Bamboo in a pot

madjackslam

I've had bamboo (p aurea) in a wooden barrel for a few years and have been happy with it. It needs regular watering, but if you forget it reminds you by wrinkling up its leaves a little. Water it then and it forgives you - leave it any longer and it will shed. Watch it particularly in windy weather, when it seems to dry more quickly. It's probably reached 3m at most, including the pot!!. Rather than trim from the top I tend to remove leaves from the bottom so that you get the bamboo canes then leaves at the top.

After about seven years, though, it does now need a bit of TLC, which will probably be tip out, chuck half of it away and give it fresh compost, etc. It is getting beyond scruffy!

robatwork

I ended up planting in a border, and wouldn't mind it spreading, but only sideways. I've had a stern word with it, and hope we both understand each other now. If I remember I will update the thread in a couple of years if we're both standing.

So now I have two big pots and am thinking an ornamental tall cypress, or even a palm, but something that won't take too much light.