| |
| Q | Do you do general gardening work locally? |
| A | Yes we will do garden thinning and pruning when required, but general week by week maintenance we can put you in touch with several good local, hard working people, for this. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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. It must be kept warm and moist . |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | I would like to visit and am looking for a good Bed & Breakfast that is local to you.
|
| A | Poplar Farm, Bressingham, 01379 687261, Villa Farm, Bressingham, 01379 687612, Strenneth, Fersfield, 01379 688182. Memories, South Lopham, 01379 688096. Church Farm House, North Lopham, 01379 687270. Osiers Country Lodges, Stuston, 01379 740910. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 (0.1m),
1L is 4 - 5 in (0.127m),
1.5L is 5in (0.15m) but deeper,
2L is 6 - 7 in (0.175m),
3/ 3.5L is 7- 9 in (0.2m),
5L is 9 - 10 in (0.255m),
7.5L is up to 12 in ( 0.3m) ,
10L is 12 - 14 in (0.355m),
15L is 14 - 15 in (0.38m) but deeper. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Are all the plants on the website available? |
| A | Yes, we try to keep the website as accurate as we can, we do however make the odd mistake, which we apologise for, as we only human. We update our website daily, should stock become available or sold out. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 or client. Prices can be left off labels and delivery notes will also not have prices. Should you require it we can also enclose a gift card. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Can you send plants to anywhere else except the UK? |
| A | Yes, apart from delivery to all of the UK including Highlands and Islands (with a £10 surcharge per box), we also deliver to all countries within the European Union. For foreign orders we will send you a list of quotes for different speeds of delivery, so please e - mail us with your request. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Do you send to the USA? |
| A | We can send books to the USA but sorry we can not send plants. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | When will my order arrive? and how much will it cost ? |
| A | We send out our orders on Monday to Thursday.
They will be sent as soon as we can after we receive the order, but at some times of year due to other commitments or if the weather is too hot or too cold, this may not be possible. If the plants are not ready for dispatch we will contact you and let you know. We now have a contract for timed delivery weekdays before 10am or 12 noon service......................................................................................................................................................................
Our standard service charges are as follows:
up to £50 £12.50
£50.01 - £100 £16.50
£100.01 - £150 £21.50
£150.01 - £200 £27.50
over £200 12.5% of order value........................................................................................................................
Before 10am service charges are as follows:
up to £50 £18.50
£50.01 - £100 £24.50
£100.01 - £150 £32.50
£150.01 - £200 £40.00
over £200 17.5% of order value..................................................................................................
Before 12am service charges are as follows:
up to £50 £16.50
£50.01 - £100 £22.50
£100.01 - £150 £30.50
£150.01 - £200 £38.00
over £200 15% of order value
Saturday delivery is an additional £15 per consignment up to 30Kg plus £15 for every 30kg thereafter. Standard service charge will appear automatically when you put in your order, if you opt for a timed delivery, please contact us and we will adjust the carriage accordingly.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Container Growing any plant, how often should I water ? |
| A | If the plant is in the ground, water well on planting. Then, making sure the water goes all the way down to the base of the roots. Allow the plant to use the water before watering again. You should never water a plant that is already wet. Give them a good watering once a week, and as the plant grows and establishes make the gap between watering longer. With a drip system, the plants are better having a good dose at night, maybe once or twice a week during the growing season, rather than a smaller amount regularly. than a small amount regularly.
For plants in containers, a newly potted plant will require less water than one that is established or pot bound. Get used to the changing colour of the compost as it dries, which will give you some indication when the plants needs watering. Do not forget weather conditions, size of plant, age of plant, all make a difference as to how much and how often watering is needed. One of the best ways to tell if it needs watering, is to pick the plant up to feel the weight of the pot when wet and when dry, so as to judge the
need for water by the weight of the pot. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Container Growing any plant - Size of pot |
| A | When potting plant a plant on, never over pot it or pot it into too large a pot as a young plant will not be able to cope with a large volume of wet soggy compost around its roots, this will cause root death. Pot in the next pot size up or two sizes up maximum.
