Bam!Boo!

Last week it was time to do something about two problems. Two empty, boring fields, and the view of my neighbor, a factory. O.K. that's three problems: two bland fields and the view of a factory and an oil company. Four problems. Two fields, plus two industries equals one problem. I have long studied a way to block unsightly blemishes, and bamboo seems to be a viable solution. Some species can grow up to 40 ft. high, which is about how tall the oil tanks are that need hiding. What I want to accomplish is a forest of Bamboo, similar to the ones featured in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

So, my point is, I went to a location outside of Gonzales, Texas and bought several species of Bamboo. My favorite being black bamboo. A nice young fellow named Billy (I re-named him Billy of the Beautiful eyes), helped me choose from over 8 different species. If you are interested, he has an ad on Craigslist, and his number is 512-470-0338.

I drove back with 10 freshly dug selections of 3 different kinds of bamboo, giant timber, black and verdis. All for $120. I drilled holes in the bottom of 5 gallon buckets, added an inch of gravel, transplanted them, added potting soil and now I will nurse them until this summer's coming drought is over. Then I will plant them along the fence line, leaving enough space to drive my tractor. That will help me keep them from growing into the neighbor's property, as ugly as it is.

Post script - The black bamboo doesn't look so good. The other ones seem to be recovering from the trip.