OK Tim, below are some of the questions I addressed from Leslie in LA. Leslie,mowing and weed eating the new shoots works best for us. We control our 153 species by doing this and have do so for many years. The bamboo rhizomes will grow in several directions underground looking for energy and sun light. When the rhizome buds are aborted ( mowed or kicked) and prevented from their energy and sunlight mission that rhizome will slowly die over a period of several years. In other words the root will grow outward and put up shoots or canes. When all these are mowed for up to three years that rhizome will die back to the point of the last cane that is supplying energy to it. Bamboo is a grass and persistent, but not magical. It will grow where you let it and there are proven ways to control it very easy. The Japanese and Chinese have lived and loved bamboo for thousands of years. They grow it on thousands of acres and in small 100 square foot court yards. You should visit a bamboo farm and see first hand how bamboo grows and there are several down your way. Moso does grow to over 70 feet as there are mature groves of Moso on Avery Island, Abbeville and several other cities in LA. Any knowledgeable bamboo grower knows the huge Moso that grows through out the southeast including LA. The Moso growing in LA is second only to the Fant clone of Moso that started it all in Anderson, S.C. This clone can be seen at: ANDERSON GROVES DIRECTIONS Directions: Take exit 19 off I85 towards Anderson (US 76, US 25 and Clemson Blvd.) in about 7 miles Clemson Blvd. changes to N. Main Street. Two blocks past city hall, turn left on E. River Street. Turn right on White Street, at the forth traffic light. The entrance to Silverbrook cemetery is two blocks after you turn on to White Street. The bamboo maintained by the SEC is located at the back of the cemetery. I am sure you know where Avery Island is and it would be a great site to visit and see large Moso. Roger Sr. I have two more questions. Your website suggests controlling bamboo by mowing, or by kicking over the newly emerging canes. I like this idea - it may work well for me. But I'm confused. If I mow/kick over canes in a 30-foot zone around my grove, wouldn't the rhizomes eventually continue travelling underground (past the kicked-over/mowed culms) until they got beyond the 30-foot zone (and into my neighbor's yard)? Second question: I really like the moso bamboo. Does it really grow to 75' in the southeast? (I live in zone 8, south Louisiana). One website said the average height in the southeast is 30 feet -which would actually be better for me, where I'd like to put it. (I have hard, dry clay soil.) Leslie >From: "Roger >To: "Leslie >Subject: RE: Bamboo for zone 8? Hot, humid, drought, windy, and clay soil? > Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2005 15:20:25 -0600 > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Leslie >Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 11:39 AM >To: Roger Sr.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >Subject: Bamboo for zone 8? Hot, humid, drought, windy, and clay soil? > > >Is it possible for me to grow bamboo? I live in Franklinton, >Louisiana, (southeast Louisiana, zone 8). ===========yes, we have sold >a ton of bamboo since 1995 to your state and it all does very well. > > You specilize in cold-hardy bamboo. What about the heat? >==========many species grow in the southwest and are very drought hardy >such as the 'giant gray' Henon. It does great in Nevada and Arizona >which are much drier than your state. > > I see that some of your bamboos, like "Phyllostachys nigra 'Henon'" >(pretty!!) mention tolerance of heat and clay soils. I'm really >worrked about the clay and dry soils. I don't mind watering frequently >for the first year or two, to get it established, but I'm planting >things that will adapt naturally to the area.=== Just amend the >planting area with plenty of composted manure or good potting soil. We >have tried several types of potting soils including expensive mixes and >this is what we have finally settled on. Soil is generally not a big >problem if you amend the site at first and get the bamboo starter >bamboo divisions off to a good start. We recommend using a soil mixture >of sandy loam and composted manure (Walmart has a 40lb Composted Manure >for around $1.00 and the bamboo loves it). Dig each hole large enough >to allow one 40lb.bag per hole + the bamboo plant. >If >possible dig up a large area where you want the bamboo to spread. doing >this loosens the soil and mixing in good composted material helps >provide rich trace elements that the bamboo will love. If you are going >to just dig a hole for each division and not till up the area then the >planting hole is generally no larger than 12 inches deep by 36 inches >wide. Bamboo has a swallow root system usually in the top 12 inches of >the soil. It does not hurt the bamboo plant (unlike trees or other >plants) to replant it a few inches deeper. On large divisions such as >Field Specimens these are often planted 6 to 8 inches deeper to help >stabilize the larger culms. A donut depression is helpful to retain >water and we always mulch. The mulch is important not only for the >cold, but during the summer to hold the moisture in between watering. > >FERTILIZE only after the bamboo has been in the ground for one year. > > > > > >I live on a low hill in the middle of an old cow pasture. It's now >growing bahia grass. I had the soil analyzed - the report came back as >"fine sandy loam" - this seems correct for the first 3-8 inches, but >under that, it's red clay. Hard as cememt in the summer. Rain has >been infrequent the last >2 years, so I don't want a drought-intolerant bamboo. However, I do >have some trees that are listed as "prefer moist" - namely water oak >and sweetgum >- growing quite happily here. > >Also, it's very windy here. There's nothing around to break the wind. >I'm on a hill with few trees - I planted a few, but they're small. So >the bamboo will have full sun ... at least, 'til the trees grow. > >I don't have the resources to dig up the grass to make a bed for the >bamboo. > I'll plant in a wide hole with good soil. ===========good, work in >composted manure. $1.50 for a 40 lb bag at Walmart or Lowes. > > I hope to cut the grass short >and mulch heavily with grass clippings - this improves the soil anyway >- and fertilize the bamboo well and frequently. If that won't be >enough, then I don't want to get bamboo.