Bamboo for Beginners
Here you will find some bamboo basics: basic botanical information, plant terminology, how bamboo grows, how to care for your bamboo, and other bits and pieces. The links contained on this page are arranged by topic, so you can scan a collection of my blog articles by category, all on one page. If you get to clicking links and get lost, just click on the “Bamboo for Beginners” tab at the top of the page to get back here.
Basic Botanical Stuff
What is bamboo and where does it grow?
Bamboo Morphology and Growth
Getting Started With Bamboo
Selecting a Bamboo at the Nursery
Bamboo Care and Maintenance
How to Contain a Running Bamboo
How to Prune Dwarf and Shrub Bamboos
How to Prune Medium – Timber Bamboos
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I have found your blog inspiring. I live in the local area and would like to use bamboo as a privacy fence in a housing development. Also we have a septic tank near by. My husband is affraid the bamboo will take off into the neighbors yard and also our drainfield. Any suggestions? Thank you so much
If by “local” you mean western WA, I recommend Fargesia scabrida for your privacy screen. It’s my favorite of the clumping bamboos that do well here, and no, it shouldn’t be a problem with the drain field or the spreading to the neighbor’s yard.
Wow, thanks! this is a perfect source for my botany research paper. It sure beats the confusing Wikipedia page. :S
i liked it so much that i had to leave a comment telling you.
I live in on the east coast of central Florida, and im wanting to plant a bamboo barrier in my back yard before they begin developing the townhomes behind my home. My back yard is only about 25′ deep so i dont think i want to plant “running” bamboo. Which type of bamboo would you recomend? Im thinking i would like a plant that would be 20′-30′ fully matured. Thanks for your time!
In southern Maine I am thinking that Fargesia scabrida is the best bamboo to plant for screening from the neighbor. I have almost total shade there & understand that this bamboo is very shade tolerant & also prefers slightly acidic soil- which we have. There is morning sun but only indirect & for about 2-4 hrs depending on season. I absolutely need clumping since I cannot be there to contain & prune running species. Also on the river , they will not allow running bamboo. Any advice? Where can I buy it? I have combed the web looking for mail order or local nurseries & cannot find anything. Any ideas? Thanks