Bamboo woes
tami58
14 years ago
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Iris GW
14 years agobrandon7 TN_zone7
14 years agoRelated Discussions
The Abandoned Garden
Comments (12)I'm not a landscape designer, but I'm very familiar with Washington state. From your picture, your zone, and your statement that you live in central Washington, I gather you live somewhere at the base of the east Cascades in the area where the conifer forests of the mountains mingle with the sagebrush steppe of the Columbia Basin. The forests typical grow on well-drained gravelly soil, probably acidic, but not always (depending on underlying rock). The Basin has more alkaline soils, sometimes sandy, sometimes clayey. Before you start selecting plants, you need to determine the pH of your soil and whether it is sandy, gravelly, clayey or loamy. And, before you settle on a landscape plan, you need to think about that bugaboo of eastern Washington forests: fire. It looks like you live outside of town. If so, you need a fire break around your house. I think 30 feet minimum is a common recommendation, but you can probably find someone in you county for advice. No wood piles near the house. If you don't have a wood deck, don't build one. Etc. Keep the plants near the house green and watered. Back to plant selection. "Xeriscaping" in eastern Washington isn't quite the same as xeriscaping in, say, New Mexico. Eastern Washington, like western Washington, has a long wet season, from about late September to early July. July, August, and September have hardly any rain. The same is true in western Washington, but in eastern Washington, there's no humidity either. Both soil and air become very dry. It's this pattern, not the dryness per se, that your plants need to be able to tolerate. There are an awful lot of plants that thrive in a broad range of the eastern and central US that can't take the dry period or the long wet season of eastern Washington. The good news is that there are a few plants that those people with humid, hot summers lust in vain for that will thrive where you live. Don't be afraid to experiment with Rocky Mountain specialists (penstomons, etc.) I can't tell you specifically what to try. I live in Pullman with alkaline clay soil, which you likely don't have. If you really want to know what sort of ornamental trees and shrubs can take the climate, drive around and look at abandoned home sites to see what is still alive. Kelly Cassidy...See Morepruning/thinning black bamboo
Comments (15)Thank you everyone! I've gotten booted offline twice now, while trying to post this reply. Hope this works. I'm going to the client's for the first time, not including the initial assessment visit, on Wednesday afternoon. I'll try to save any topping for last, in the hope that I can find an alternative/convince her that it is not a good idea. Since it is a new client, I'll try to wait as long as possible, establish relations, trust, etc. before trying to convice her that what she wants me to do is not a good idea. Of course, she hired me bacause I'm a "professional" gardener. On the other hand, I've already admitted to her that I know nothing about bamboo. CJ - I'll see what I can do about getting you (and me, and the garden center where I work that would just love to carry some...) black bamboo. Thank you again, you've all been super helpful. Assuming I don't get fired on Wednesday, I'm certain I'll be back with more questions!...See MoreMore pet peeves...
Comments (82)Actually I'm kind of feeling bad. The whole toilet bowl idea may be someone elses pride. Even if a whimsical joke. And Im wondering if I could say what I'm typing to that persons face personally. And not feel the hurt I might cause. But I did get a good laugh : ) To add constructively to the thread one pet peeve of mine? Neighbors or homeowners in a community hiring Landscapers to do renovations requiring the disposal of old shrubs and perennials. Seeing them chainsawd and chipped, buried by heavy machinery. I mean that is horrible. I never looked at it that way until I started the process of donating a Japanese Garden to a local community business. Here I am wondering why the rootstock cant be shared by community members who are financially unable to afford such plants. Here I am wondering how Im going to pull this off with no money of mine to spare. So I must resort to finding recycled plants. For the first time in my life. Ive always spent other people money. Now I have to come up with ideas so as not to loose face and make the Japanese Garden a reality. I wont accept a penny more from the place Im building it. The whole idea is about community service. Giving something that is a passion for free. I have a passion so its easy. The rest is patience. I hate evil plant killers :) Let youre fellow citizens have a chance to adopt a plant before you send it to a tragic death.... People!!! Especially at the hand of Monster Landscape Contractors who arent even willing to keep the plant for themselves to use on another project.Sometimes the completion date requires dispossal of ornamentals not in the design rather than re salvaging. Maybe the local town Gardening Committee will use those ornamentals. Making the town plan of beautification financially feasible. Ive never heard of such a thing but sounds like a good idea. So many homes are stripped of old growth ornamentals that have overgrown the original space. To be lost forever. I sometimes to the embarrassment of myself will stop at such a job and ask for all the root stock still alive.. Many trades men will look at me askance. Like Im crazy and should know better than to ask such a question. Giving that tough guy attitude. Like get the hell off of my job you jackass. I can see it in their eyes. And in truth I hate that feeling. Its hard for me to swallow. I must look like an amatuer doing such things. So in reality I'm doing this rarely. Driving my dump truck to the sites who are kinder. I might get something. Knowing one particular customer of mine who is low on money would appreciate these plants. Giving that customer back for the opportunity they provided earlier. To work on their property when they had money to spend. Maybe sounds old fashioned but I like my customers to be happy. I want them to have dreams fulfilled just as I want mine. Business sometimes corrupts that process of brotherhood. No one could put the value of driving onto a customers property with a huge Rhody salvaged from being destroyed. Its a priceless moment. And what did it cost me. Maybe 20 dollars in gas. A few hours labor. But what I get in return is priceless. Compassion from the person Im thinking about. We see eachother as equalls. Something money can not buy. And when you get used to this way of thinking you never expect anything in return. The whole idea was just do it. Its the right thing to do. For no real reason but it just feels right. I dont need books to know this. Its the same act as when a baby hands over the food for you to take a bite. Isnt it awesome to see a young child offer food that was almost going into the mouth hesitate. Then look at you and put the food in youre mouth intead! Its human nature to share. Sometimes I think how cruel it must be to see ornamentals a neighbor could never afford but truly desire and watch that tree discarded like trash. The owner of such ornamentals never asking fellow neighbors if they would like to have it. I guess most people believe in not sharing and rather see material things in the garbage before theyd ever concede to the principle of giving without hesitation. That was good. I feel better! Japanese Gardening has made me think differently. To give and help the community you are a member of is the goal. Finding every opportunity to make a community come together with little things. Not on the rare occasion. But on a daily bases. Its easy. I like what Im saying and will try harder to do so. This is what makes me feel like a boulder resisting the rivers current. Finding wieght in my doings. Even if the community is too complex to understand I feel rooted to living out one aspect of being a member. Feeling like you belong. Not just driving to the local store for groceries and back home. But stopping along that daily circle to do one small thing. No matter how little. Like someone you see going to the mailbox every morning while leaving for work. Saying to that person.. "Hey Ill have Peony roots by the end of the day. Only a few. Ill leave you some tomorrow morning." At least its a start. And after a few years you can see that act of giving grow into a smile on each others face every time you cross that persons path leaving for work in the morning. Nobody said this means becoming nosey or involved with strangers. Its just one simple way to say hello. Next time we see each other we can smile and wave hello instead of me driving by like a sardine in a car. Gardening is probably the easiest way for a community to come together. Every home has something to offer. Dont throw ornamentals away....See MoreNew Lucky Bamboo, yellowing at stalk tip. Please Help!
Comments (10)I solved my issue, mdln. I sliced off the yellowing nodes with a sharp knife.dipped the tips in hot wax. I also have them in only water. (No rocks/gravel) so then there is nothing blocking the pores. Since making this post, I already see signs of new shoots growing. Good luck!...See Morebrandon7 TN_zone7
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