My conditions are very similar to yours, just a few degrees warmer. You'll hate this answer but it depends on the brug. Some of mine get full sun all day, others get only early morning sun and the rest get protection during the hottest part of the day. My variegated brugs get the least sun with the exception of my Maya that can take almost full sun. It seems like my brugs with fuzzy leaves need protection during the hottest part of the day.
Karyn

Your right Karyn..I don't like that answer, lol.
I guess I'll just have to keep a really close eye on them and do some shuffling around. At least they are going in pots for their 1st year..Then when I see where they like it I guess maybe I'll try some in the ground the next year. That should be fun digging them up in the fall, lol.
Thank you,
Daniella

You'll make it work.. It will all be good!
Kylie

Sink them in their pots. It makes it so much easier to lift them. When I sink them I close up the bottom drainage holes and cut new holes on the sides of the pot. That way when you dig them up you can just take the shovel and slice the roots around the sides and not worry about digging too deep. You can just store them in the pots over the winter.
Karyn

I spent 2 years seeing what brugs liked what conditions before I planted them in the ground. I still lost a few but I think I have a handle on it now. Guess it is called trial and error?
I have alot in the ground righht now that hopefully wont bite the dust this winter. Most of my varigated are in the ground and I hope they survive. I did not do any cuttings yet--maybe I should?
Linda

Hey Daniella: Where in NJ are you? I grew up in Newark, and a place called Kenilworth. Married a guy from Roselle, and took training at Elizabeth General Hosp. Any of this near you? My folks used to live in Egg Harbor (So Jersey) Nice to talk with a Jersey girl! Gloria

Hey Gloria! U know U'll always be a Jersey Girl no matter how long your in Cali, lol. Newark is a lil less than 30 mins north of me, Eliz about 15-20. O it must be nice bein in Cali now compared to here!! LOL!! Nice to meet ya!

Karyn, I think your right about sinkin the pots..probably would be best for me once I figure out where they're happy. Good idea bout the side holes, I love it!

Linda, even in Fl they wont make it in the ground? O I'd get some cuttings before its too late if I were you, just in case. Even they make it, what's wrong with more brugs? lol.

Thanks Kylie..I'm so psyched I can't wait for spring!! hehe!! I'm thinking of getting bamboo as a background for some brugs what do you think?

Daniella

I love bamboo... if it is a runner it will take over in no time...

Linda girl I would be out there getting a few cuttings anyway.. You'll be broken hearted if you were to lose them...
Kylie

Kylie, my plan is to put the bamboo in long containers kinda like window boxes, so it's contained and I wont have to battle it. And it will just be where I want it..hopefully, lol. I just need to figure out what type of fergesia I want. I like them all!

Daniella:

Had a BAD problem with Bamboo in CA. It almost gets like a stump that can't be removed.

Suggestions that were given to me (told them TOO late - it was with the house - some goof planted it) - you plant it in a metal container. They were suggesting a metal drum for a larger grouping.

You keep a "trench" open around it and you spade down around the drum to make sure the runners stay contained. I was told the runners go sidways, not down.

Big BAD problem with Bamboo at the house I had. Couldn't eradicate it. I did find a large syringe with round up inside a couple of the runners would slow the spread down.

But otherwise - I just shovel pruned where I didn't want it and called a truce with the big group that I couldn't eradicate. I wanted to yank it to grow the giant bamboo - but I never got it out.

Hi Daniella: Am living in CA with a hillside of Bamboo. It is there to prevent erosion and does a WONDERFUL job of filling up the slope! (grinning). However, it is there to stay. Short of dynamiting the entire neighborhood, it will never be gone. Grows fast and tall ... 15-20 feet high. The canes are so thick and dense a chain saw will smoke trying to cut thru! Think twice before planting this. Even metal pans will eventually thin and corrode and Bamboo is patient enough to wait for it!! It is strong enough to break thu!! I am not speaking of what is usually called "Lucky Bamboo" and is sold twisted and curled in small bowls of water. They are not Bamboo but Dracena (corn plant). Be sure you know what you may be getting into before sticking even one little stalk into the ground!!! lol. Sorry to be the voice of doom... gloria

I figured if I put it in metal washtubs in the ground, also in long window box type things above ground, maybe in the dirt a couple inches they wouldn't get outta control. Maybe they might bust thru the wooden boxes.. I have seen it growing in the woods here, but I don't know what kind it is. I don't know if landscapers threw it there to dump it, or if if was actually planted there by someone. It's a nice small clump. Hubby wanted to pull some up last year and bring it home. I wasn't too sure about it then, but that type doesn't seem to be spreading too fast.
I do want it to grow fast and tall. I live next to a restaurant, we do have a stockade fence, but it's not tall enuf to block people from looking over. I think it would look so nice behind the brugs.
There are so many dif kinds of Bamboo, and alot get out of control. I just have to find a fergesia that isn't too invasive. I need time to research each one..but where will I get that time? All my free time is spent on here with you guys anymore, lol. And of course staring at my beautious brug cuttings, lol.
Daniella

There are some slower growing bamboo. And the really interesting Giant Bamboo - but if I remember correctly - those go through a massive die off at 30 years. (?) Memory banks are getting fuzzy lately. Anyway, no one knows why I guess. But that supposedly isn't that invasive. You would need to double check that though - I'm losing my mind lately.

