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Geographic area within England as well as local ground
and weather conditions inevitably have a significant impact upon the speed of
growth and the size of plant. Although my Newbury garden is not far distant from
Kew, phyllostachys viridi glaucescens in the 'bamboo dell' grows taller with
much larger culm diameters. Plants at Kew also, no doubt, spread more rapidly due to
their optimum conditions of soil and micro-climate in the dell. 3-4 inch
diameter culms are but a dream in my garden!
My soil is stony and very well drained which
reduces the growth rate of most plants. It may well have the
advantage that some of the running root types can be grown with only very
occasional action to chop back any wayward roots. Hot and dry summer conditions
cause stress to bamboos as for many other plants in my garden. More particularly
they do not like their roots becoming dry, and care is needed to prepare the
ground before planting using plenty of good humous. Even in my soil
no plants have been lost in a dry summer, although it has to be admitted that if a plant shows
any sign of suffering it would be given a can of water. The first to suffer tend
to be the paper-thin leaved Fargesia family. However, my garden does not present
the worst condition for bamboo - waterlogged ground. One of the classic images
of China is the waterside bamboo, which may seem to be at odds with their
dislike of waterlogged conditions. However, bamboo is relatively shallow rooted
and should thrive at the waters edge as long as their roots are
above the water table.
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