I have no idea why the idea popped into my head to see if bamboo could be grown in Canada, but I'm glad it did. Turns out that not only could I grow it there was a supplier just outside of Vancouver BC.
Bamboo has so many uses, some variations the young shoots are edible.
The first ones I'm getting are mostly for asthetics, and a much needed privacy screen. http://www.bambooworld.com/bamboo/bamboo-plants/phyllostachys-aureosulcata-harbin-inversa
Once the grove is healthy I'm sure they will provide much more than privacy and beauty
Anyone else growing or planning on growing bamboo?
I have grown it. Keep in mind it gets very large and can take over your garden.
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Chance favours the prepared mind
My soil is very rocky, as in nothing but rocks. I can barely grow my lawn.
I'm going to have to build a raised bed for it. Plus I don't want it to take over the neighbors yards, as its going to be a fence line screen. So I've factored in the rhizome spread already. Thanks for the tip.
The rest of my garden is a container garden on the patio
This is a page I read before ordering my bamboo.
http://www.bamboogarden.com/barrier%20installation.htm#Open%20sided%20barrier
I have a neighbour that planted a fairly low growing running bamboo and I love it . It gives a border between their property and mine and it never establishes in our pasture as the animals graze it off and they eat the foliage so it makes sort of a living fence that provides fodder . I am going to plant another golden variety in a very shady spot as a screening from the road . It will look ornamental and again if it spreads towards my property, the animals graze it off . I have used it for making mason bee bundles and for small garden stakes .
Great information as fruit trees are the project of the year for me.
Would they also do this to other fruit trees such as apple or nectarine?
Any suggestions for protective ring materials?
I have some 4' chicken wire and wonder if that would be enough.
I have made boxes around my young fruit and nut trees out of pallets wired together to keep the grazing beasties off and it helps. If I had sheep I would say it would be all you need , but goats , horses and cows will be a lot harder to keep off from damaging ( if not utterly destroying ) the trees. I can only turn some horses out in the orchard for about two hours as when their interest wanes from eating grass , they turn to browsing whatever else they can reach . Best might be to restrict access to the orchard to sheep and poultry and waterfowl that graze like geese ? But bamboo is good fodder for perimeter hedgerows that can be grazed if it invades the pasture my horses have grazed it off and it forms a perfect privacy wall spreading all directions except into our pasture .