Bamboo
If planted wisely and managed diligently, then Bamboo is Queen of the useful plants! Entire books have been written about this plant containing THOUSANDS of real world applications for Bamboo. From an endless supply of fence materials, tomato stakes and trellises, to an edible, evergreen privacy screen (and literally thousands of other historic uses!) this is truly a plant that earns its keep around the homestead. It isn’t picky about soil, but loves the sun, the more the better. This is a running type of bamboo, which means that it will spread to form a colony. It can have invasive tendencies, so if that worries you then simply move on to other plants! If you choose to plant it then plan your planting accordingly. In the wrong spot it can encroach on other land uses, but in the right spot it can be a powerful ally in the landscape. Some folks plant it in areas where it can’t spread too far, others install a bamboo guard to keep it contained. Truthfully, the best way to maintain it is to use it! Eat the young shoots as they emerge and heavily cut the poles back to harvest building materials. It isn’t a plant for every piece of land but it can be a great addition to many!
Zones 6-10 possibly 5 in a good microclimate
Ships as a dormant bare-root plant
If planted wisely and managed diligently, then Bamboo is Queen of the useful plants! Entire books have been written about this plant containing THOUSANDS of real world applications for Bamboo. From an endless supply of fence materials, tomato stakes and trellises, to an edible, evergreen privacy screen (and literally thousands of other historic uses!) this is truly a plant that earns its keep around the homestead. It isn’t picky about soil, but loves the sun, the more the better. This is a running type of bamboo, which means that it will spread to form a colony. It can have invasive tendencies, so if that worries you then simply move on to other plants! If you choose to plant it then plan your planting accordingly. In the wrong spot it can encroach on other land uses, but in the right spot it can be a powerful ally in the landscape. Some folks plant it in areas where it can’t spread too far, others install a bamboo guard to keep it contained. Truthfully, the best way to maintain it is to use it! Eat the young shoots as they emerge and heavily cut the poles back to harvest building materials. It isn’t a plant for every piece of land but it can be a great addition to many!
Zones 6-10 possibly 5 in a good microclimate
Ships as a dormant bare-root plant
If planted wisely and managed diligently, then Bamboo is Queen of the useful plants! Entire books have been written about this plant containing THOUSANDS of real world applications for Bamboo. From an endless supply of fence materials, tomato stakes and trellises, to an edible, evergreen privacy screen (and literally thousands of other historic uses!) this is truly a plant that earns its keep around the homestead. It isn’t picky about soil, but loves the sun, the more the better. This is a running type of bamboo, which means that it will spread to form a colony. It can have invasive tendencies, so if that worries you then simply move on to other plants! If you choose to plant it then plan your planting accordingly. In the wrong spot it can encroach on other land uses, but in the right spot it can be a powerful ally in the landscape. Some folks plant it in areas where it can’t spread too far, others install a bamboo guard to keep it contained. Truthfully, the best way to maintain it is to use it! Eat the young shoots as they emerge and heavily cut the poles back to harvest building materials. It isn’t a plant for every piece of land but it can be a great addition to many!
Zones 6-10 possibly 5 in a good microclimate
Ships as a dormant bare-root plant