The pot shape is also important a tall narrow pot will be unstable and a pyramid or bulbous shaped pot will be very hard to get the root ball out of when it comes to repotting again. In these cases it is often better to sit a plastic pot inside your bulbous pot and it can then be removed easily. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Container Growing any plant - Potting a plant on. |
| A | Any good multipurpose compost is good for all the plants we sell including bamboo's. Mix 50 / 50 with John Innes no. 3 is good, add 10% grit, 10% medium grade bark to give more, drainage, weight and stability to the pot. Add a good slow release fertiliser ie. 'Osmacote' granules. this will feed the pot gradually and mean there is food available when it needs it. Liquid feed in subsequent years or add more granules when repotting. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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. Once planted out, 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. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 . In any case, a young plant, particularly with bamboo's, will often overtake a large specimen, which because of its height, takes longer to establish. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Are all bamboos invasive? |
| A | No.
Only a third of the bamboos are invasive 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 and 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. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Are bamboos evergreen? |
| A | Yes, most are in the UK except Pleioblastus viridistriatus and the new Fargesias, frigida and frigidorum , which we class as semi - evergreen. In colder countries ie Scandinavia, the Fargesia and several others are semi - evergreen or deciduous. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Are cane (culm) colours affected by the shade? |
| A | No, with the exception of Phyllostachys nigra, which will loose some colour. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Are the leaves poisonous?
|
| A | No they are not poisonous to fish, humans or animals. The new shoots are very tasty to them all though !!!!!!!! |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Can we plant bamboos at any time of year? |
| A | Plant at any time as long as the ground is not frozen. If you have clay soil it is better to plant in the spring when the ground is starting to warm up, the drawback to this is that the plant will need watering all summer. The advantage of autumn planting is the roots can establish before the onset of winter and so will also require less water the following year. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Do the variegated bamboos loose their colour in the shade? |
| A | No, with the exception of Plioblastus viridistriatus and forms, which turns lime green. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 (this is usually at the base of the hole) that may have formed. Watering 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. Frequent and little watering will encourage unwanted surface rooting. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | How wide apart should I plant bamboos? |
| A | We usually recommend one per metre 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. As many of the bamboos eg. Fargesia, arch out once mature, a 3m spacing would be ideal, but this is looking long term and most of us do not have the time to wait for them to do that.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | I have Honey Fungus can I grow bamboo? |
| A | Bamboo is not affected by Honey Fungus at all . |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 do 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 . |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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. Fargesia tend to loose a few leaves late autumn and over the winter months, this is what they do in their native habitat to lighten their leaf load and prevent excessive moisture loss for the onset of winter. Phyllostachys will loose a few leaves in summer as the new shoots are produced. This leaf loss happens quickly and is hardly noticed. Some bamboos in times of severe drought, will also shed some of their older leaves, again to lighten their leaf load and prevent excessive moisture loss.
In a garden situation these leaves should be left around the plant as they act as a mulch to help keep to it moist around the roots. Also the nutrients in the leaves will leach out into the soil and benefit the bamboo in the following season. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 !!!! |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Our bamboo has gone brown, and the leaves shriveled. Why? |
| A | Your bamboo has either dried out or 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 the 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 is going through a flowering cycle. This does not happen very often and will regenerate after a spell of TLC. The clumping bamboos however, namely Fargesia and Thamnocalamus, will have to flower once in their life cycle to reproduce, timing is unknown but intervals can be of 100 years or more. seed is always produced and young plants can be grown again quite quickly. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | What are pests and diseases are bamboos prone to getting?, |
| A | Bamboos shoots are a tasty meal for not only humans, rabbits, deer, horses, dogs, squirrels but pandas are also partial to them, and can cause some physical damage by their grazing. Most bamboos can with stand this, but protect young plants if any of the above may be a problem.
Bamboos are only occasionally affected by aphids, and usually on container grown stock. Red spider mite, mealybug, whitefly and aphids are the main problem. They rarely attack garden plants.
