I recently bought a Fargesia Rufa Green Panda in a 3 gallon pot. I have an area selected and a hole dug. As you can see from the picture below, I am hoping to to grow it in an area that has small river like rocks around the hole. Is the bamboo going to be able to sends shoots through the rocks? Or, should I remove the rocks in the surrounding area? There also is a weed cover below the rocks consisting of a two layers of a thick mesh type material. I sorta figure the answer is no but thought I would check with the experts here before doing potentially unnecessary work.

Secondly, is it ok to plant the bamboo right now? I'm in the 8B zone. Or, should I wait until March or April when the weather picks up? There is still a possibility of a light freeze (no lower than 25 F) with little to no possibility of snow.

Also, I'd love to see photos of various rates of growth from your own Green Panda with how long it has been in the ground. This is my first bamboo planting at my first house so I'm super excited about seeing the growth progress.

Greetings, if I were in your situation I'd plant now, not worry about the gravel but yes remove the weed barrier.

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Brad Salmon, zone 5b/6 Southern Indiana
Winters -20 to -25C. Summers 30 to 35C , humid. 115 cm annual precipitation, frost free from May through early October. 259.3 meters elevation. Growing 150+ species. http://www.needmorebamboo.com/