I have a boring grey northwest-facing-with-southwest-exposure concrete wall on my balcony, outdoors, in Vancouver BC, that I would like to turn into a lush wall of bamboo.
I have one container whose inside dimensions are 14cm × 81cm × 43cm deep (5½″ × 32″ × 17″ deep). The inside of it has been prepared with landscaping fabric, and the bottom is lined with metal cans to promote drainage and prevent rot. Holes in the bottom of the container permit water to escape.
Vancouver does not get very cold in the winter (temperature history), and these plants will enjoy heat emanating from the building walls, all year round.
This balcony is an alcove, rather than something that hangs off the side of the building. Sheltered, it experiences low winds. The building is concrete, and I would rate the load capacity of the balcony as functionally unlimited. There is a drain in the balcony floor for water runoff.
- Which variety would you plant to grow a thick, tall screen?
- How would you prepare the growing medium?