Bamboo mite (Schizotetranychus celarius) can inhabit the undersides of the leaves and protect themselves with webbing before sucking the sap from between the veins of the leaf, which results in small pale rectangular patches that lack chlorophyll. This does not harm the bamboo but just leaves can look unsightly. A miticide can stop this at the early stages, but cutting back all the top growth and burning it and all the leaves on the ground around it is the surest way to get rid of it before it spreads to neighbouring bamboos. The storage in the rhizome will allow for regrowth in subsequent years.
Scale insect can appear on lower part of some bamboos particularly Phyllostachys, which can easily be rubbed off with washing up liquid and a pan scourer. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 spring and summer shoots are very brittle and they may abort if damaged. Old dead canes (culms) should be removed as low as possible, and also remove the thin culms, on plants that are now producing fatter culms. 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. This thinning process allows in the sunlight and also the rain and therefor aids the speed and maturity of your bamboo. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | What is the best way to contain bamboo roots? |
| A | Put a root barrier down under the soil, to 1 - 1/2 to 2 foot deep. This can be thick rubber, overlapping slabs or slate, corrugated iron or concrete. Sink in the ground at a very slight outward angle from the vertical with a minimum of 5cm protruding above the ground, so that you can see any invading or escaping rhizomes. They rarely go under. 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'.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | What size will the bamboos be when they arrive.? |
| A | All the bamboos vary in size,the size the plants are now are written in the description in the bamboo section on our website. Most of our plants are produced from juvenile stock as we find they produce quicker and 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 30cm - 60cm high.
The medium growing bamboos (that will grow to up to 3m ) ie: Fargesia, will have several shoots in a pot and be anything up to 1m in height.
The taller growing bamboos will be a max of 1.5m high These can be singe culms or multiple culms depending on the plant supplied. There is a limit depending on species as to what the rhizome can support in a small pot. 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, not plant height, which relates to the size of root - rhizome system.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Why are bamboos listed with such varying heights? |
| A | Bamboos will grow to different heights depending a where they are growing. A bamboo in a very windy exposed site will not grow as tall as one is a sheltered garden. A bamboo in a humid region will not grow as tall or as well as one in a dry situation and also the length of growing season and part of the country has an effect on the result you will get. A good example are of Phyllostachys nigra we have seen around the country in Aberdeen it was very compact and 3m high, Norfolk 5 - 6m and Cornwall it was an open habit and 7 - 10m high. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Why have some of my new canes (culms) died off? |
| A | We find that bamboo's will abort some of the new shoots if they have overproduced. The bamboo will always put the energy into the thickest and best culms and abort the potentially weak ones. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Why is my 'Black Bamboo' (Phyllostachys Nigra) not black? |
| A | The new shoots appear from their sheaths green and they change, depending on the clone, over the first year. The black colouring develops in light. 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 in a sunny aspect, plants grown in the shade will take longer to colour. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | I want to plant a jungle - like area that can be used by young children to play safely in .
|
| A | Many bamboos can be used depending on the space available.
Suggestions for using in large gardens:
Sasa palmata f. nebulosa,
Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei',
Pseudosasa japonica,
Phyllostachys bissetii.
In smaller gardens, use in random clumps to create alleys and circles.
We suggest:
Phyllostachys aurea or its forms,
Fargesia robusta,
Fargesia scabrida,
Fargesia rufa,
Fargesia murielae forms.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 become shredded in extreme conditions and the small leaved Thamnocalamus should be avoided unless they can be given some shade.