===========that will work. >Water every other day if possible for the first two weeks. Then this >Spring as often as possible for new shoot growth. After the bamboo is >established normal rainfall is all it needs. > >I liked the look of your Phyllostachys rubromarginata for a screen (not >as crazy about the golden; prefer a deeper green), and the slender >crookstem, and pigskin, and of course the black and giant gray Hebron >...========= I will list a few that we know for certain are growing in >your area or same climate zone. >I know it will take a little while to look over the information, but >please do so and just let us know if we can be of help. I will list >some links below to click on. These links will show photos of the >plants we ship and how they are prepared before we ship them to you. I >would not recommend the 'Black' with the needs you described and >watering. It is one of the more difficult ones to over all be pleased with little up keep. > >A giant, but maybe a little too large for your needs====GIANT MOSO is >the largest temperate bamboo on earth. If you are in the right area of the U.S. >and want the biggest then take time to look over this page and read about >Moso These are currently $xxxxxxxxxxand are almost all gone. There will >not >be any more seedlings once we have sold the remaining stock. We begin >with over 1246 last year and now have less than 40. >http://wwwxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >FAST GROWING BAMBOO FOR SCREENING =====one of top picks for your needs >and area. Adapts well to clay and wet sites or soil such as clay that >does not drain well. >Phyllostachys rubromarginata ' RUBRO ' or sometimes called ' RED MARGIN ' >is the fastest growing of all our 132 species. I have a limited supply >of 2 and 3 gallon sizes at this time. >They are $xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >http://wwwxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >TIMBER BAMBOO = SIZES UP FAST======does well in your area and likes >clay soil. >P.Viridis 'PIGSKIN' is a fast growing giant and was my first bamboo >species, I still love it. I have three gallon sizes available, they are >$xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx each. >Click here to see http://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >GIANT TIMBER BAMBOO >Phyllostachys nigra Henon ' GIANT GRAY ' This a true giant under ideal >conditions mature canes 65 feet in height X 4.5 inches in diameter. >I have a just a few 3 gallon sizes left at this time. This one is >drought hardy and needs very little attention. I have three gallon >sizes available, they are currently $xxxxxxxxxxxxeach. Click below to see this species. >P. gray henon http://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >GIANT TIMBER BAMBOO >Phyllostachys ' VIVAX ' The giant timber species under good conditions >normally reaches maturity at 70 feet tall and 5 inches in diameter. >Grows to mature sizes in climate zones 7 and 8. It is growing on Long >Island, after 10 years they have reported it is now producing canes >each Spring that are 40 tall by 3 inches in diameter. Very limited >stock of 3 gallon sizes currently priced at $xxxxxxxx each. >Click below to see this species. >http://wwwxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >We often can get more than one bamboo division in our boxes so don't be >surprised if the boxes are heavy and contain multiple plants. If you >want to see pictures of typical 3 gallon sizes we ship and learn about >planting, watering and other tips click here. >http://xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >Shipping and Handling $xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx per bamboo plant > >The 3 gallon should be planted on five foot centers if you are planting >several divisions of bamboo. >The 2 gallon should be planted on three foot centers if you are >planting several divisions of bamboo. >Planting on these intervals should really accelerate a screen or grove >faster. One division of bamboo will start a grove, however if you are >wanting a privacy screen fast then purchasing plenty and spacing as >recommended above it the way to get there fast. > >We ship on Mondays xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >shipped out the Monday after we receive them if we are not back up with >orders. >Please feel free to call xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and leave a >message if we miss your call. >. >Due to pending orders our next opening for shipping your bamboo is now xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >We hope by now that you have taken time to read over how bamboo grows. >If not please click to this page http://wwwxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > >Thanks and just let us know if we can be of help in anyway. > >Roger Lewis Sr. >Lxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://wwwxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >well, most of >them are pretty. I'd like 2 types; one for a screen, the other a >taller, more foresty-type grove I can walk through, maybe put a little >bench. Is this silly, or is it a reasonable dream? > >Thanks for your advise! >Leslie

