#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Farming & Gardening In Thailand >  >  Lostandfounds Fascinating Bamboo Fence Thread

## Lostandfound

I have a 38 metre stretch that requires a reasonably secure and nice looking boundary. A 2m wall was an option, except that the land drainage pipes would be very close to the piling foundations and I didn't want to risk have an over enthusiastic isaanite swinging his pick axe around.

Fortunately there's already a four strand barbed wire fence on 1.4m posts, so cheapest option was 160 bamboo trees at 4m high.

So off to the garden market opposite Bangkok Pattaya Hospital at the weekend to have a look.

A quick shop around and did the deal at 210 b each, including planting and soil. 

16000 b deposit paid and true to her word mrs Bamboo pitches up with four lads this morning. 

End result looks good, the trees should spread together over next couple of months and my future tenants can look forward to leafy views from their living rooms.

On a crappy I phone so pics to follow this evening.

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## Lostandfound



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## dirtydog

Thats quite a cheap way of hiding a crappy concrete wall, may try some of that on my land.

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## Lostandfound



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## Lostandfound

She didn't try any tricks, the four lads toiled and sweated, albeit with a break for lunch, job done in 5 hours. So I'm posting her business business card in case you want bamboo or plants n stuff in Pattaya area

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## Lostandfound

Plan to let in settle in for a month then thread barbed wire through it. Reckon six extra strands should make it pretty secure and a lot cheaper than a fence

Was quoted 2000 b a metre for standardish 2m concrete wall. Seemed a bit high, any idea on going rate?

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## Thetyim

Looks nice now but what will it be like when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?

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## Lostandfound

^gonna buy a baby panda, so no troubles

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## mingmong

this is what Hotels are doing, Wall at front and plants/bamboo etc at rear and side boundrys

easy on the eye and easy to change in the future if need be,  price depend on where you are! for cement wall / Bamboo farm reduced its price cos no 1 was buying near us

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## Rural Surin

Nice job, L&F!!

 :Smile:

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## Lostandfound

Well thankyou RS.

Been a niggling worry trying to get 500 sq m of ground landscaped on a budget, now the builders have finished screwing me. I wanted to do this first to see how it went and it's starting to look pretty good already.

I'm half tempted to abandon plans for a wall in front with two sliding gates, in favour of using a couple of L shaped concrete posts to attach the sliders to, with barbed wire and a double row of bamboo. Less hassle and half the price of a wall that would need some planting in front to pretty it up in any case.

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## baldrick

> when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?


this is the worrying bit - keep us updated

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## Lostandfound

> Originally Posted by Thetyim
> 
> when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?
> 
> 
> this is the worrying bit - keep us updated


Nah...it'll be ok. farang think too mut

I wonder if I can put some more around to hide the transformer too?

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## Bangyai

> Looks nice now but what will it be like when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?


I was thinking the same. I think it looks really nice and have some up against our fence at the front of the house but I have kept it in a planting box as over time the roots have a tendancy to run and crop up elseware.... a bit like mint.
It also tends to shed a lot of dry leaves as it grows.

For fencing, Thais more commonly use ' _moke_ ' which is dirt cheap, looks o.k. and has fragrant flowers as a bonus.

Having said that , Ms Bangyai is sick of the sight of it and banned it from our new house.... hence the use of bamboo.

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## Lostandfound

> Originally Posted by Thetyim
> 
> 
> Looks nice now but what will it be like when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?
> 
> 
> I was thinking the same. I think it looks really nice and have some up against our fence at the front of the house but I have kept it in a planting box as over time the roots have a tendancy to run and crop up elseware.... a bit like mint.
> It also tends to shed a lot of dry leaves as it grows.
> 
> ...


Thanks - too late now! Will see what happens, I, planning to lay grass around the 3.5M perimeter with the odd palm here and there. If the building rents OK then I'll be happy to take the bamboo out in a couple of years and put up a wall with some climbing plants, meanwhile want a quick, easy fix.

The largely redundant/ overkill land drainage pipes run parallel to the boundary so it'll be a while before roots are an issue on my side of the fence. Next door is a vacant plt and at 12.5M/ half a Rai asking price is likely to stay vacant for a while!

Th building will need two daytime staff for intended end use. May as well give them a reason to sweep up.....

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## dirtydog

> Was quoted 2000 b a metre for standardish 2m concrete wall. Seemed a bit high, any idea on going rate?


That is around the going rate.

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## Carrabow

How tall will this grow L&F? Do you have to worry about it spreading out of control?

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## OhOh

Did the gardeners put any more soil under/around the plant roots?

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## Tom Sueahn

I think they will stay alive but will not thrive due to way too many plants for way too little root space with out the neighbor plant complaining. This will cause it to dwarf, stunt or just whither and die over time. It looks great today but bamboo looks great when a plant can spread out and flourish. These are plants, not just a concrete post.
Other then that bamboo is a fierce competitor planted in the ground. Sure, 4 guys can plant them all in a day but try to move 'em in five years without a backhoe.

