Discussion
Grows quickly, gives good cover.
We have some, I mean next door has some, but it is springing up all over on our side of the fence. It's very tenacious, roots run for a long way and it sprouts up, the leaves have little barbs/hairs which get into the skin. Plus it drops a lot of leaves which give me a nice job having to keep it clear.
Unless you have an area you don't mind having taken over by this stuff, I'd say the pain factor is more than the benefit of quick growing screening.
We have some, I mean next door has some, but it is springing up all over on our side of the fence. It's very tenacious, roots run for a long way and it sprouts up, the leaves have little barbs/hairs which get into the skin. Plus it drops a lot of leaves which give me a nice job having to keep it clear.
Unless you have an area you don't mind having taken over by this stuff, I'd say the pain factor is more than the benefit of quick growing screening.
I was reading that you can sink plastic a couple of feet down which will prevent any unwanted spread. The idea would be to keep it along the back fence and within, say, three feet of it. So I'd have to sink plastic shrouding in those measurements to contain it.
Any other suitable screening solutions before I make too much hard work for myself?!
Any other suitable screening solutions before I make too much hard work for myself?!
We have several plants, been in for about 10 years. One is a black version (phyllostachys nigra)which has small leaves, the canes turn black with a decent amount of light and is inclined to run (certainly in our sheltered garden). Was originally planted without barrier, but 3 years ago it got sufficiently out of control with runners that we took out 2 large clumps, and transplanted one into another area. At the same time we installed a proper barrier - 2mm thick plastic sheet about 600mm deep, surrounding the plants (with an overlap) buried to just about ground level. It's now about 4.5m tall.
Its not as dense as some, and we also have an arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa Japonica) which is clump forming, has much larger leaves and would probably be better for screening, but I have noticed that the canes can be irritating to bare skin, as they seem to have very fine hairs on them. All need watering though, and regular feeding, plus you should leave the fallen leaves around the plant to aid replenishment of silica. I think they add another dimension to a garden, apart from any screening properties - you get the movement and sound with the breeze.
In my experience, although our plants are in relatively sheltered positions, they survived a couple of really severe winters without any problems. Just need to be careful with any snow build up - knock it off to prevent the canes breaking under the weight.
Its not as dense as some, and we also have an arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa Japonica) which is clump forming, has much larger leaves and would probably be better for screening, but I have noticed that the canes can be irritating to bare skin, as they seem to have very fine hairs on them. All need watering though, and regular feeding, plus you should leave the fallen leaves around the plant to aid replenishment of silica. I think they add another dimension to a garden, apart from any screening properties - you get the movement and sound with the breeze.
In my experience, although our plants are in relatively sheltered positions, they survived a couple of really severe winters without any problems. Just need to be careful with any snow build up - knock it off to prevent the canes breaking under the weight.
hornetrider said:
I was reading that you can sink plastic a couple of feet down which will prevent any unwanted spread. The idea would be to keep it along the back fence and within, say, three feet of it. So I'd have to sink plastic shrouding in those measurements to contain it.
Yes, but not just any plastic. It needs to be stuff designed for the purpose. Do not underestimate the ability of bamboo and other grass rhizomes to penetrate even quite tough materials!As you can see part-way through my "wildlife pond" thread, I have had the rhizomes from an ornamental grass (not bamboo, but the rhizomes look extremely similar) punch through the butyl pond liner. In fact, when I partly drained the pond and pulled the liner back, it had gone through in five or six places in only a couple of months.
I have now bought some of the following root barrier material, which is specifically designed (and guaranteed) against penetration by bamboo rhizomes:
http://www.green-tech.co.uk/rootbarrier_bamboo/
If you're planting bamboo in the ground, I'd strongly recommend putting this stuff at least a couple of feet down into the ground. At the very least, you should put it along your boundary line if planting near the edge of your garden - it would be un-neighbourly not to.
hornetrider said:
damci said:
Leylandii 
I've had that before, no thanks!! hornetrider said:
That looks just what I'm after - how tall is that? What type? Putting it in pots on the face of it solves a lot of problems... does it try and break out of them?
The ones in the box are about 11 feet tall (p. aurea on the left and p. niger on the right). They used to be in pots but kept blowing over, so I built the box using some spare fence-post and gravel board. None have escaped from containers so far.OscarIndia said:
Make sure you plant it in Pots/Tubs, it is massively invasive, so if you let the roots roam it will take over and is difficult to control.
Some varieties are, some are very well behaved. The Fargesias are very garden friendly.The invasive ones can be contained with root barrier.
Phyllostachys Nigra (the one with black canes) is lovely and relatively non-invasive. If at all concerned, use root barrier.
Edited by B17NNS on Friday 7th November 14:11
As B17NNS says just speak to the garden centre as some species are more invasive than others. We have had two different types in the garden for nearly ten years and they have not taken over or run loose. They have nothing to restrain the roots. Ours are slow growing and do not need to be contained. Some other varieties do.
As for conifers et al, definitely NO. Whilst one of the poster's father trims his twice a year I would suggest that maybe he is retired/very much enjoys gardening or is a keen arborist. Most however forget to keep them trimmed and either let them get too big (- tree surgeon) or miss a year or two and then later cut them back hard leaving an unsightly brown mess.
If you do not want bamboo then a laurel or bay would work. Evergreen and you can be lazy with it and cut it back after leaving it for a couple of years. After a hard cut it may be brown initially but will always recover.
Pip
As for conifers et al, definitely NO. Whilst one of the poster's father trims his twice a year I would suggest that maybe he is retired/very much enjoys gardening or is a keen arborist. Most however forget to keep them trimmed and either let them get too big (- tree surgeon) or miss a year or two and then later cut them back hard leaving an unsightly brown mess.
If you do not want bamboo then a laurel or bay would work. Evergreen and you can be lazy with it and cut it back after leaving it for a couple of years. After a hard cut it may be brown initially but will always recover.
Pip
We have some, not sure of the variety but it's been in 10yrs now and no sign of invasion. It's in a pretty shady position and dosen't get a lot of water due to being in the shadow of a huge ash. At the same time I planted some laurel to make a mixed screening this has bulked out but not quite as tall. It forms an attractive area, which I had removed leylandii from.
Try and mix it up a bit.
Try and mix it up a bit.
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