. When they are potted on add a slow release fertiliser ie Osmocote granular 2-1-1. ( higher in nitrogen) as this will feed the bamboo steadily throughout the year. if your bamboo leaves have already gone yellow it may take a while for the colour to come back but it will !!!! |
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| Q | Our bamboo has gone brown , and the leaves shriveled . Why? |
| A | Your bamboo has either dried out of it has flowered.
Bamboos do not like drying out and if they are in a container may need watering every day if potbound and sitting on a sunny patio, but it is a case of testing tthe compost and getting used to the colour of the compost when wet and when dry , and watering when required. Bamboos can also dry out in winter if the pots are frozen for a long spell as they are then unable to take up any moisture. In these conditions it is advisable to move the pot into a less exposed position , greenhouse, garage or car port if possible . Bamboos will start taking up moisture as soon as the weather warms up a few degrees, so keep checking your bamboo AYR.
If it has grass like flowers appearing , your bamboo has flowered , this does not happen very often and usually the plant will regenerate after a spell of TLC . Fargesia however produces so many that the plants never recover to their best again and it is better to start off again either from seed or a plant that has been grown from new seed. |
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| Q | What is the best bamboos for very cold areas (Zone 4-6)? |
| A | Chusquea culeou
Fargesia dracocephylla
Fargesia murielae
Fargesia nitida (and forms of)
Fargesia robusta
Fargesia rufa
Indocalamus tessellatus
Phyllostachys aureosulcata ( and forms of)
Phyllostachys bissettii
Phyllostachys humilis
Pleioblastus fortunei
Pleioblastus pygmaeus
Sasa palmata nebulosa
Shibatea kumasasa
Yushania maculata
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| Q | What is the best time of year to thin out and tidy up my bamboo? |
| A | Always thin the bamboo out when it is dormant , this is usually over the winter months, the new shoots are very brittle and they may abort if damaged. Old dead canes (culms) should be removed as low as possible, and thin culms ,on plants that are now producing fatter culms, should also be removed , again as low as possible. Lower branches can also be removed to show off the culms .
Thinning out and removal of old culms and branches benefits the plant and does not set the bamboo back in any way. |
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| Q | What is the best way to contain bamboo roots? |
| A | Put a root barrier down under the soil, to 1 1/2 - 2 foot deep. This can be thick rubber, overlapping slabs or slate, corregated iron or concrete. Never block the roots in on all 4 sides as they will eventually become pot bound under the soil, they do need somewhere to grow to . Some people dig a channel around the bamboo and regularly trim off any roots that appear in the sides of this "Moat".
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| Q | What size will the bamboos be when they arrive.? |
| A | All the bamboos vary in size . Most of our plants are produced from jouvenile stock as we find they produce better plants this way.
The short growing bamboos ( that will grow to up to 2m) will have several shoots in a pot and only be about a foot high
The shorter growing tall bamboo (that will grow to up to 3m ) ie Fargesia will have several shoots in a pot and be about 2-3 foot high
The taller growing bamboos will be 3-5 foot high . These can be singe canes or multiple canes depending on the plant supplied, but the most important part of the bamboo on purchase is the root system and NOT the top growth.
When we sell a bamboo it is by pot size which relates to the size of root / rhizome.
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| Q | Which are the best bamboos for stabilizing banks ? |
| A | Chimonobambusa marmorea
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
Phyllostachys bissettii
Phyllostachys humilis
Pleioblastus
Sasa palmata nebulosa
Sasa veitchii
Semiarundinarea kagamaniana
Semiarundinarea yashadake |
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| Q | Which are the best for ground cover? |
| A | Indocalamus solidus
Indocalamus tessellatus
Pleiobalastus fortunei
Pleioblastus pygmaeus (and forms)
Sasa kurilensis short form
Sasa veitchii
Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata'
Shibatea kumasasa |
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| Q | Which are the best grove forming bamboos? |
| A | Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
Chusquea gigantea
Phyllostachys aureosulcata ( most forms)
Phyllostachys bambusoides (most forms)
Phyllostachys heteroclada
Phyllostachys nigra 'Boryana'
Phyllostachs nigrs f. henonis
Phyllostachys violescens
Phyllostachs vivx (and forms)
Semiarundinarea (most forms)
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| Q | Which bamboos are best in deep shade? |
| A | Chimonobambusa marmorea
Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
Fargesia murielae
Fargesia nitida
Indocalamus latifolius
Indocalamus tessellatus
Pleioblastus graminius
Pleioblastus linearis
Pseudosasa japonica
Sasa (most species)
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| Q | Which bamboos are best in wet soils that are not constantly waterlogged? |
| A | Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
Phylostachys heteroclada
Phyllostachys nidularia
Pseudosasa japonica
Shibatea kumasasa
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| Q | Which bamboos are most tolerant of summer drought? |
| A | Chusquea culeou
Fargesia robusta
Pseudosas japonica
Sasa palmata nebulosa
Sasa veitchii
Yushania maculata |
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| Q | Which bamboos have black, grey, tawny, purple -tinted and blue culms?
