The Soil pH Meter That Helped Me Dial In My Bamboo Beds
Marcus Chen · May 23, 2026
The Soil pH Meter That Helped Me Dial In My Bamboo Beds…
Planting Options
Marcus Chen · May 23, 2026
I Tested the Bamboo Shield Root Barrier on Three Running Bamboo Species
Marcus Chen · May 21, 2026
After fifteen years of growing bamboo commercially, I thought I knew what I was dealing with. Then I watched Phyllostachys aureosulcata push clean through a cheap 20-mil barrier I’d installed three years earlier — surfacing about four feet outside the…
Bamboo Rhizomes Explained: The Underground System Every Grower Must Understand
Marcus Chen · May 20, 2026
Key Takeaways Bamboo rhizomes are horizontal underground stems — not roots — that store energy, produce new culms, and drive all lateral spread in bamboo plants. There are two distinct rhizome types: leptomorph (found in running bamboos) and pachymorph (found in clumping bamboos), and understanding the difference is the single most important factor in choosing … Read more
Fastest Growing Bamboo Species: Complete Ranking From Slowest to Record-Breakers
Marcus Chen · May 19, 2026
Key Takeaways What Is the Fastest Growing Bamboo in the World? The single fastest growing bamboo species documented is Phyllostachys edulis, commonly known as Moso bamboo. Under optimal growing conditions — warm temperatures, high humidity, ample water, and nutrient-rich soil — Moso bamboo has been recorded growing at a rate of 47.6 inches (121 centimeters) … Read more
The Cordless Hedge Trimmer I Use to Keep Bamboo Borders Under Control
Marcus Chen · May 1, 2026
The Cordless Hedge Trimmer I Use to Keep Bamboo Borders Under Control…
The Wheelbarrow That Hauled 500 Pounds of Bamboo Culms Without Bending
Marcus Chen · April 30, 2026
If you’ve never loaded a wheelbarrow with freshly cut bamboo culms, let me paint you a picture. Green bamboo is dense, awkward, and deceptively heavy. A single 20-foot Moso culm can weigh 15 to 25 pounds depending on age and…
The Soil Amendment That Transformed My Bamboo Plantation in Year Three
Marcus Chen · April 26, 2026
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…
My Framework for Choosing Clumping vs Running Bamboo (After Seeing Both Go Wrong)
Marcus Chen · April 23, 2026
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…
The Bamboo Barrier Mistake That Cost My Client Thousands to Fix
Marcus Chen · April 22, 2026
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…
15 Years of Growing Bamboo: The Species I Regret Planting and Why
Marcus Chen · April 21, 2026
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…