Well, in my investigations for handy plants to grow bamboo has crossed my mind recently. As a frame/trellis/building material I am most interested in oldhamii and also as a screen and shade provider. The problem? Mediterranean climate. Low rainfall doesn't seem to be the best conditions for bamboo and no doubt giant bamboo would be least suitable. Anyone have any experience growing in these conditions? It can always be overcome but I wouldn't want to be expending water on it at the expense of important food plants.
In my experience, once established bamboo is very hardy. I don't have oldhammi (well I do - but they are in pots and I haven't planted them yet) but do have quite a few Textilis. Without the water they will no doubt not grow to their full potential (size and speed) - but what do you do. Give it a crack I reckon. I love bamboo and wish I'd put some other varieties in when I planted my first Textilis (which I was sold as a Textilis Gracillis, but that is another story).
Choose something that is appropriate for the climate as well as the material you want. then you won't have any regrets. Bamboo does like a lot of water. It may be hardy but you won't get much good timber from it if you don't have enough water for it.
Thanks for the replies guys. Further investigation seems to indicate that once established it is indeed pretty hardy but as pointed out, won't go too far in reaching its potential as a building mayerial in dry conditions. On that note, what plants would anyone reccomend for garden stakes/trellis that are fastish growing and dry condition tolerant?
Unless you intend to pipe your waste water to the bamboo, which would work very well, I wouldn't put bamboo in a dry area.
Hi permup Grey water would be the main source of water although this would subtracting from fruit trees which would be more deserving. Since the grey water isn't hooked up to the bathroom yet it may prove to be more than enough. Need to sit down and go through some calculations and determine how much grey water is going to make it around the garden. Pretty confident it will keep all if not most trees happy. Will usethe Brad Lancastermethod of planting in depressions and drip feed into these. Vegies to be done off rain tank water.
I had bamboo on my previous property. It was very dry...like the desert, we didn't water it, we didn't plant it...it was just always there...and at the top of a hill on shitty soil too. Can't tell ya what sort it was though...all I know was that it was bamboo
Oh I see you are from Mildura...I didn't notice that before. My previous property was in the Riverland SA so the same sort of climate, same rainfall (or rather lack of it). The bamboo was quite sturdy...fishing rod size canes.