Hopefully you all will be able to help me with some questions I have about growing bamboo.
I just had a fence installed, and unfortunately the ground is not flat, so there are some gaps at the bottom of the fence. I was thinking I could build some raised garden beds along the base of my fence to block the gaps, and pretty up what otherwise is a very crappy yard (no grass, mostly trees).
Since bamboo is pretty invasive, I know it’s not something I would want to just plant anywhere. I was wondering if it would make any difference if I planted the bamboo in raised garden beds? Would that make it easier to control? If not, is there some other low-maintenance plant I could use that would look good along a fence?
A raised garden bed won’t prevent the rhizomes from travelling, unless the bed is permanently sealed where it contacts, or near contacts, the ground. Remember that plastic can crack, split, and deform, concrete can crack also.
If you know a plant is invasive and difficult to control at the best of times (unlike an invasive that can have seeds removed or similar), then have a long think about it. It’s like playing catch with a live hand grenade; the safest way is not to play. Clumping bamboo is the only choice if your climate permits it.
For me, on choosing what to plant, I would first consider that benefits me (food, flower, aesthetic, biomass) and that can be endemic, native, or exotic. If nothing suits that has a value, I would then choose a diverse small planting in endemic species to and around your area (also consider recommendations from climate scientists if you area will get warmer/colder/wetter/drier and select some species suited to that change).