Bamboo in a pot

robatwork

Hello all,
Have bought some bamboo - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=1448 Phyllostachys aurea that I am planning to put into a large container to stop it spreading all over the garden.

The idea is to let it grow to about 3 m and as wide as possible to give some privacy next to a fence.

Any tips on how to plant, how often I should water etc? Not sure what the opposite of green-fingered is, but that's me. I have lined the (wooden, 50x50x50cm) container with plastic and made some drainage holes. I have some home made compost and plan to mix in some shop bought peat free compost. Should the root ball be level with the top of the soil?

thanks

Davesnave

You will be forever watering if it goes in a container, and if you forget, it's not very tolerant of being dried-out. It'll survive, but then it takes a season to grow new leaves.

Much better would be to use a root barrier of some kind, although p.aurea is a clumper and won't spread rapidly anyway. It will probably take a couple of years just to settle in.

That's not what you wanted to hear is it? Never mind, there will be somebody along in a moment telling you it'll take over your garden!

I_have_spoken

I have lined the (wooden, 50x50x50cm) container with plastic

Plastic won't stop bamboo roots, you'll want a proper containment bag. At least I needed one for Pseudosasa japonica, the arrow bamboo.

Mojisola

Davesnave wrote: »

Much better would be to use a root barrier of some kind, although p.aurea is a clumper and won't spread rapidly anyway. It will probably take a couple of years just to settle in.

That's not what you wanted to hear is it? Never mind, there will be somebody along in a moment telling you it'll take over your garden!

I hope not - I've just planted some and hope they will stay where they've been put!

phoebe1989seb

At our last four houses - including this one - we've planted bamboo p.aurea in the ground and had no issue with spreading invasively. Indeed, as Dave says, it takes a while to establish itself. The groupings - each of about five plants - we put in here 18 months ago are just starting to look settled. We also have one that has been in a large planter for about eight years - it has done *ok* but I wouldn't say it had thrived.......

Edited to add - There is also a fairly large clump that was already here when we purchased this house 20 months ago. I would guess it has been in situ at least twenty years as the guy we bought from only maintained the PO's planting. It has shown no sign of spreading whilst we've been here.

sheramber

In the link above it states

May remain clump-forming in poor or dry soils but can become invasive in warm, moist or favourable

robatwork

Because of where this bamboo will be located, it would be impossible to trim the top unless it's in a pot which I can then tip over to cut.

My idea was that once it gets to above 3m I will cut it back to 3m, with the hope it will clump outwards

Thanks for the advice so far,

Mojisola

robatwork wrote: »

Because of where this bamboo will be located, it would be impossible to trim the top unless it's in a pot which I can then tip over to cut.

My idea was that once it gets to above 3m I will cut it back to 3m, with the hope it will clump outwards

In my opinion, it would look awful if you give it a haircut!

It will spread naturally, even the clumping varieties spread.

Davesnave

Admittedly, I have quite dry soil, but mine has barely gone beyond 3m.

I agree, the haircut wouldn't look so good.

robatwork

Anyone want to buy 2 nice new wooden planters?

whitesatin

I put two bamboos into containers 5 years ago, two wooden, two terracotta containers. I am not very good at looking after them but they have survived and they look fine with a reasonable amount of watering and the odd feeding with general purpose feed. People told me they would burst through the containers but not so far.