posted
Hello everyone, first time here for me. I've been checking out the site and you all seem very knowledgeable and obviously love gardening. Here's my question.
I would like to plant some Black Bamboo in a large terra cotta planter that I have sitting outside on a mulched area. I'm in zone 7(a)(Norfolk, VA area) and I am wondering if the bamboo will winter over in a container above the ground. I will not be available to water the bamboo for about 3 months during the winter. Would that be a problem? I'm also having difficulty finding a local source for the black bamboo. Appreciate any help anyone may be able to provide. Vikki
* * * * Vikki For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Plants: 40 | From: Chesapeake, VA | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 68.107.149.235
posted
Hello again Vikki, I'm glad to see you found your way about!!
As far as the Bamboo goes, I do not personally grow it, but there is some good reading here at the site Bill has about Bamboo, if you do a GARDEN SEARCH at the top, type in Bamboo, It should bring up about maybe 14 catagories... There's alot of good infomation there for you to read while you wait until one of our gardeners comes along and can answer your question.
Hopefully someone will have grown it or is knowledgeable in growing it that can steer you in the right direction....
Weezie
What else do you have in your garden????
We have lot's of good sections around here, Hope you stick around and read up on them all and add your voice to our growing voices here at the Garden Forum.
We have several members from the Va. area here, Bess and Renee are the first ones I can think of THIS early in the morning...... But we have a bunch!!!
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
Amor est vitae essentia. Love is the essence of life. Plants: 932 | From: Northern California, Zone 9b | Registered: Jul 2003
| Seeded: 205.188.208.108
posted
Thanks to Weezie and Papito for responding to my e-mail. The web sites Pipito listed for me were great...some beautiful pictures of black bamboo.
Weezie asked what other plants I have in my garden. Here is a short list; Weeping love grass, maiden hair grass, dwarf fothergilla, beautyberry, wild geranium, daylily, viburnum, chelone "hotlips" turlehead, rhododendron, saponaria, variegated porcelain vine, honeysuckle vine, narrow leaf amsonia, society garlic, joe pye weed, toad lily, black & blue salvia (one of my favorites), white obedient plant, mexican sage, artemesia, several varieties of hosta, butterfly bush (lavender), shasta viburnum, loropetalum, lots of lilies (all kinds), hardy rose mallow...guess that's enough for now. I lost 2 Aristocrat Pear trees (pain in the neck trees) to hurricane Isabel and I have just replaced them with pink crepe myrtle.
Not sure if I’m gonna try the black bamboo in the planter. The planter is approx. 30” high and is made of rather light weight terra cotta. Any suggestions regarding what to plant. I don’t want to bring it inside during the winter so that will surely limit my choices.
I’ve been looking all over the local area for a Chinese Fringe Tree. Anyone out there have one of theses? I’d love to hear about any experiences with the tree.
The Black and Blue Salvia I mentioned is a WONDERFUL perennial. I have two and they have bloomed continuously since I planted them in late June. They are still blooming now. Check out this photo - http://www.witsendgrowers.net/varieties/salviablacknblue.html I recommend this plant to anyone who lives in a zone where it will survive.
More later...Vikki
* * * * Vikki For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Plants: 40 | From: Chesapeake, VA | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 68.107.149.235
posted
Hi Vickie, I have two fringe trees but they are the American ones. I have a male and female and searched long and hard for one of each so we could have berries for the birds. I just love them and have had the female for 2 years and the male for a year now. The male has more flowers than the female. I am in Maryland in zone 7b and am familiar with where you live. My daughter lived in Virginia Beach for 3 years recently and my mil lives in Newport News. If you have any questions about them let me know.
You have a nice list of plants. You might want to consider an ornamental grass in the planters. That will give you a similar look to the bamboo and might be better suited to the three months you'll be unable to attend to them. You might want to leave the pots in a shady area that is available to rainfall and little wind while you're gone so they won't dry out so easily.
Newt
* * * * When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Plants: 271 | From: Maryland zone 7 | Registered: Sep 2002
| Seeded: 200.37.164.34
posted
Hello, The fringe tree is on my wish list!!! I think they are very pretty, can't offer much help on it..........
The salvia is very pretty, we had that as a Mystery Plant one day, someone didn't know what it was and sent the picture in....Alankhart got it right off the bat. I have the midnight salvia, *I think that's the name* I am so bad on names. Very reliable plant.
I'll post Sat, after Halloweens' over some more on the other plants, that caught my attention....
Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
* * * * Vikki For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Plants: 40 | From: Chesapeake, VA | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 68.107.149.235
Jiffymouse
guest
posted
Awesome plants Vicki. Thanks for giving me ideas!
Seeded: 12.165.32.7
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Thanks Jiffymouse...I have just re-done my front and back yard. Been working on it since late June. I hired a landscaper cause I wanted three new beds in the back yard. Just too much for me to tackle alone as hubby really HATES yard work (sound familiar ladies?). The landscaper was WAY overpriced and I was disappointed in the job. I ended up supervising all the work (he had high school kids, with no experience, in to do most of the work)! Guess if you are a gardener you are better off doing it yourself.
Anyway, things are coming together now. I'll try and take some pic's so you all can see what I have and offer your expertise. I'm still learning. I've moved alot of plants around trying to get the right composition. Can you post photos here? Vikki P.S. Something you all may be interested in for next summer...I purchased a hanging basket of varigated Swedish Ivy in Aug sometime. Not a full basket so I decided to put the 4 little plants in the flower bed.
I wish you all could see it now. Grown like crazy, about 5' X 8' and it is blooming!! There are lovely little spikes with white flowers all over. Sooooooo pretty. I'm doing this again next summer as it makes a great ground cover. Sure was worth the $5.00 I paid for the basket.
* * * * Vikki For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Plants: 40 | From: Chesapeake, VA | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 68.107.149.235
Jiffymouse
guest
posted
Hey Vicki, Yes you can post photos if you have them on a server/website (Like webshots or yahoo) or on your homepage with your isp. all you have to do is click the image button and put in the url of the photo. We LOVE seeing folks' pretty plants!
Seeded: 12.94.121.2
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