Marcus Chen 
If you’ve been reading this site for any length of time, you know I grow bamboo seriously. Fourteen species, a few commercial plots, and a steady stream of neighbours who’ve inherited someone else’s running bamboo nightmare. That last part alone…
If you’ve got an unwanted bamboo stand in your yard—whether it’s an escaped ornamental clump or an aggressive running species like Phyllostachys—you need to pick a removal method that fits your actual situation, not just the one that sounds easiest. I’ve tested most of them, and they vary wildly in cost, labor, time commitment, and … Read more
By the end of year two, I was ready to give up on the south grove entirely. I had planted a mixed stand of Phyllostachys aureosulcata and Phyllostachys nigra in what I thought was decent ground — slightly acidic, good…
Three years into growing bamboo, I cut my first real harvest — about 40 poles of Phyllostachys vivax — stacked them against my barn, and had absolutely no idea what to do next. I’d read everything I could find online…
The call I dread most comes in spring. A neighbour — usually a new homeowner — rings to tell me their yard is being eaten alive by bamboo. Last April it was a woman two streets over who discovered running…
Three years ago, a neighbour two streets over knocked on my door in a panic. She had just bought her home and discovered bamboo pushing up through the gravel under her garden shed. The previous owners had planted a golden…
I’ve spent the last 15 years growing bamboo — commercially and on my own 3-acre property in the Pacific Northwest. I currently cultivate 14 species, sell poles and plants to landscapers and homeowners, and probably spend 30 to 40 days…
Key Takeaways Bamboo drought tolerance depends heavily on maturity — established plants (3+ years) can survive moderate dry periods, but new plantings require consistent moisture.Tropical clumping species such as Bambusa oldhamii and Bambusa textilis are more drought tolerant than temperate…
Key Takeaways Most bamboo species thrive between 60–90°F; sustained temperatures above 95–100°F trigger measurable heat stress responses.How heat stress affects the growth rate of bamboo plants involves a cascade of physiological changes — including stomatal closure, reduced photosynthesis, leaf curl,…
If you’re searching for non invasive bamboo, you’re likely hoping to enjoy the beauty and privacy bamboo offers without the headache of aggressive spreading. That’s a completely reasonable concern — running bamboo varieties can escape garden boundaries and become a serious problem for homeowners and their neighbors. The good news is that clumping bamboo species … Read more