That cr*p I had - it was beyond invasive. It was just NASTY. Pick your bamboo carefully.

There's a kind called "heavenly bamboo" I think. That supposedly stays in place. That's a darker green and is very pretty.

There's an old standby that is used in landscaping all over - Golden Privet. It's kind of a bush/tree thing. Small leaves. It will definately grow tall if you keep feeding it.

I have some golden privet here that was ignored - it's outside my kitchen window. I experiment on it. (grin) Any new fertilizers or chemicals, I test on those. LOL. . .they're just there - don't really care about them so I test on them.

They've done quite well and grown quite tall. Over 7 feet in 4 years from maybe 2 1/2 feet. I don't feed them - only experiment on them. I suppose if I fed them regularly, they'd be much happier.

Which makes them idiot proof for me. (grin)

And they're winter hardy! (grin) They come back every spring and ya don't need to dig them up! LOL. . .

Daniella, my husband planted bamboo at his old house and the neighbors are still stopping by and complaining. It filled the back of his yard and went under the privacy fence and spread to his neighbor behind him. They cannot get rid of the stuff. By the way. Check your mail box Monday. Santa sent you something.

O Kristy you did not!! How in the world did you get my address???? people are conspiring?, lol! Not that I mind :)You are too much, too sweet. Thank you. I don't know if it's the pms, but you've got me crying now. You all are just too damn nice here. Thank you so much. I can't wait till after the holidays (when I'll finally have alil bit of money again) and spring when I can return the favors. I can't thank you all enough for being so generous and thoughtful. I am just worried that when I get to send stuff out, it will pale in comparison.

Wow, that threw me for a loop..what were we talking about? lol. O yeah bamboo..I will do alot of research before I commit to a certain type.

I'm kinda speechless here, and choked up. Maybe I seem pathetic, but I just don't know if you realize how special you all are, and how much your thoughtfulness is appreciated. It's the simple things like this, that really touch a person's heart, and make someone happy. I have never found a group of people who are like this, and I am so glad to be a part of it.
Damn it Kristy..ya got me all mushy again!! O I could go on blabbering forever bout how great you all are but I have said it a few times already, so you may be gettin a lil sick of it, lol. So I'll end this post now. Thank you Kristy ((hugs)) I can't wait! I will let you know as soon as I get it...your too much!
Daniella

Hi,
My Peaches& Cream came with a tag that said sun but I kept it on my porch so it only got morning sun. Can it take full sun? Might this be why it only gave me one bloom? Also, this is off topic but I see you were talking about bamboo and I was wondering if anyone here ever grew ornamental bananna from seed. I was going to try some this year but I don't know if our zone 5 growing season is long enough for it to get any bigger than a seedling?

Don't go getting too mushy on me Daniella, it really is nothing much just a little something, lol. I hurt my neck and couldn't do as much as I did the first ones.

Kristy, it's the thought that counts..a lil something is just as much as a big something in my eyes. It means alot. I'm sorry you hurt your neck.Is it feeling any better yet?
Daniella

Heavenly bamboo is a small shrub. It is nice looking, but won't grow tall enough to block a view. I have a "clump" growing in my yard. It's been there for almost 20 years and I don't think it has spread at all, but it isn't higher than 2 feet from soil line!

Yes Daniella its feeling better. Sore again from potting up cuttings and will be sore again tomorrow after fishing but just need to rest it and keep heat on it when I can.