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| A | Borinda albocera
Chusquea culeou (some clones)
Fargesia frigida
Fargesia nitida ( some forms)
Phyllostachys glauca
Phyllostachys heteroclada
Phyllostachys nigra ( and some clones)
Thamnocalamus crassinodus ( all forms)
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| Q | Which bamboos have colourful or attractive sheaths? |
| A | Chimonobambusa marmorea
Fargesia robusta (and forms)
Fargesia rufa
Fargesia scabrida
Phyllostachys ( many species and forms)
Sasa kurilensis 'Shimofuri'
Semirundinaria fastuosa (and var viridis)
Thamnocalamus ( all species)
Yushania brevipaniculata
Yushania maculata |
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| Q | Which bamboos have spotted or blotched culms? |
| A | Phyllostachys bambusoides f. lacrima-deae
Phyllostachys glauca f. yunzhu
Phyllostachys nigra 'Boryana'
Sasa palmata f. nebulosa |
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| Q | Which bamboos have striped culms other than yellow? (but including those with yellow sulci) |
| A | Himalayacalamus falconeri 'Damarapa'
Phyllostachys arcana "Luteosulcata'
Phyllostachys aurea 'Flavescens Inversa'
Phyllostachys aureosulcata
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Argus'
Phyllostachys bambusoides " Castillonis Inversa'
Phyllostachys iridescens
Phyllostachys nigra 'Megurochiku'
Phyllostachys violescens
PHyllostachys vivax f. huavenzhu
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| Q | Which bamboos have the brightest leaves? |
| A | X Hibanobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima'
Pleioblastus chino f. elegantissimus
Pleioblastus fortunei
Pleioblastus shibuyanus 'Tsuboi'
Pleioblastus viridistriatus
pseuodosasa japonica 'Akebonosuji'
Sasa kuriensis 'Shimofuri'
Sasaella masamumeana 'Albostriata' |
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| Q | Which bamboos have unusual culm shapes? |
| A | Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
Phyllostachys aurea (and forms of)
Phyllostachys aureosulcata (and forms of)
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Marliacea'
Pseudosasa japonica 'Tsutsumiana" |
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| Q | Which bamboos have yellow or yellow striped culms? |
| A | Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'
Chimonobambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'
Chimonobambusa quadrangularis 'Suow'
Phyllostachys aurea 'Hoyochrysa'
Phyllostachys aurea 'Koi'
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f aureocaulis
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Lama Temple"
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'All Gold"
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillonis'
Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis
Semiarundinaria yashadake f. kimmii
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| Q | Which bamboos produce the thickest culms? |
| A | Phyllostachys bambusoides (and forms)
Phyllostachys dulcis
Phyllostachys nigra var henonis
Phyllostachys vivax (and forms) |
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| Q | Which bamboos tolerate salt laden winds? |
| A | Chusquea culeou
Phyllostachys aureosulcata ( and forms)
Phyllostachys bissettii
Phylloastachys nuda
Pleioblastus (all tall forms)
Pseudosasa japonica
Semiarundinaria (most species) |
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| Q | Why have some of my new canes died off? |
| A | We find that bamboos will abort some of the new shots if they have overproduced more than they can cope with , with the limitations they have ie available water, amount of rhizome . Phyllostachys violescens does this a lot some years as it produces more than it can maintain, so aborts several before they mature. |
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| Q | Why is my black bamboo not black? |
| A | The new shoots come up green and they change , depending on the clone, over the first year. Some of the clones imported several years ago stayed green or blotched and have never turned black, it is always better to find a good clone from a reputable source or buy one where you can see the black showing.
The colour on the culms will also improve if it is grown with some natural sun light, plants grown in the shade can loose the colour. |
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| Q | How to I prune my grasses? |
| A | There are 3 types of grasses when it comes to pruning
1. Deciduous grasses should be cut back early spring just when growth is starting to appear, to a stump a few inches high.
2. Early flowering grasses should be cut back after flowering or very early before the new growth starts to appear.
3. Evergreen grasses can be left and combed to get all the dead growth out or can be cut back in spring , this does depend on the where the plant is and how it is being used - just pick which you prefer , but if cutting back to not cut back too hard. |
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| Q | I have a pond, what can I plant in it? |
| A | Caltha,
Houttuynia,
Iris pseudoacorus 'Variegata;,
Carex elata 'Aurea',
Carex pendula,
Carex pendula 'Moonraker',
Carex siderostrica,
Carex siderostrica 'Variegata',
Glyceria,
Juncus,
Phragmites
Spertina
Plants grown in nursery compost will need nursery compost removed and planted in aquatic compost before putting in the pond. |
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| Q | What evergreen grasses have you got? |
| A | We have Carex, Luzula and Chionochloa are the best evergreen grasses as we have found these to be some of the best and easiest to grow. |
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| Q | When do I split my grasses? |
| A | Grasses should be divided in the spring just before growth restarts. This is the best time to work on grasses in pots too . Grasses are better to be split every few years as this rejuvenates them and any dead growth can then be removed at this time.
Dividing grasses can be done with a sharp knife or saw through the roots. Others can be pulled apart. Always trim back grasses after dividing , if you damage the roots , the top growth needs to be cut back to compensate for this.
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| Q | When do I divide my herbaceous plants? |
| A | Plants that die right back are best to be divided in winter or very early spring before they start producing new growth. Other"s should be divided early spring just before growth starts. This can be done with a sharp knife or just pulled apart depending in the type of plant.
Herbaceous plants do benefit from being lifted and split every few years . |
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| Q | How do I prune shrubs? |
| A | The general rule for shrubs is prune after flowering. Pruning back by a third will keep the plant compact and encourage new growth.
Evergreen shrubs just require a light trim in the spring to keep the shape and keep them bushy. |
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