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Bamboo: Background • Uses • Containment • F.A.Q.

 

Background

LITTLE ACRE FARM
223 Victory Road
Howell, NJ 07731

Telephone - (732) 938-6300
Fax - (732) 938-6340

Worldwide there are well over 1,000 different species, with several hundred available in the United States. They range from groundcover bamboo that will reach several inches at maturity to giant bamboo that can reach over 100’ in the tropics and from quick-spreading species to clumping types of bamboo that expand outward only a few inches a year. Some types of bamboo thrive in hot, humid rainforests while others are cold hardy, surviving in temperatures as low as –20 degrees. Bamboo comes in many colors, sizes, and textures. Bamboo is a grass that has many different species. It is native to most parts of the world, including the U.S.A. Canebrake, as it is called in the Southeast, is the only bamboo that is native to the continental U.S. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant. Some varieties can send new shoots up out of the ground at a rate of over 1 foot per day.


When a bamboo species flowers,
it can do so in unison world wide.


BAMBOO FEATURES
Evergreen - Deer Resistant -
Fast Growing - Edible -
Relatively Pest Free - Many Sizes & Colors
There are two basic types of bamboo. They are the running (spreading) and the clumping (non-spreading). The clumping bamboo remains in a tight bunch of culms (stalks). With the addition of new culms, the bunch gets larger each year. It expands at a rate of a few inches per year. The running bamboo is an excellent screening plant that will spread quickly and densely fill an area.

 

Uses
















Evergreen - Deer Resistant -
Fast Growing - Edible -
Relatively Pest Free - Many Sizes & Colors





Screening ~ Ground Covers ~ Accenting
Specimen Plantings ~ Erosion Control ~ House/Office Plants ~ Hedges and Topiary


Click Here for More Details on Bamboo Uses

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Containment
Mowing the new shoots over in the spring is an inexpensive and effective way of controlling your bamboo. When the bamboo shoots emerge in the spring, they are very tender and are easily clipped off. Water is a natural barrier. Streams or consistently wet sites such as bogs act as barriers that the bamboo will not cross.
“Rhizome barrier” may be used when planting bamboo near areas with limited access such as property lines, gardens, walks, and other planting areas.The rhizome barrier is a polyethylene sheet 30” wide that can be c ut to any length. The barrier is placed into a narrow trench surrounding the bamboo, containing its root system and allowing for drainage below. Although other materials can be used as barriers such as cement, sheet metal, and fiberglass, the polyethylene sheet has proven to be the most reliable, as it does not rot, rust, or crack and is flexible enough to be freeformed to any desired bed line. A lip is left above ground so it can be checked for any rhizomes (roots) that may hop over the barrier. When installed properly, the rhizome barrier provides excellent containment.

 

F.A.Q.

Will bamboo survive in my area?
There are numerous varieties of bamboo, and they have adapted to most parts of the world, from tropical climates to very cold climates with temperatures as low as –20F degrees. There are many bamboos that will survive in the northeastern United States and even remain evergreen.

Can you remove unwanted bamboo from an area?
Yes, we have successfully removed even very old, well-established stands of bamboo. Contrary to popular belief, digging the plants out or using herbicides are not effective ways of removing bamboo.

Are all bamboos spreaders?
There are two basic types of bamboo, spreading and clumping. Spreaders can pop up new shoots a good distance away from the original plant. Clumping bamboo, on the other hand, form clusters and usually only travel a few inches a year.

How far will bamboo travel underground?
Spreading bamboos have the capability of sending rhizomes out distances roughly equal to the height of the tallest bamboo. For example, a ten-foot tall bamboo can send rhizomes out 8-10 feet before sending up a new shoot. Bamboo rhizomes are generally shallow, less than one foot in depth. If the bamboo has nowhere else to spread, it can send its rhizomes deeper.

How long does bamboo live?
As a whole, a grove can go on infinitely, as it is constantly producing new culms every year. Each individual bamboo or culm has the ability to live approximately 7-10 years, depending on the environmental conditions and the species of the bamboo.

What kind of maintenance does bamboo require?
The maintenance for bamboo is rather simple. To keep it looking clean, older and dead or damaged canes should be removed. The leaves of the bamboo may be left to add nutrients such as silica back into the soil and also act as mulch, helping to keep weeds out and moisture in. The other maintenance task is to contain the spread of bamboo if it is an issue.

Does bamboo need a lot of water?
Once established, bamboo does not require any more water than most plants. In fact, bamboo does not like to be planted in soils that are consistently wet or waterlogged. Contrary to its tropical appearance, most bamboos do not do well in wetland or bog areas.

 

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