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## SpicyMartin

> For fencing, Thais more commonly use ' _moke_ ' which is dirt cheap, looks o.k. and has fragrant flowers as a bonus.
> 
> Having said that , Ms Bangyai is sick of the sight of it and banned it from our new house.... hence the use of bamboo.


Can you post a pic for us please....... the moke that is, not the missus! I'm going to need a pool screen in future and all ideas/pics are appreciated. Personally love red bamboo.

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## nigelandjan

Looks good now mate , but will it stay within your confines ? or take over your neighbours garden ?

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## Kwang

Judging by the responses of some in the know TD members, there may be trouble ahead

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## Bangyai

> Originally Posted by Bangyai
> 
> 
> For fencing, Thais more commonly use ' _moke_ ' which is dirt cheap, looks o.k. and has fragrant flowers as a bonus.
> 
> Having said that , Ms Bangyai is sick of the sight of it and banned it from our new house.... hence the use of bamboo.
> 
> 
> Can you post a pic for us please....... the moke that is, not the missus! I'm going to need a pool screen in future and all ideas/pics are appreciated. Personally love red bamboo.


When first planted close together they look a bit untidy and sparse :




These have just been planted in our village




However, after time and some pruning they thicken up to make a passable hedge :





Not as pretty as bamboo but hardy and cheap , about 50 - 60 baht per plant, cheaper in bulk.


There is another plant commonly used for hedging which is a lot thicker and slightly more expensive but I don't know its name. The roots are bigger and it makes a very thick bushy hedge impenatrable to the eye. I'll try to find out its name.

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## Lostandfound

> There is another plant commonly used for hedging which is a lot thicker and slightly more expensive but I don't know its name. The roots are bigger and it makes a very thick bushy hedge impenatrable to the eye. I'll try to find out its name.


Be useful to know. Meanwhile, I'll keep you posted on how the bamboo turns out. This variety is used in Australia for borders, I reckon I'll be OK for a year or two with it. They put bagged soil around and on top. The ground is sandy, well drained and good for bamboo. They like organic mulch, so I reckon some buffalo shit spread on top once they've settled should keep them green and healthy whilst I'm letting the building.

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## nigelandjan

> so I reckon some buffalo shit


   Well if you have difficulty in finding bull crap you can always come back here mate , there's always plenty floating round  :mid:

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## Borey the Bald

> .
> 
> For fencing, Thais more commonly use ' _moke_ ' which is dirt cheap, looks o.k. and has fragrant flowers as a bonus..


The tree below the Thais refer to as mouk or mouk nhai:



There is a related tree, Wrightea pubescens, which they also call mouk.

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## Ceburat1

Hok-Kian makes a nice hedge. Not expensive. Plant only a few inches apart and takes about a year.  I have this across the front and one side of my property. I interplanted it with Borganvilla. Now four years old.  Hok-Kian is 5-6 feet tall and you almost cannot see thru it. A two foot layer of flowers on top from the Borganvilla.

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## ubuibi

i really like the bamboo but dont like the constant leaf shedding i find bamboo needs a lot of constant cleanup as the leafs just dont stop falling, but having said that perhaps there are strains that dont have that problem perhaps someone knows which ones they are?

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## Yasojack

i had the same idea, as i hate walls, my wife was dead against it, as mentioned it spreads, and is a bitch to remove, but will be interested to see how it goes, as i am still thinking about it.

Anyone have any ideas of stopping it spreading?

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## Bangyai

> Anyone have any ideas of stopping it spreading?


Plant in large pots then put the pots in the ground. Or put in a planting box thus :

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## Yasojack

When they grow to big i would imagine the pots would break?

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## Necron99

Two basic types of bamboo species,running and clumping. The latter does not spread invasively.

Clumping Bamboo

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## Bangyai

> When they grow to big i would imagine the pots would break?


Not really . Those black plastic ones are pretty strong. If for example you use a 10 inch pot , that will not only stop the roots spreading horizontaly but will limit them from further growth. What does tend to happen is that a root will go down through the hole in the bottom of the pot searching for water. This is not so bad as its easier to cut if you want to move the plant later. Inevitably, after several years the vertical root will branch out and start to run but the pot slows it down a lot.

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## Bettyboo

> Lostandfounds Fascinating Bamboo Fence Thread





> Thats quite a cheap way of hiding a crappy concrete wall, may try some of that on my land.


I'm thinking the same; if I was to put a wall around the 3 rai we're gonna build on it'd cost more than the house; this is a nice idea, and provides a pleasant environment for cobras to breed; just need a woodpile and a pond for the king cobra to live.

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## Yasojack

We tried growing a hedge we bought from a nursery, told they grown from seeds bought a shit load of the hedges, and planted them, and yep i got ripped off, they were from  grown from off cuts, seriously look at the bamboo though, may even protect a little from the sun.

