For an Asian aesthetic or to just add more green to the garden: Bamboe Fargesia. It is the best known species of non-invasive bamboo. Perfect as a hedge for your garden!
A garden full of green grasses
Bamboos belongs to the grass family, Poaceae. However, bamboos are not ordinary grasses. Unlike other grasses, their stems are hollow. In addition, bamboo species are particularly loved for the extraordinary height they can reach. There are many different species of bamboo. The most common bamboo species found in gardens belong to the genus Fargesia. This is because Fargesia is non-invasive. This means that the plant will not grow wildly throughout the garden. The varieties of this genus remain relatively small and only spread slowly. This is in contrast to the members of the other bamboo genera, which can be highly invasive. Fargesia is evergreen through summer and winter.
Planting bamboo as a hedge
Bamboo can be placed anywhere in the garden. Some species are even suitable for pot planting. Fargesia Bamboo is however mostly used as a hedge plant. This is due to the considerable height and wonderful fullness that the plant can achieve. Fargesia is happy in any place in the garden. The soil where it is planted should always be kept slightly moist. It can also thrive in sunny spots. Dig a wide trench in which to place the plants. Place the root balls of the plants in the trench with about 30 to 40 centimetres between them. Fill the trench with fresh potting compost and water them well for a good start.
Bamboo Fargesia grows by means of forming new shoots. The plant develops these new shoots every year. These grow from the ground up through the plant itself. So the plant will only grow in height and become a bit fuller. It will never grow wild in other directions. At a height of about 3 metres, the plant will stop growing and will then only fill out. The Fargesia should grow out to about 80 to 100 cm in width. In short, a beautiful full green hedge plant!
Looking after Fargesia
The Fargesia is an easy plant to care for. The plant has few demands in terms of soil type, needs feeding about 2x per year and is winter-hardy. The plant can, therefore, be left outside all year round and requires little attention. The most important thing is that the bamboo plant gets enough water. Since the plant has many leaves and is constantly creating new ones, it is often very thirsty. The plant will give you a helping hand when it needs watering. The leaves will start to curl up slightly to prevent evaporation. Place a garden hose at the roots to water the plant.
A 3-metre hedge might be a bit high. Fortunately, the Fargesia is very easy to prune. The best time to prune is in June. Cut back the new shoots and the old branches to the desired height. You can also prune the plant into a shape. To form a nice arch in your hedge, for example. Don't be afraid to prune the plant too short. New shoots will appear every year and the plant will grow back.
Would you like to know more about caring for Fargesia and other bamboo species? Read our blog about caring for bamboo plants.
