Bamboo leaves as food....

[azygous]

USDA 6a. 7500ft.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

USDA 6a. 7500ft.

You should do fine. Those bamboos are hardy to zone 4. You may get leaf burn or top kill, but well mulched to protect the rhizomes, they should come back every spring. Will take a few years to get established before you could start eating. At your altitude you probably get a lot of snow which will help insulate the rhizomes.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

You can also grow Fargesia varieties, which are clumping bamboos. I don't know anything about those. The ones I mentioned are Phyllostachys.

Cold hardy bamboos
https://bambubatu.com/cold-hardy-bamboo/

 

[aart]

A thread is like a growing child - you never know how it will turn out as it gets older.

...depends on if it starts running with a bad crowd

 

[azygous]

I'm going to try growing it as a cover crop for the chickens. I do cover crops in places where I need erosion control and it's been working well. Bamboo with its spreading roots would be perfect as a cover crop and erosion control. It would be welcome to expand its territory as much as it is inclined.

 

[aart]

I'm going to try growing it as a cover crop for the chickens. I do cover crops in places where I need erosion control and it's been working well. Bamboo with its spreading roots would be perfect as a cover crop and erosion control. It would be welcome to expand its territory as much as it is inclined.

Sunchokes?
They like the leaves and the tubers.

 

[ErnieBerley]

And in a year from now those who have planted bamboo will be asking how to get rid of it. Sadly most times the answer is you cant once it's established.

you are correct...this black bamboo now is a forest around my house. I only planted a small clump about 15 years ago....it spreads like "wildfire". check this pic out from my deck - the foreground used to be a yard with grass...!

 

[azygous]

Must admit you've got quite a crop there Ernie. It's a tad scary.

 

[ErnieBerley]

Must admit you've got quite a crop there Ernie. It's a tad scary.

i have tunnels carved out so I can maneuver through it..!! lol

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I'm going to try growing it as a cover crop for the chickens. I do cover crops in places where I need erosion control and it's been working well. Bamboo with its spreading roots would be perfect as a cover crop and erosion control. It would be welcome to expand its territory as much as it is inclined.

You can get bamboos that only grow a foot or so high if you don't want the height.