Heavenly Bamboo isn't really bamboo, it's nandinia (sp?) and is very pretty in the fall when the berries turn bright red. Most true bamboos can become extremely invasive and difficult to control but there are some varieties that behave. Caldwell Nursery has several varieties. You might want to take a look just to get an idea of their growth habits. I have some black and gray bamboos but they are in containers because those varieties are marginally hardy in my zone but they are beautiful. I've tried a few times to start bananas from seed with no luck but they are easy to start from a pup. I have a really pretty one called blood banana that has dark green and maroon foliage. I have no idea if it produces fruit or not.
Karyn

PS: I shouldn't have put the link to Caldwell. They have gorgeous plants and I just sent them an email asking if they would ship a variety of plants to my zone now. lol

Here is a link that might be useful: Caldwell Nursery

Nooooo, not another link to more plants, lol. Thanks Karyn, grin. Daniella please don't feel that you owe me anything. I just felt like doing it. I wish I could have sent something to everyone. I just picked the first few people who said they wished they could have participated. I wanted to do more but ran out of energy. I have learned that when I start sharing brug cuttings next year I will have to stagger them, lol. That is a lot of work packing up cuttings. You guys that have sent out so many of the brug cuttings are amazing. I didn't even get to do many of those. I am still growing out my babies but I will have lots to share next year with everyone.

Karyn: As usual, you are right on! ;0) Heavenly Bamboo is, indeed, nandinia, and not a true bamboo. Out here we don't get cold enough to see the berries but the leaves do get a slight tinge to them. Nice shrub, but not one you would use to block a view. Hope you find time to relax and enjoy the Holiday Season, you deserve it. gloria

I had some Heavenly Bamboo (whatever it really is) at the house in Walnut Creek and it was actually quite tall. 7 feet. Was truly pretty - and it didn't budge.

But - it wasn't a rambunctious plant either. They just did what they did - never had to do anything for them. Just left them there covering the front of an ugly fence.

Black and grey bamboo? That's sounds gorgeous.

You sure it was Heavenly Dweeb? I want something that is between 7-12 feet..hard to find it seems. Was wondering if I could keep trimming to keep the height I want with some of the fergesias.
I have to check out that other stuff GLoria mentioned..

Yea - it was. But like Karyn said - it's not a rambunctious plant.

It didn't really get out of control - nor did it "shoot" up out of no where either. It just kinda grew - slowly - but it grew. It was pretty. But if you're looking for spread and fast height - it may not fit your bill.

But it has the look of bamboo without all the drawbacks.

Man, that other bamboo - what a bad word for me. The whiteflies that used to infest it - just awful. Used to release 6000 lady bugs at a time trying to get a handle on the aphids and white flies. And then of course, the birds would have a hey day LOL. . .

O Geez! Well, the birds need to eat too, poor lil ladybugs.
Yeah I want something that grows really fast..but isnt invasive..I think I want something that doesnt exist lol.
I'm gonna try to post about it on the bamboo forum, but I don't expect to get an answer till next year..they are so slow over there. Nothing like here. You post something here and BAM you got an answer, or 50 lol.
This is really OT and I dont wanna get anyone mad at me.
Thanks a bunch guys!!
Daniella

Bamboo, be careful very careful. My BF's parent's have some coming up in their yard from a neighbor. His mom was going to let it keep going she thought it was pretty. I told her it was very invasive and would take over her yard. They had the yard guy wack it down this year but I know it is still there. I think that the next time I go up there I will take some round up and syringes, maybe she can at least keep it at the fence line.

Mary

What about a willow? Pussy willows remain in a shrub like form. There's also Curly willows that get tall but are also very full. Both grow amazingly fast. The Curly willows look great in the winter too because of the convoluted branches.
Karyn

I like invasives myself. I have never had a problem killing anything. Generic roundup used strong will even kill trees. Then I have lived where you need to kill stuff occasionally. I use some pramitol around the fence line. This stuff will kill it for a year + and is real cheap. It works through the soil. Use the label close to trees. You will probably have to order it or go to a farm and ranch store. It is not a Lowe's item.

Here is a link that might be useful: pramitol

Willows are nice. Is there a way to keep the bees away from the Pussy willow? Every one that I know of has a bees nest in the ground next to it. I don't understand what the draw is for the bees.

Is the sap sweet or something?

I'm going to try the giant castors next year. If I don't like them - I just won't plant them the following year. (grin) Gotta love a 2 story annual! LOL

I do love pussy willows, but i want something tall and skinny..just want the vertical, as everywhere I want to put it there are things planted already, and I dont want to move them or have them covered up or blocked.
Thats the other reason I dont want anything that will spread and be invasive. Thanks for that link & info Jim!

Dweeb, I think you will like them. Even if you don't you'll get plenty of seeds from them to use for exchanges! Its just too bad the flowers aren't bigger on those.
OK it's almost 9, I'm runnin to the PO..literally..it's just across the street, lol. They better have my goodies!!! The post master hates me enough as it is, but thats a whole other story.

Ya know how daniella's box was delayed?

Get this - the box I sent late taking a chance on a couple extra days in order to get it out of here? It left on Friday. . .

He GOT IT yesterday. Man, the post office just confuses me. LOL. . .

But I'm glad everyone got their stuff safe and sound. No frozen roots or cuttings.

Merry Xmas to all from Siberia