Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

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aboarman
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Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

Post by aboarman »

Is the combination of running bamboo and concrete pavers a recipe for disaster?

I am considering Arundinaria gigantea for a small contained plant bed in Baltimore (Zone 6/7). The plant bed is 24” wide and is defined by a garage wall, a stone landscape wall, and concrete pavers set on an aggregate subbase. I was wondering whether or not this plant could adversely affect the pavers by infiltrating the base coarse and heaving the pavers? Should I use a root barrier? The base course is 8 inches deep and sits atop rocky soil. The plant bed will be fully amended with good soil.

I suppose a clumping form would be better, but I like the Rivercane because it is native and has an upright habit.
ghmerrill
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Re: Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

Post by ghmerrill »

I would guess that in a small area, eventually the rhizomes will force themselves into the pavers. 24" is pretty small of an area even for a clumper. if you were to put a barrier, you still have the same problem of it being a small area, and filling with rhizomes quickly. Im not saying it would not work, it will just take more care on your part, taking out sections occasionally, so the whole thing does not just fill with rhizome and choke out the life of the plant, or bust something and escape. the other consideration is that from what I have gleaned from a few folks around here, that the Arundinaria are hard to propagate, so they might not take well to you choping sections out occasionally. you might consider another species of bamboo if you decide to pursue bamboo for your area.
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sporkandbeans
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Re: Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

Post by sporkandbeans »

I second the 'hard to propagate' comment by ghmerrill. I tried to transplant a screen along the roadside of my property but ended up yanking it up and planting P. Rubromarginata instead.

That same A. Gigantea I moved to a creekside behind the house hasn't grown anything but a few new leaves in 3 years. I'm REAL glad i yanked it out and planted the Rubro. It doesn't seem to like propagation at all.

I've 'smuggled' other native Giganteas home over the past few years and they just haven't done anything. I've all but given up on the native bamboo of N. Georgia :cry:
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Re: Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

Post by foxd »

Puzzling, I have transplanted Rivercane with no problem other than aphids. Admitedly the first few years were uninspiring.

IIRC, Eastlandia had a picture showing A. gigantea producing a rhizome from a root bud, which is surprising. Apparently even if there are no viable buds on the rhizome of your plant it will eventually produce more rhizome from a rootbud.
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pedro12
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Re: Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

Post by pedro12 »

Yes exactly clumping form would be better, Arundinaria gigantea for small contained plant bed in Baltimore will be good.
Every point in the garden is easily accessible by a net of pathways and small platforms made by pavers of stone or concrete. One doesn’t have to step into the earth or onto plants, one can reach everything from the pathways or platforms. There are also arrays of retaining wall blocks, straight kerns, the mentioned heaps of stones, and short stretches of wire fence panels in between for the climbing plants.

It just so happens that pre-colonial folks in North America had some pretty smart ideas on how to accomplish this. The area I live in had chestnuts covering most of the slopes, with rivercane (an evergreen grass) covering the bottomlands. Very efficient, low maintenance, food producing system that seemed to have worked well for at least a few 1000 years (much longer than agriculture has ever worked anywhere that I know).

I’m not intending to argue against anyone, it seems like everyone here is up to great things, but I hardly think anyone’s compost bin is going to grow enough soil to get the job done. I think erasing the distinction of “farming” and “wilderness” is crucial.
Leo S
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Re: Rivercane vs. Concrete Pavers

Post by Leo S »

I have a bed of Phyllostachys aureosulcata that is 30 inches by 32 feet. A long narrow bed. A narrow bed works fine, if you have some length to the bed. My bed is so dense with bamboo that you can not see the house through the 30" inches of bamboo. My nephews used to hide in it. I am getting 16 to 18 foot culms on my bamboo. The bed was planted 30 years ago, so I guess 18 feet is about the tallest I'll get out of aureosulcata in my climate zone 5b.

If your bed is 24 x 24 inches, that is not much more space than a 5 gallon nursery can. You won't get to see mature development out of any of the taller bamboo species. You might get good results with the more dwarf species such as Plieoblastus, & Sasaella.

You definitely need to use a barrier, and it should be at least 30 to 36 inches deep, or down to bed rock if the bedrock is closer to the surface than 30 inches. If you don't install a barrier, the bamboo will spread into the pavers. Species doesn't matter, clumping bamboos will spread out of a space only 24 inches wide almost as quick as a running bamboo.

I'm big on using native species around the house, but I find Arundinaria gigantea always has a messy, disheveled look to it. You will need to stay on top of grooming for it to look "nice". Other species have neater, more architectural appearance to them.
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