Aussie Finch Forum

sounds great guys, the grasses mentioned (F/B) I have already planned for a different part of the aviary.
at this stage I am going to wait and see if I do truly have enough room for bamboo or bamboo-like-plants and see where we go form there.
oh, and

Clawd wrote:which is actually a grass

aren't all bamboos grasses?

With the finer type of Bamboos like the Thai you can easily stop it going through the roof.
When the new shoots come up,simply wait until it is at the height you wish then with you thumb and forefinger pull out the central shoot.
This will stop it growing higher but still have the correct shape.

toothlessjaws wrote:

bluebutterfly213 wrote:

Clawd wrote:The cost was a bit of a surprise!

I know what you mean there, I have been searching for bamboo for ages. Finally found some in Bunnings, they wanted $29.95 for a plant that was only about 1 foot tall. I declined.

You shouldn't have! Bunnings has the cheapest bamboo by a LONG SHOT!

Oh well I will have to go back and close my eyes when I hand over the money! Damm thing had better live! I will let it grow on a bit and see if I divide it later.

bluebutterfly213 wrote: Damm thing had better live! I will let it grow on a bit and see if I divide it later.

The growing season for bamboo is winding up now. If its only a foot tall i definitely wouldn't try and divide it for a couple of years. clumping bamboo especially is a pain to divide and takes a couple of years to pick up again. especially if its a clumping species. thats why its so expensive. if you buy a small pot the odd s are that it has only just recently been divided off another plant. its been kept at the bamboo farm for a year, until its re sprouted. its then gone to bunnings where it was left in the sun,got a bit of wind burn and not watered enough and went all ugly! so its about 3 years off being ready for dividing again.

your best repotting it into a larger pot with some quality potting mix placing it in a well sheltered spot and keeping up the watering over winter. when spring comes around the plant (which will no doubt look even shabbier then than it does now) start putting out new shoots and will quickly look lush again. bamboo has a slow start, but then quickly takes off after a couple of years. and if you look after it over summer, it stays lush looking even when its not growing and thus year round looks good.

i live in the city in melbourne and use clumping bamboos A LOT in my own garden and my friends (who constant ask me to landscape theirs).

Thanks for that information toothless Will give your instructions a go.

its then gone to bunnings where it was left in the sun,got a bit of wind burn and not watered enough and went all ugly! so its about 3 years off being ready for dividing again.



See your shopping at the wrong Bunnings . Dubbo Bunnings garden section is under shadecloth , protected from the wind and very well watered . And if it goes all belly up on you Brett the manager will gladly give you your money back .

Did I mention its almost staff bonus time ? And that my other half works there ?

I reckon we should apply for some their advertising budget, we mention them plenty on the forum.

Our Bunnings is under shade too.

all the bunnings near me have the white shade sails too - but they recently left all the bamboos displayed out near nursery exit to the carpark,so i waited till the last shabby few were placed in the sale section and snapped up some nepalese blue for about $25.00.

i've got some oldhamii and green ghost in the garden and a potted himalayan weeping too that i pulled form the aviary after said saint helenas developed a taste for it. i like tropical gardens, something that is somewhat at odds with melbournes (usual) cold windy winters and stinking hot dry summers. but the bamboos once established to great, surviving well, looking lush and quickly growing big enough to shelter the other, less hardy plants.

hi jay ,was at bunnings belconnen last week they had pots bamboo in the garden section

thanks Kev, will go check it out. do you live in the northern suburbs too?