Bamboo

[mass_burner]

My wife wants to plant 3 bamboo plants for a 20ft privacy screen between properties. I figured I could just mow along both sides, keeping it a thin line.

Any experience with keeping bamboo at bay?

 

[begreen]

Bamboo can be a bear to keep at bay if not planned for well in advance with good barriers. This can be a real pita if there are adjacent garden beds. However, I believe there are non-spreading bamboos. Check to see if they will tolerate Mass temps.

 

[gzecc]

I just spent $500 to rent a mini excavator for two days and two days of labor to remove a section of bamboo that started spreading. I will never buy a property that has bamboo. Stay away. Go online and research the horror stories of bamboo removal.

 

[mass_burner]

I just spent $500 to rent a mini excavator for two days and two days of labor to remove a section of bamboo that started spreading. I will never buy a property that has bamboo. Stay away. Go online and research the horror stories of bamboo removal.

This reason for my concerns is a episode of ATOH, they dug a deep trench and put a container in it to plant the bamboo in.

 

[mass_burner]

Bamboo can be a bear to keep at bay if not planned for well in advance with good barriers. This can be a real pita if there are adjacent garden beds. However, I believe there are non-spreading bamboos. Check to see if they will tolerate Mass temps.

This is the type.

 

[begreen]

OK, that is nandina. It's not real bamboo and does not spread at all but grows instead as an evergreen shrub. We have several plants.

 

[mass_burner]

OK, that is nandina. It's not real bamboo and does not spread at all but grows instead as an evergreen shrub. We have several plants.

Oh, so I guess it will be safe. All were looking for is a privacy screen.

 

[begreen]

The label seems suspect for its recommendations. Once established this is a very tough and drought-tolerant plant. It needs very little water once established. Not sure about the low temp either. The first year we had temps in the teens and it set some of the plants back a bit. Didn't kill them totally but there were dead sections I had to cut out in spring. I've read it will lose its foliage when temps go below 10F.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c772

 

[mass_burner]

Hmm, I think this may the wrong plant for my application. I'm looking for a 6-8 ft thin, evergreen, not pine Christmas tree types, plant that will provide a screen even in winter.

 

[begreen]

Arbor Vitae? Just pick out one that stops at 6-8' or top prune annually.
http://www.naturehills.com/arborvitae-holmstrup

 

[mass_burner]

Arbor Vitae? Just pick out one that stops at 6-8' or top prune annually.
http://www.naturehills.com/arborvitae-holmstrup

Trying to stay away from that look. Something more unusual, modern looking, that's why we thought bamboo. Is there a non invasive species?

 

[begreen]

This might work. Requires some afternoon shade to be happy.
http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy clumping.htm

 

[EatenByLimestone]

What about holly? It's evergreen, uncommon, and will grow 6-8 feet tall depending on variety.

 

[mass_burner]

What about holly? It's evergreen, uncommon, and will grow 6-8 feet tall depending on variety.

Wife doesn't want holly, we also don't want a thick bush. We don't mind if it changes colors, as long as it still provides privacy.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Burning bush is dense enough to still give privacy after the leaves drop.

 

[drz1050]

Leland cypress?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Burning bush is invasive. Poplar may be a good choice, but it defoliates in the winter.

 

[begreen]

Euonymus compacta is pretty well self-contained. Grows slowly to a max of about 6-8ft. The county planted it 15 years ago at one of the park and ride lots and it has remained well mannered. But I think the clumping bamboo mentioned earlier would be a nicer green screen as long as there is some afternoon shading time. If full sun euonymus will do better.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Euonymous compacta is pretty well self-contained. The county planted it 15 years ago at one of the park and ride lots and it has remained well mannered.

My understanding is that it is invasive in many places (which the OP worried about)

 

[begreen]

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3082#b

I guess we'll see. We have a few in our yard. So far no sign of spreading. I have never seen it in the wild here, just in landscaped areas.

 

[begreen]

Also consider mahonia japonica, podocarpus_macrophyllus and pieris japonica.

 

[mass_burner]

The site is on the south side, partialy shaded by larger maples until ~2pm, then filtered/full sun till sundown.

 

[begreen]

I'd try the clumping bamboo. It will provide the look you like and there are tough varieties that will stay under 10'. And take a look at the pieris. We have it growing with nandina at the entrance pathway to our house. It looks nice year round and flowers in spring. You can get it with white or reddish flowers. It should look good when paired with bamboo, may be at the ends of the green fence.
http://www.bamboogarden.com/Hardy clumping.htm

 

[jeffesonm]

Unearthing this thread... I am thinking about planting a few Fargesia scabrida which are supposed to be clumping varieties of bamboo. Local place has 5 gallon plants around 4' tall and pretty bushy on sale for $68/ea, which sounded expensive but seems reasonable given the other online prices.

 

[begreen]

Rereading and I see I said to also consider nandina. I meant to say andromeda which works well with nandina in a plant screen. We have both.