In clay soil 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. But if this is not possible work the soil well in advance of planting. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | I would like a bamboo for inside my house?
|
| A | All the bamboos we grow are hardy bamboos that will be happy in a cold 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,
Pleioblastus pygmaeus,
Shibatea kumasasa. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 shoots and rhizomes that can 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 all the other bamboos will be look wonderful by the pond. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | What is the best bamboos for very cold area's (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 bissetii,
Phyllostachys humilis,
Pleioblastus fortunei,
Pleioblastus pygmaeus,
Sasa kurilensis ( and forms of )
Sasa palmata f. nebulosa,
Shibatea kumasasa,
Yushania maculata.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which are the best bamboos for stabilizing banks ? |
| A | Chimonobambusa marmorea,
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda,
Phyllostachys bissetii,
Phyllostachys humilis,
Pleioblastus,
Sasa palmata f. nebulosa,
Sasa veitchii,
Semiarundinarea kagamiana,
Semiarundinarea yashadake (and forms of ). |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which are the best for groundcover? |
| A | Indocalamus solidus,
Indocalamus tessellatus,
Pleiobalastus fortunei,
Pleioblastus pygmaeus (and forms),
Sasa kurilensis - short form,
Sasa veitchii,
Sasaella masamuneana 'Albostriata',
Sasaella ramosa,
Shibatea kumasasa. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 nigra f. henonis,
Phyllostachys violascens,
Phyllostachys vivax (and forms),
Semiarundinarea (most forms).
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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).
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which bamboos are most tolerant of summer drought? |
| A | Chusquea culeou and gigantea,
Fargesia robusta,
Pseudosasa japonica,
Sasa palmata f. nebulosa,
Sasa veitchii,
Yushania maculata. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which bamboos have black, grey, tawny, purple - tinted and blue culms?
|
| A | Borinda albocera,
Borinda papyrifera,
Chusquea culeou ( some clones ),
Fargesia frigida,
Fargesia nitida ( some forms ),
Phyllostachys glauca,
Phyllostachys heteroclada,
Phyllostachys nigra ( and some clones ),
Thamnocalamus crassinodus ( all forms ).
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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',
Semirandinaria fastuosa ( and var. viridis),
Thamnocalamus ( all species),
Yushania brevipaniculata,
Yushania maculata. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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'. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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'. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which bamboos have yellow or yellow striped culms? |
| A | Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr',
Chimonobambusa marmorea 'Variegata',
Chimonobambusa quadrangularis 'Suow',
Phyllostachys aurea 'Hoyochrysa',
Phyllostachys aurea 'Koi',
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. aureocaulis,
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Lama Tempel',
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis,
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Allgold',
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillonis',
Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis,
Semiarundinaria yashadake f. kimmei.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which bamboos produce the thickest culms? |
| A | Phyllostachys bambusoides (and forms),
Phyllostachys dulcis,
Phyllostachys nigra var henonis,
Phyllostachys vivax (and forms). |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | Which bamboos tolerate salt laden winds? |
| A | Chusquea culeou and gigantea,
Phyllostachys aureosulcata ( and forms ),
Phyllostachys bissetii,
Phyllostachys nuda,
Pleioblastus (all tall forms),
Pseudosasa japonica,
Semiarundinaria (most species). |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 before growth is starts to appear, to stumps 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 where the plant is and how it is being used - just pick which you prefer, but if cutting back, do not cut back too hard but do well before growth commences in the spring. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | I have a pond, what can I plant in and around the margins of it? |
| A | Caltha,
Houttuynia,
Iris pseudoacorus 'Variegata',
Carex elata 'Aurea',
Carex pendula,
Carex pendula 'Moonraker',
Carex siderosthrica,
Carex siderosthrica 'Variegata',
Glyceria,
Juncus,
Phragmites,
Spartina.
Plants grown in nursery compost will need compost removed and planted in aquatic compost before putting in the pond. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | What evergreen grasses have you got? |
| A | We have Carex, Luzula, Juncus and Chionochloa are the best evergreen grasses. |
| Back to top |
| |
| Q | What is the best time of year to split my grasses? |
| A | Spring or early summer. Always wait until your grass has started to regrow in the spring before you work on them. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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.
|
| Back to top |
| |
| 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. Othe"s should be divided early spring just before growth starts. This can be done with a sharp knife or just pulled apart depending on the type of plant.
Herbaceous plants do benefit from being lifted and split every few years, otherwise they become old and woody. |
| Back to top |
| |
| 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 their shape and keep them bushy and fresh. On more established deciduous shrubs it is wise to thin out very old growth to prevent congestion and disease. |
| Back to top |
