Is Bamboo A Good Idea For A Hedge?

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:27 pm

In recent years, Far Eastern gardens have become increasingly popular. The peace and quiet power that radiates such a garden is perfect as an oasis where you can relax from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Despite the positive qualities of popular hedge plants such as yew, beech, cherry laurel and privet, they do not really fit into a garden with a Far Eastern character. Therefore, you might rather plant a bamboo hedge. This way you will provide a good privacy screen and bring Far Eastern flair to your garden.

Is Bamboo A Good Idea For A Hedge?
In China, Korea and Japan, this plant from the sweet grass family can be found everywhere.

Bamboo: decorative and useful


With bamboo you bring a piece of the Far East into your garden. In China, Korea and Japan, this plant from the sweet grass family can be found everywhere. There, bamboo is not only planted for decorative purposes in gardens and public parks, but is also used as a useful plant. The wood of bamboo has excellent properties as a building material and is an important raw material for utensils such as cutlery. In Asia, bamboo is ubiquitous and is even used in scaffolding construction. In Europe, too, bamboo wood is increasingly used as a useful plant, popular mainly because of its high strength and durability.

Is Bamboo A Good Idea For A Hedge?

Bamboo hedges are not yet seen very often in Europe. This is mainly due to its reputation for forming many root runners (rhizomes). In fact, most species of bamboo proliferate and sprout rhizomes that take over the garden at a rapid pace, interfering with the growth of other plants. It’s especially annoying when they shoot out of the ground in the wrong places or even push up tiles. But fortunately, there are bamboo species that do not grow rampantly. Fargesia varieties do not form rhizomes and can therefore be planted as hedges without your or your neighbor’s garden suddenly being full of bamboo shoots.

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Is Bamboo A Good Idea For A Hedge?
Even if you do not want to make your garden Far Eastern, but just plant an evergreen hedge with a special appearance, bamboo hedges are a good choice.

Advantages of a bamboo hedge


So with a Fargesia bamboo hedge, the disadvantage of sprawl does not come into play and you only have the advantages that bamboo offers. Most of the Fargesia varieties in our assortment grow very fast, just like other bamboo species: in one year bamboo grows 50 to 75 centimeters. Only Fargesia murielae ‘Simba’ grows a little slower, 20 to 50 centimeters per year, and is therefore well suited for a smaller garden. The other bamboo varieties in our web store require a bit more space, especially in width. Keep this in mind when considering the distance you need to keep from the neighboring property.

All Fargesia varieties are evergreen. Even if you don’t want to give your garden a Far Eastern look, but just want to plant an evergreen hedge with a special appearance, bamboo hedges are a good choice. In exceptionally harsh winters, some species curl their leaves for protection, but it very rarely gets that cold in our latitudes. Moreover, where Fargesia grows wild, the climate is similar to that in Central Europe. Its full, bushy and compact growth makes Fargesia the ideal plant for a privacy hedge.

Is Bamboo A Good Idea For A Hedge?

Planting and caring for bamboo hedges


When planting a bamboo hedge, be sure not to set it too deep in the ground. Only two to three inches of soil need to be placed on top of the root ball. Already dug too deep? No problem. Just throw some soil back into the dug planting hole and make sure the roots develop even better. Fargesia makes few demands on soil and location, but does not like to stand in soil that is too dry. A bamboo hedge will grow quite well in shade, but it is best to place it in a location that receives sunlight at least part of the day.

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Since bamboo grows in height and width, three plants per meter are sufficient for a hedge of Fargesia murielae ‘Jumbo’, Fargesia jiuzhaigou and Fargesia nitida. Only from the smaller Fargesia ‘Simba’ you should take four plants per meter, so that the hedge is quickly opaque. Because of the rapid growth, you can calmly order smaller plants. They will have reached the desired height in a short time anyway. Bamboo is easy to cut back, so pruning can be done quickly and effortlessly.

Has your bamboo hedge become too tall after all? Even drastic pruning down to the ground is possible. Bamboo doesn’t necessarily need to be pruned every year, either. A bamboo that does not grow over is therefore very easy to maintain. First and foremost, take care of this plant after planting. For example, sufficient water is important. After all, it always takes a while for a bamboo to get used to a new environment, so extra water is very welcome, especially in the beginning.

Is Bamboo A Good Idea For A Hedge?
A bamboo hedge always looks beautiful, but make sure you buy the right type of bamboo for your garden. This is because many species of bamboo are not at all suitable as a hedge.

Author

  • James Jones

    Meet James Jones, a passionate gardening writer whose words bloom with the wisdom of an experienced horticulturist. With a deep-rooted love for all things green, James has dedicated his life to sharing the art and science of gardening with the world. James's words have found their way into countless publications, and his gardening insights have inspired a new generation of green thumbs. His commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship shines through in every article he crafts.

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