Green Bamboo

[timeforanewnameagain]

Hello 👋🏻

Very novice gardener here looking for advice please.

I have just bought five green bamboo plants because I want them to screen along my fence.

I have five 1m long pots for them to go in, will one per pot be enough to create a 5m screen or do I need two per pot? They're quite spindly and small at the moment but I've read on here that it spreads and grows quickly.

Also, we're due minus temperatures for a couple of nights this week if I put them outside is that going to kill them or will they be ok?

Thank you, experienced gardeners!

I’d put two per trough while they’re small and then repot next year when they’re bigger. An important issue will be the depth of your trough. It really should be about 40 cms or more.

Re frost. If they’ve been outside at a garden centre or nursery they will be ok. If your in doubt get something like fleece, old curtains, bubble wrap to cover them at night. I fix mine with clothes pegs.

Ah thank you. I will order some more then. It's expensive isn't it!

Can I put some sunflowers in the same tub?

Troughs are exactly 40cm high, I can repot next year when I can afford to buy some bigger tubs!

I wouldn’t put sunflowers in the same trough. Bamboo has very dense roots, as you’ll find out when you try to repot it! I lay mine down and we both pull from each end to get it out!
However, I have self seeded purple loostrife ( wild flower) growing amongst mine and it does pretty it up. You could try something similar with Cosmos.
I’m always shocked at the price of Bamboo, I bought my 3 many years ago at half price when they were in need of TLC. Even then they were around the £20 mark. But great for screening.

I grow annual climbers up mine. Black Eyed Susan and Morning Glory.

My bamboo hasn't really filled out enough to make a proper screen. It is the golden stuff though.