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## Lostandfound

> i had the same idea, as i hate walls, my wife was dead against it, as mentioned it spreads, and is a bitch to remove, but will be interested to see how it goes, as i am still thinking about it.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas of stopping it spreading?

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## nigelandjan

The front of your place looks very tidy and nicely finished off now Bangyai  :Smile:

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## Yasojack

Bangyai yep that will stop it from spreading, though do they have Pandas for sale in Thailand ?, or is that a silly question  :Smile:

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## Ceburat1

The only way to prevent spreading is not to plant to start with.  My one rai was part of a bamboo farm before.  We  had to have a machine to remove the clumps and roots that were every few meters apart.  For a natural fence - one that does not cost a fortune search out the plant shops/plant places or find some one who knows what and how to plant.  To plant a fence that requires no maintenance or makes no mess - sorry you live on the wrong planet.

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## superman

> Do you have to worry about it spreading out of control?


My concern as well. Bamboo is a bastard to get rid of. Plus it attracts Cobras that like to nest in it's base



> The aggressive and invasive nature of bamboo can make it undesirable to many gardeners. Once established, bamboos create a strong and complex network of plants making the emergence of new culms unpredictable. Removing a well established grove can be a daunting task. Simply cutting the shoots and culms at ground level will not suffice for effective bamboo removal. Rhizomes will continue to travel underground in search of new territory to colonize. The entire rhizome system must be removed or destroyed to completely stop the emergence of new shoots. In this article we have outlined several methods of bamboo removal for both running and clumping bamboo types. If you are only looking to control the spread of bamboo plant, check out our article on controlling bamboo.
> *Removal of Clumping Bamboo*
> 
> Clumping bamboos stay confined to the area in which they were first planted, and are not considered invasive. This makes removal fairly simple in theory. There are 2 basic steps to follow. 
> *1. Remove Exposed Culms (Canes)* - Start my cutting the culms at close to ground level. This can be done with standard garden shears, or a chainsaw for larger plants. The purpose of this step is to give yourself an open space to work with. Once removed, the canes can be discarded, saved, or burned. 
> *2. Dig Out Root System* - Depending on the size of the plant, this is often more difficult than it sounds. The roots and rhizomes of most clumping bamboos are short and thick, making them difficult to dig out. Start by digging around the outer edges of the plant while going as deep as possible. It is helpful to use an axe or sharp garden spade to break up the main root system. Once the system has been sufficiently broken apart, simply dig out the remaining material. Finish off the process by examining the hole to make sure all rhizomes have been removed. 
> *Removal of Running Bamboo*
> 
> Running bamboos are invasive and can be highly difficult to remove. They have the ability to spread over wide areas and are connected by a system of underground stems, or rhizomes. In order to fully remove running bamboo, the entire rhizome system must be destroyed or contained. For well established groves it is recommended to make removal a seasonal practice, rather than trying to completely remove the plant in one swift blow. The rhizome system is typically too resilient and complex to remove in a single season. Patience is perhaps the most useful tool for the removal of running bamboo. The following removal method is a long term strategy that can be employed over the course of several years. This strategy works by exhausting the energy stored in the plants rhizomes. 
> ...

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## hillbilly

We eventually got rid of ALL of our bamboo upcountry. Just to much trouble. Having said that we still have a stand of golden bamboo at our home in BKK. Many Thais believe it brings good luck. It is a pain in the ass that requires a great deal of trimming once a month.

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## SEA Traveler

> Looks nice now but what will it be like when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?



Neighbor of mine has 20 meters or so of bamboo growing as a fence.  Every once in a while they have someone make a straight trim across the top to keep it maintained at about 2 1/2 meters.  Looks rather nice after the top and sides are trimmed.

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## superman

> Looks rather nice after the top and sides are trimmed.


So does my missus bush.  :Smile:

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## SEA Traveler

> Originally Posted by SEA Traveler
> 
> Looks rather nice after the top and sides are trimmed.
> 
> 
> So does my missus bush.


so superman, your not naturalist and prefer the denuded bush?

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## Lostandfound

> Originally Posted by Thetyim
> 
> 
>  Looks nice now but what will it be like when the bamboo has grown to 7 metre and splayed out?
> 
> 
>  
> Neighbor of mine has 20 meters or so of bamboo growing as a fence. Every once in a while they have someone make a straight trim across the top to keep it maintained at about 2 1/2 meters. Looks rather nice after the top and sides are trimmed.


Thanks for that - it was the way I saw it originally. Now I wake up in cold sweats dreaming of cobra nests, wading knee deep in detritus and triffid like invasions of the stuff.

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## sunsetter

great idea mate, good on ya for thinking out of the box, i like it

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## JournalistsAreLiars

hello, can you tell me the name in Thai of most common plants that can be used to build a "wall" ? And where to find them around Pattaya ? Thank you.

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