|
Like us on FB, post "Go
Green" on our wall & be entered to win $100!
|
|
Share with your favorite networking site |
 |
|
green homes |
If
you are thinking about
putting up a fence around your yard or just want to create some privacy in a
certain section of your yard (out of view from neighbors and passerby's),
consider using bamboo. Whether used as a live, growing fence or from harvested
bamboo cane poles, making a fence out of bamboo does wonders for the
environment. As a living fence, bamboo absorbs more Carbon Dioxide than most
other bushes. It also takes a load off of rapidly declining hardwood forests.
Since bamboo is
technically a grass, it grows at a staggering rate, which can be up to one foot
per day (depending on the species - there are over 1,000). It also spreads fast,
which for some homeowners can be a drawback. Once bamboo takes hold, it is
difficult to ever get rid of it. However, the "invasiveness" of bamboo is often
exaggerated. Those cases in which bamboo has taken over result from years of
neglect. Mowing down young shoots and periodic pruning will keep bamboo
contained.
Natural bamboo fence in Maui,
Hawaii
Bamboo mainly
spreads via its roots and/or rhizomes, either by clumping or running. Clumping species of
bamboo tend to grow slower than runners, whose growth varies considerably
depending on soil conditions
and climate.
If looking to
plant bamboo in
your yard, determine how much space it is you want to fill and how much overall
space you have to work with. Then, choose a species accordingly. Phyllostachys
vivax is a common nursery grown species that is fast growing and cold hardy.
Just be sure to regularly maintain it. Live bamboo fences work better when
needing to conceal one section of the yard facing a single direction.
If needing
to put up a fence around the entire perimeter of the yard, you might want to
consider using harvested bamboo poles. Bamboo is
harvested for commercial timber and is made into many different types of fences,
including rolled fences of bamboo shots or more durable fences made from large
bamboo canes.
Although it costs more than standard lumber fences, bamboo is more
pleasing on the eye, is very durable and directly impacts the environment in a
positive way. On that
final note, if you are looking for bamboo hardwood
flooring, please read:
Pros and Cons of Bamboo Flooring
Author: Ry
TIPS for a GREEN HOME
|
