WHY IS GRACILIS SO SPECIAL AS A PRIVACY SCREEN?
Bambusa Textilis Var. Gracilis, better known simply as Gracilis or by its common name Slender Weavers Bamboo is the most popular live privacy screening bamboo in Sydney and for good reason. Gracilis grows in Sydney to a height of 6 – 8 meters, depending on factors such as spacing between plants, quality of the soil, nutrients and sun. As a general rule, the closer you plant the clumping bamboo, the bushier it will get but height will also be restricted as a result.
GRACILIS IS A CLUMPING NON - INVASIVE BAMBOO
So why the attraction to Gracilis over other Bamboo varieties? I mean, there are over 1000 varieties of bamboo.
First of all, Gracilis is a clumping bamboo which is considered as non-invasive. This means that it grows in a tight clump and will not spread wildly like the running bamboo varieties, which have given bamboo generally a bad reputation.
HARDY AND WELL SUITED TO THE NOVICE GARDENER
Second, Slender Weavers Bamboo (Gracilis) is very hardy once established, it can grow in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, almost anywhere. It can cope with winter temperatures of -12 degrees and is also heat tolerant. If a low maintenance garden is what you’re after, Gracilis needs little looking after once it’s established but it does require regular watering, thick mulching and appropriate feeding early on when first planted as it can quickly dry up in the summer heat.
Gracilis is also very well suited to novice gardeners as it doesn’t have any pests or diseases to worry about. I have also seen it grow quite happily along the coast in places like Kiama on the NSW coastline as some bamboo varieties don’t like salt.
BEAUTIFUL UPRIGHT GROWTH HABIT
Home owners with small backyards also love the fact that Gracilis grows in an attractive very straight, vertical upright form which is ideal for Sydney’s ever growing medium density housing with little space to loose. In other words, the live privacy screen height is achieved without loosing too much of your back yard.
SOLVE YOUR PRIVACY SCREEN AND UGLY SIGHT PROBLEM
Gracilis is most popular for planting along the fence to quickly hide the neighbour or to hide an ugly sight such as a shed, water tank or ugly view like an industrial zone. It also makes a great noise barrier for those living along a busy road. It may be a good idea to speak to your neighbour beforehand just to let them know that you’re planting a non-invasive bamboo as a living green fence so they don’t think a running bamboo has been planted. Whether you have a good neighbour or a bad neighbour, Gracilis will soon shoot up to solve your privacy screen problem. If it was up to me, I would make it illegal to erect colour bond fencing that is so ugly in our suburbs making it look like a shanty town and Gracilis can do a great job in hiding the ugly fence that’s probably devaluing your property.
Besides hiding an ugly fence, you will gain a beautiful living fence that significantly improves the air quality and environment.
To screen out the two story building next door, you will be hard pressed to find a better, quicker and more beautiful solution than planting Gracilis as it grows to between 6 meters and 8 meters tall. It is simply the best bamboo for such a job.
Gracilis is an evergreen bamboo, it stays green in winter but does shed some leaves and the sheath that protect the leaves, however, this makes for great self mulching and restricts weed growth.
FAST GROWTH RATE IS A MAIN ATTRACTION
A 200mm pot of Gracilis planted in Spring usually grows to around 3 to 4 meters in 12 months time whilst adding new shoots that turn into culms (stems).
If you would like a quicker screen than consider buying a 300mm pot which should give you a nice privacy screen within 12 – 24 months reaching the desired height and bushiness.
Summer is the growing season and plenty of regular watering is required to achieve best results. Bamboo also likes nitrogen and you can use your grass clippings as a fertiliser around the base or apply a high nitrogen fertiliser but be careful not to add too much, especially on the younger bamboo so it’s very important to read the label instructions. A generous amount of mulch such as sugarcane is also very helpful to retain moisture in the soil and to inhibit weeds that compete for nutrients.
Gracilis Bamboo is the ideal choice for a beautiful, living green fence that adds ambience and serenity to your yard whilst giving you almost instant privacy.
How far apart do you plant each clump