The economy may not be growing, but bamboo never sleeps, so my nursery beds are currently overstocked. I’m also doing a major nursery remodel through the spring, so if you help me make some space, I’ll make you some great deals on plants. See below for some specific deals I have right now.

Bamboo rhizome barrier is also on sale at $1.50/lineal foot. Do you like bamboo, but have concerns about it spreading too much? See the post below about rhizome barrier then come in and take advantage of this great price.

Some other perennial species are on clearance sale for little more than the price of the pot and soil they’re in. The rest are 1/2-price or less. Until they’re gone. Cold hardy and edible cactus are also available super-cheap if you get 5 or more.

Much as I truly enjoy sourcing, propagating and distributing many of the useful and unusual species I’ve been carrying over the years, most have simply not been paying their way. As a result, I’ve made the hard decision to switch to live bamboo plants as the nursery’s main focus. So, take advantage of this chance to pick up some interesting plants at dirt-cheap prices.

I can make wholesale deals to retail nurseries and landscapers. Contact me for details. If you have a worthy non-profit, especially one with a permaculture orientation, I’m open to discussions about donations of plants.

Reasonably-priced delivery is available anywhere up or down the Hwy 101 corridor from Southern Oregon to Santa Cruz. Outside of this area, delivery may be possible to arrange.

March 2012 bamboo sale list
Potted plants:

* Phyllostachys aureosulcata “Harbin”:  15-gallon pots, well established plants $40 each, $30 each if you buy five or more.

* Pseudosasa japonica “Japanese Arrow” bamboo: 5-gallon pots with rhizomes bursting out, $30 each or $25 each for five or more. These take sun or shade in cooler climates, shade in hot, interior climates. In the shade, they act almost like a clumping bamboo, spreading very slowly. They are also very drought-resistant once established. They can be trimmed into an impenetrable hedge.

* Bambusa multiplex “Silverstripe”. A clumping bamboo that doesn’t do well in this hot-summer/cold-winter climate, but will do great somewhere more coastal. 3-gallon pots $20 each. Three available.

* Pseudosasa usawai. 5-gallon pots, well-established, but have been crammed in too tightly for a while so look a bit rangy. $30.

* Arundinaria gigantea “Canebreak”. 15-gallon pots, currently 8′-10′ tall, $50 each.  This is the only bamboo native to the U.S. Makes a dense hedge.

* Pleioblastus gramineus. 3-gallon pots, 4′-6′ current height. $20 each.

Field diggings (bare root):

These are plants dug directly from patches in the ground and loaded into your truck or mine for delivery. They often include a significant amount of rhizome (a good thing), but can also be very heavy. They must be planted immediately or at least stored with their roots covered in sawdust in a shady place. Field-dug plants are a great deal and I dig them to order with you there. Prices vary by the size of each digging, but are generally going to be 1/2 to 3/4 the price of established potted plants. I also usually throw in any extra rhizome that gets dug up in the process at no extra cost, most of which will survive and send up shoots in the spring.

Below are the groves I’ll be digging in in the next couple weeks. The earlier in the season these are dug, the less shock the plant experiences and the better the rate of survival.

* Phyllostachys bambusoides “Marliac”.  A rare and unusual variant of the common giant timber bamboo. Gets only 20′ tall or so and is slow-growing. The culms are extremely ridged and sections are used to make tea cups. I have a nice established grove, with plants in the 10′ to 16′ range.

* Semiarundinaria makinoi. A good hedge bamboo. Also does well in containers. Canes are currently 6′ to 8′ tall. This spreads and fills in fast.

* Phyllostachys stimulosa. A thin-caned Phyllostachys that fills in and spreads rapidly. Currently 8′+ tall.

* Semiarundinaria okuboi. Presently 8′ tall. Fills in and forms a dense hedge rapidly. A very bushy plant for full sun. Online sources report the height at up to 25′ but my experience and that of others in California is that it stays below 15′. Looking for an instant privacy barrier? Come get some of these and the Semiarundinaria makinoi and you’re set.

