The roots travel in the top foot of soil, so a barrier of 18 to 24 inches is effective if angled outward from the bamboo. If the barrier is angled outward, the rhizome always will go up and can be snapped off as it tries to escape. A pond or stream also can act as a barrier. Clumpers also spread by rhizomes, but only at the rate of an inch or so a year. What bamboo wants Most bamboo will take full sun or light shade and aren't fussy about soil.
Some species require afternoon shade here.
Many are from monsoon areas, so they put on all their new growth during the few weeks corresponding to that time of year where they originate. Give them lots of water and lots of fertilizer containing nitrogen lawn food is fine, as bamboo is just a big grass at that time, and you can double a plant's height in a season. Bamboo also is easily kept confined to a container for many years, making an excellent specimen plant or bonsai. Our hard freezes in 1990 and 1998 damaged some species, while others had light damage. Tropical species are damaged at 40 degrees, while Himalayan species will grow above 6,000 feet.