Hi Heather, I'm extremely bummed that I just came across this post. I would have loved to buy some of those poles and rhizomes off you :( I'm crossing my fingers that you read this reply in hopes we can work something out this year. I just moved out here to Greenville from California and was super happy to know you were less than an hour away. If it's not too late please feel free to contact me at SippyStern@yahoo.com. Thank you

Hi Bruce, I dont want to turn this into another cottonwood/aspen rantbut I AM going to link one of the old RMG rants! Ever since I bought this house early in 04 Ive been battling these things, and over the years Ive come up with something that seems to work, so I thought Id let you in on my experiment results! I wont repeat all the stuff I said on that thread, but, first, even if your neighbor wanted to get rid of the tree, it only makes the situation worse. Once the "parent" tree is cut down, the suckers come up with a VENGEANCE! More about that in my 06.03.05 post! In April of 07 I resurrected the thread to report that using roundup on individual cottonwood suckers had been workingbut I was also killing a ring of grass around each sucker I sprayedand it was VERY labor intensive to try to spray the suckers without killing too much grass! And there were so many aspen suckers in my front yard that I couldnt use roundup on them without killing much of the grass! In July of 07 I did one more update to let everybody know that using Weed B Gon for suckers that were coming up in the grass worked very welland it continues to do so! My Final Plan included using Weed B Gon on any suckers coming up in grass, and using roundup on the suckers that came up in my perennial beds. To do that I cut the corner off of a plastic bag, pull the sucker up into the bag, and carefully (on a windless day) spray all the foliage inside of the bag, then fold the bag over and weight it down with something so the roundup doesnt "accidentally" get on the perennialswhich are often VERY close to the sucker. Closing up the bag also seems to help by "steaming" the sucker inside of the bag. When the sucker has completely browned, I pull the bag off and cut it off at or below the soil level. Since then Ive added another step to my faux eradication Plan! Now when Im digging to plant or dig up perennials and find a root thats bigger than about a half an inch, I dig the hole as big as I want/need it and then cut the root back to the side of the hole. Then I dig a little more soil out around the root, put a small baggie (non-zipper) over the end of the root, make sure the top/opening of the baggie is higher than the bottom which is around the end of the root, and pour a small amount of roundup over the end of the root into the plastic bag. Then I pack the top of the baggie shut with some of my nice heavy clay, plant what I want there, and fill the hole completely with (improved) soil. This, I have discovered, really seems to be a death knell for that particular rootnot that there arent a million-zillion more just waiting to make an appearance! But this method has successfully done-in the bigger roots that I had been spraying and/or cutting off ever since I moved in here. In case you cant tell, I have a BAD problem with cottonwood and aspen roots! The one neighbor behind me has THREE of them that are less than a foot away from my back fence. One of them has actually started moving the fence, and that same one is moving the (two-high) railroad ties that border the perennial bed that runs the whole way along the fence. The railroad ties that have found themselves in "a very moving position" are four and a half feet inside of the fence, so about 5 feet away from the tree! Mostly Im able to cut out the roots with a limb lopper, but Ive also cut out roots that were more than 3" in diameter, and I obviously had to saw them offincluding a few that were in my "escape-proof" garden which is between the back of my shed and my side fenceand is only about 20" wide! Its always fun working in there! In April 09, after years of cutting/spraying the suckers, I decided to apply a root mitigation program in my escape-proof garden! Here are some of the roots I cut out! And heres where they were cut out ofjust before "capping" the ends of the roots with plastic bags and pouring some roundup on them, and after refilling the hole with new soil! No suckers came up from these roots for the rest of the summer! And heres a picture of what I ran into when I was "trying" to dig up my Herrenhausen ornamental oregano to take along to the swap, and another one of some of the roots I had to dig out to plant my grape vinejust one, one-gallon plant! Ok! This has turned into another rant! I think Im justified! And after all the problems Ive had with cottonwood/aspen roots for well over 15 years now, I will definitely not be planting bambooor Virginia creeper or trumpet vine or mint or yarrow or gooseneck loosestrife (I LOVE the flowers!) or Mexican evening primrose or............... End of rantfor now! Skybird

Hello ,I would like to try some of your hardy bamboo seeds please. I live in southern Spain.I can send you some passionflower seeds and various other flower seeds such as silene---various varieties,ipomoema,julibrissin tree seeds,sunflower seeds and many more!! What do you think?