help please

bluejan

I have been looking for weeks to try and find metal containers to plant bamboo, they do not need to be fancy as they will be underground, trying to keep cost down as i need 6. any sugestions? thanks

Lupin 1

bluejan can I ask why they need to be metal?

bluejan

I have been told it is the only thing that stops them spreading

Fairygirl

bluejan -I got some square ones out of Ikea but it was a long time ago and they may not still have them. I had a round one from there which I used for my Christmas tree but it has plants in it now too! It wasn't as sturdy though. The square ones had little handles at the side and were about 45cm. Outlets for farm supplies will have galvanised troughs etc but I think they're pretty expensive. How about a metal dustbin? You can get them in diy stores.

bluejan

thanks fairygirl 

Fairygirl

Here's a pic bluejan

 

bluejan

I think I will need to get deeper ones, the dustbin might work. thanks

 

Lupin 1

bluejan I suppose it depends on variety as to spreading, I was concerned when I planted mine but they haven't spread much at all in 7 yrs. I have one with pale green/ golden canes and a black one. I'm sorry but I can't remember the varieties, don't even know if there is more than one black one.

The reason I asked about metal was I was thinking about big old plastic buckets, like you get Growmore in, wide but not mega deep.

If you want bamboo for it's looks ok, but if you want a quick screen ( black grew the slowest ) have a look at Arundo Donax ( Spanish reed grass) it grows very quickly, big chunky hollow canes, it does throw up new shoots from the earth each year but are easily snapped off. If it gets too congested they will bend over and snap off. I use the ones removed for all sorts, bean supports etc.

Hope you find what you need.

bluejan

thanks kef, I have one black, think it is nigra, the other 6 are hardy bamboo which I think do spread