Pl. Fortunei - rhizome depth question

[Big john]

I live in middle GA where bamboo will grow very fast! Can Pl. Fortunei be controlled by rhizome pruning the same as larger bamboo? Do the rhizomes grow as deep as other larger bamboo? Can you simply push a shovel in a few inches to keep it in check? Or do you need to go down 8 to 12 inches to cut thru the rhizomes?

I have one plant that i want to put in a shaded flower bed, but don't want it to take over the neighborhood. It is growing so fast in the pot and appears to very happy. It might be safer living in the pot, but it is such a beautiful plant and I know it wants to get out and spread!

[Alan_L]

I rhizome prune my fortunei, and that seems to work. I mean when I don't skip a year.

I wouldn't say the rhizomes are in the top few inches, but 6-8" seems about right for mine. Note that mine gets mowed each year as it top-kills in my climate, so my fortunei is at most 24" tall. Not sure if that matters, but thought I'd mention it. I have amended clay soil there too -- still quite heavy.

[Big john]

I decided that I wanted to go ahead and plant my P. Fortunei in the flower bed in a shady area of my yard. I hope I have not made a big mistake! That little plant outgrew that one gallon pot so fast (planted it around the end of March). I had put in an area with lots of sunshine and filled half the pot with fresh compost and then half with garden soil with mushroom compost. We have had lots of rain this year and it loved it! When I removed it from the pot, the little roots had already grown to the bottom of the pot and were filling it up fast. There was already a rhizome poking out at least 10 inches or more right under the surface of the soil. Amazing fast growth. Since I am new to bamboo, it is an eye opener at how fast these plants grow/spread.

This makes me glad I did not plant my Vivax and P. Nigra in the ground. My soil is really good and the warm temperatures with the massive amount of rain we have had this years has caused very good growth. My little Vivax was planted as a small plant and within 45 days, produced an 8' tall culm (plus lots of other small side shoots). The other shoots just could not compete and died. This mushroom garden soil I order locally is high quaility. My other garden vegetables thrive on this stuff, so I guess the bamboo must feel the same.

Sorry for the sideways picture. I really like the variegated varieties. Unusual.