Bamboo in pots for screening

[MrsWombat]

We've got a 4 ft fence that borders our neighbours garden that we can't do much about, but we'd like some privacy in certain parts of the garden. I was thinking of buying some bamboo that grows to 5-6ft to put in pots by our seating area etc. What sort should I buy, and how big a pot? I know it spreads, so if I bought a long trough planter would it spread sideways? I'm completely clueless!

Bamboo is a greedy plant, so if you want a screening effect, will need a big pot, well-manured and watered to hell. Most pot bamboos fail because they are not fed, watered and divided.

You can grow it in the ground but it must be clumping, not running bamboo, and plant it a good 18" away from the boundary.

www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3340361/The-new-bamboo.html

I have the exact same problem and have been considering bamboo for a few years now. Our problem is next door owns the fence and the fence is built into a concrete path so we can't grow anything in the ground on our side. Their dogs have broken most of the fence. I wish they'd just replace it with a taller fence. It's also quite a long area (about 8 fence panels) so we'd need several pots and I think it will be too expensive although Groupon have regular deals with bamboo plants so that's worth taking a look at.

I'm also tempted to offer to replace the fence myself but that will be expensive too.

Have to say, not a great picture of Paul Whittaker lurking in the bamboo!

We have a clump of black bamboo, that looks very attractive, and we have a pot of 'babies' that came from the original. Unfortunately, they seem to be expensive to buy - I never understand why really, as once you have the first one it is easy to take the 'babies' off it. Obviously, the larger (and therefore older) they are the more they cost.

It seems to be evergreen, keeping most of its leaves all year. I cut off the lower twigs to expose more of the black. New shoots start green, but turn black the next year. Also, it is getting taller every year.

[I very much doubt you are within reach of South Devon, but if you were you could have some of our spare pieces that are in a pot. Ideally they should be looked after, but we have never fussed them, but they keep going!]

We also have 'zebra grass' which is dense, but needs cutting down in the winter.

www.rhsplants.co.uk/plants/_/phyllostachys-nigra/classid.1601/

I have had this in my front garden for about 6 years now. I used half barrels from Homebase and clump forming bamboo. They were tall enough to do the screening job when we bought them. They have been divided twice in that time and some barrels needed replacing.
We have a watering system which is not working this year so the kids are soaking them every third evening.

We lined the barrels with empty compost bags leaving the bottom clear so the drainage holes are not blocked. You'll need a wide drill bit to drill draiinage holes in the barrels. Also we put loads of water retaining gel in the mix when we planted.

Ours look as if they're on their last legs in spring but bounce back in summer. There was a bloke who drove up in a white van and took pics before driving off again a couple of days ago so they must look good