* Arundinaria gigantea. A small patch of this is available. 5′ present height.

* Phyllostachys bambusoides “Castillon”. A variant of giant timber bamboo that tops out at around 30′. Yellow culms with green stripes and variegated leaves. My grove is 20′ at present, though many diggings will be shorter.

* Phyllostachys aureosulcata “Houzeau”. Green culms with pale yellow stripes. These plants are currently 20′ tall, but many diggings will be shorter.

* Phyllostachys aureosulcata “Spectabilis”. A gorgeous and fast-spreading bamboo. Yellow canes with green stripe. The culms often grow in dramatic zig-zag fashion. A fast-spreading, dense hedge. Can take full sun or part shade. They grow up to 20′ tall, but these plants are currently in the 10′ to 16′ range.

* Phyllostachys heteroclada “Water Bamboo”. One of the few that can grow in constantly-wet places.  I have a small patch of 10′ plants that can be dug at present.

* Phyllostachys nidularia “Farcta”. A small patch available. 10′ at present.

Bring your truck and load up!

My hours are variable these days, so please call first to check if I’m open or to make an appointment. (707) 923-5063

Rhizome Barrier Sale Price through September 15 $1.80/linear foot

If you have a lawn or garden or any rich, moist soil nearby your bamboo grove, the bamboo will find it, but only if you let it. Any “running” bamboo can be contained easily with rhizome barrier. Read on for more info and take advantage of the sale price till September 15th.

Some of the faster running/spreading bamboo varieties that I grow, such as Phyllostachys aureosulcata “Spectabilis” and Phyllostachys bambusoides “Castillon” will pop up new shoots 10′ away after one growth season under the right conditions. This is great if you want the grove to fill in fast, but not so great if it happens in the middle of your rose garden or your neighbor’s lawn.

It is important to understand that bamboo in a normal garden setting does not spread by seed, like dandelions of thistles, but by underground “runners” called rhizomes. They are basically big, woody versions of the runners you see if you pull up a clump of typical lawn grass. Being mostly a forest plant, bamboo rhizomes like to spread through the deep leaf mulch that covers forest soils. By stopping the spread of the underground runners, you can stop the spread of the plant. Even the most active runners can be contained with an easily-installed rhizome barrier.

The best rhizome barrier is a continuous sheet of heavy plastic,  stood vertically in a trench around the entire perimeter of the bamboo grove. For most bamboo species, 24″ is plenty deep enough to easily contain all the rhizomes. The process is fairly simple, if laborious. Rent a motorized trencher to make a 4″ – 6″ wide trench around the grove, place the barrier vertically, clamp the ends together and backfill with soil. (For a more detailed description, check out the Wikihow page on installing rhizome barrier.)

Most rhizome barrier is 30 mil or 40 mil smooth polyethylene plastic that can be quite stiff to work with, especially when doing long runs and curves. I’m currently carrying a fiber-reinforced 30 mil polyethylene that is more flexible and easier to install. It is 24″ deep, which is enough to control virtually all temperate bamboo. In the rare cases where a sturdier barrier is required, I can order 36″ material.

The price is $1.50/linear foot (on sale now), with discounts available for lengths over 150′. It is easily rolled and shipped anywhere. I have specially-made aluminum rhizome barrier clamps for $12 each. These are for attaching the ends of the barrier together so that the rhizome tips cannot slip between the overlap and escape.

To order, drop me an email at mikal[at]plantsforthepeople[dot]com and I can calculate a shipping price for you or answer any questions you may have.

Plants For The People is probably the most eco-friendly nursery in Northern California. Most of my plants were grown right here, in soil bought from local suppliers. I buy my soil in bulk instead of bags to reduce plastic trash and most of my pots are reused, saving the production of even more plastic. Most importantly, the nursery and the whole site is now using 100% stored water. That means that scarce summer water stays in the creek, helping young salmon to survive. Plants For The People is the only salmon-friendly nursery on the North Coast!