Cold Damage So Far

[mantis]

We got an unexpected surprise last night... it was supposed to be a low of 40, but I woke up to 34*. Saturday night is supposed to drop down to 29*.

This spring B. vulgaris is going to be replaced with B. ventricosa.

[Bamboo Outlaw]

You may want to reconsider the ventricosa. It gets BIG. Mantis, you are welcome to come tour here sometime if you want. A short ride down hwy 36.

[mantis]

You may want to reconsider the ventricosa. It gets BIG. Mantis, you are welcome to come tour here sometime if you want. A short ride down hwy 36.

This is what I see from my porch... two trampolines, a play fort, and a fire engine red shed.

<img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f361/ ... r_clip.jpg">

I want big. I want crazy. I want my neighbors gone.

[Roy]

You may want to reconsider the ventricosa. It gets BIG. Mantis, you are welcome to come tour here sometime if you want. A short ride down hwy 36.

This is what I see from my porch... two trampolines, a play fort, and a fire engine red shed.

<img .../neighbor_clip.jpg">

I want big. I want crazy. I want my neighbors gone.

But as Bamboo Outlaw said "It get BIG" and plus it sweeps over a good bit. Don't you think a textilis form would be better? Erect and doesn't get quite as large, plus it's cold hardy for your area:

[mantis]

But as Bamboo Outlaw said "It get BIG" and plus it sweeps over a good bit. Don't you think a textilis form would be better? Erect and doesn't get quite as large, plus it's cold hardy for your area:

I'm aware of it's size. I've been to the back 40 at Mercer Arboretum and have seen a full grown specimen. This directive is actually coming from my wife. I wanted to plant 30-35' varieties, but was trumped. My wife said "I don't care if they go crazy and intermix with each other! I want big!" She has a small ongoing feud with the neighbors, so she wants to wipe them out of existence.



At least I still have 2 months to try and talk her out of this. If I can't then I am expecting to spend a fair amount of time with hedge maintenance.

[Roy]

But as Bamboo Outlaw said "It get BIG" and plus it sweeps over a good bit. Don't you think a textilis form would be better? Erect and doesn't get quite as large, plus it's cold hardy for your area:

I'm aware of it's size. I've been to the back 40 at Mercer Arboretum and have seen a full grown specimen. This directive is actually coming from my wife. I wanted to plant 30-35' varieties, but was trumped. My wife said "I don't care if they go crazy and intermix with each other! I want big!" She has a small ongoing feud with the neighbors, so she wants to wipe them out of existence.



At least I still have 2 months to try and talk her out of this. If I can't then I am expecting to spend a fair amount of time with hedge maintenance.

Well, she might have a point to her madness. As the clump of B. ventricosa matures in size, the culms will weep over the fence into the neighbor's yard. This may inspire the neighbor to move the play equipment away from the fence and thus be less visible. Of course, the kids could like the weeping culms and decide they have another toy in which they could then have something to swing on (The Tarzan Effect).

[mantis]

Roy and Steve,

Is there any chance of controlling my Guadua amplexifolia along the fence line? That would be the ultimate deterrent (thorns are an added bonus in this case). I was originally planning on planting it along my back fence (there is a levee behind me, so I don't have to worry about it spreading into any neighbor's yards). I could intermix something smaller and bushy, such as a multiplex to fill in the low gaps.

Just trying to come up with an alternative plan that my wife might find appealing.

[Roy]

Roy and Steve,

Is there any chance of controlling my Guadua amplexifolia along the fence line? That would be the ultimate deterrent (thorns are an added bonus in this case). I was originally planning on planting it along my back fence (there is a levee behind me, so I don't have to worry about it spreading into any neighbor's yards). I could intermix something smaller and bushy, such as a multiplex to fill in the low gaps.

Just trying to come up with an alternative plan that my wife might find appealing.

Have you ever thought about Bambusa sinospinosa? Not recommending, but it would be cold hardy (20 F) for your area and it does have thorns:

[svendrix]

mantis,

Have you ever given thought to hiring on some of boonut's Blackwater Squirrels to help you win your war? =D



---Sven

[Bamboo Outlaw]

I agree with Roy. Chinese Thorny is more cold hardy. My first pick would be Textilis though. Roy, last trip over I got the Thorny from you. It is slowly taking off.

[Roy]

I agree with Roy. Chinese Thorny is more cold hardy. My first pick would be Textilis though. Roy, last trip over I got the Thorny from you. It is slowly taking off.

Most of the people who bought B. s. "Chinese Thorny" from me were somewhat sadistic. I asked them why they wanted a thorny bamboo and they always would reply "I'M GOING TO HURT SOMEBODY!"

[mike best]

Ha that's funny. My first ever desire to obtain bamboo was to screen out a next door neighbor also! But I had a really good reason....they were the Lake county animal league! I had 8 acres in the middle of a swamp in the middle of nowhere, and they had 15 next to me. They had not yet started to build any faculties and the person in charge came over and told me what they had in mind. Housing something like 70 noisy, smelly abandon dogs and 50 cats, goats, pigs, horses whatever permit would allow. To add to the blow they told me the organization was only supported through donations for the poor little kitties and puppies, and "would I please like to donate?". I looked at my ONE dog and said, "you know I moved out here because I love nature and the wildlife, peace and quiet, birds, plants. Your precious little cats dogs pigs goats are destroyers of those things I just mentioned and are not endanger species at all, and they have scoured this earth destroying helpless wildlife that IS endanger of being eaten and loosing habitat. My next attack on them was to plant a row of B. ventricosas in hast! Long story short I moved and still to this day I see they have done nothing on the property, (still no donations I guess)! That reminds me, I got to get rid of that dang cat avatar.

mantis, have you ever seen a mature B. ventricosa in person.? You don't live near power lines or airports with low flying plans do you?

[mantis]

Ok, ok, ok, B. ventricosa is out.

[mantis]

Yahoooooooooo!!!!

They just said we should be getting rain Monday and Tuesday... Thanks guys!!

We received over 2" in the last 24 hours.

[Jeff: Igor's Apprentice]

This is what I see from my porch... two trampolines, a play fort, and a fire engine red shed.

You know- it really looks more like a mahogany to me. Perhaps things have been blown out of proportion in your mental landscape? j/k