Page 1 Bamboo

OGDEN’S DESIGN & PLANTINGS, INC. WWW.OGDENS.COM TEL: (631) 473-5064 BAMBOO BAN DOES IT AFFECT YOU? This year towns and villages on Long Island and clump forming. Phyllostachys is one have enacted legislation regarding the plant- of the most commonly found genus on Long ing and maintenance of bamboo. Some Island. It is a running type of bamboo. bamboo varieties can be very invasive, es- Ranging in height from 20’ to 60’, some Design & Installation: pecially if they are running forms that were different species include: P. aurea (yellow not installed with root barriers or any means stems), P. aureosulcata (larger growing • Natural Gardens of control. New legislation has been de- with yellow stems), and P. bissetti (green/ • Japanese Gardens signed to give property owners recourse in black stems with a white line at each node). • Bed Maintenance controlling bamboo that has run amuck. A running bamboo’s root system will ex- People who have bamboo on their property tend out as far as the height of the culm an- • Therapeutic Gardens can now be held accountable, to contain and nually. These roots will continue to spread • Paths & Patios control the invasiveness, and sometimes every year. If left unchecked they can be • Stone & Brickwork destructive root systems, of these perennial very invasive and destructive, and because evergreens. It’s not hard to their roots are very tough, al- • Specialty Gardens contain, but you must know most like a steel cable, they • Seasonal Color the right way to do it. are difficult to eradicate. & Interest There are even varieties that don’t run and don’t Less common, but hardy to Fall To-Do List: need containment. Let’s Long Island, is Fargesia nitida start by understanding the and Fargesia murielae. • Clean out annuals & basic fundamentals of the Known as the umbrella bam- vegetable plants plants and then we can dis- boo, they are delicate and • Remove dead, diseased cuss the means and ways to smaller in stature. Growing to & broken branches control them. a height of 10’ to 15’. The from trees & shrubs roots are clump forming and Bamboo is a member of the do not spread, making them • Cut back and mulch Poaceae or grass family. much easier to manage and perennials They are some of the fast- contain. • Clean & put away est growing plants in the garden equipment for world. They are native to If you need to contain bamboo, winter Asia, India and South America. Most bam- the best way is with a plastic root barrier. boos typically found on Long Island origi- We recommend for most situations a barrier More tips on our website nated from China. They are temperate and 36” deep, with 6” above and 30” below www.ogdens.com can survive temperatures as low as -20 de- ground. Kew gardens, in England, have grees Fahrenheit. been studying and maintaining bamboos Ogdenwords: since 1891. They developed this technique Culm: The stem of a plant, On Long Island, bamboo stems or culms which many have utilized. It has withstood usually hollow except at emerge from the ground in June and July time, lasting for decades. The barrier must the nodes, such as stems of and grow to their full height within a couple be made from a continuous sheet of plastic, grasses, eg bamboos. of months. Then branches extend from the that folds back on itself creating a closed Rhizome: Normally a nodes and leaf out. Over the next couple of end. Part of the barrier extends above horizontal creeping stem years, the inner pulpy wall of each culm ground so that roots can be monitored annu- lying on or under the ground from which shoots hardens as it matures. As the clump and its ally, ensuring that they don’t jump over the will arise and roots rhizomes mature, taller and larger culms top and escape. descend; a type of will be produced. The height and diameter rootstock. The bearded iris of each culm is dependent on both the age Ogden’s is a member of the American Bam- is an example of an underground rhizome. of the clump and the variety. In very cold boo Society and has been successfully in- temperatures or with winter’s desiccating stalling root barriers for over 15 years. If Temperate: Moderate in winds, leaves and stems may brown and die. you are unsure of what to do with your bam- respect to temperature; not subject to prolonged Since the roots are hardy, new shoots and boo Ogden’s can guide you through the extremes of hot or cold foliage will emerge later in spring. process. Give us a call, we will ensure the weather. planting and maintaining of bamboo will be Bamboos fall into two categories: running beautiful and manageable for you! .

Load more