If you're trying to build as green a home and yard as possible, you may have heard of living bamboo fences and you may be considering one for your yard. Living bamboo fences are exactly what they sound like – rows of bamboo planted along the edge of your property to serve as a fence. At first, this sounds like a cool new trend, but if you dig a little deeper, you'll discover that living bamboo fences require quite a lot of maintenance. While this may be okay with some people, it's overwhelming for others.

The Cool Side of Living Bamboo Fences

By planting a living bamboo fence, you are adding plant life to the world. The bamboo, like all other plants, will remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with vital oxygen. The splash of green from the bamboo will make your yard feel naturally welcoming. Guests will want to touch and see your living bamboo fence first-hand.

Since bamboo shoots grow so densely next to one another, they can create a pretty solid barrier. You won't have to worry about the neighbors peering through your bamboo fence once it is established. You also don't have to worry about constantly painting and treating your living bamboo fence as you would a wooden fence or even a fence made from dead bamboo. Bamboo is a tough plant, and it will grow well in spite of hot weather and pollution.

The High-Maintenance Side of Living Bamboo Fences

Now, if you're the kind of person who likes to landscape and tinker in the garden, you may not see bamboo's high maintenance requirements as a problem. If you fall into this category, you're the kind of person who really should have a bamboo fence! On the other hand, if you're not so keen on yard work, look over this information to decide whether the required bamboo fence maintenance will overwhelm you:

• You will need to prune the fence every week or so because bamboo grows so quickly.
• You'll need to dig out unwanted bamboo shoots before they get too tall, since bamboo also propagates quickly and will take over your entire yard if you let it.
• You'll need to remove dead shoots so they don't attract bugs and rot.
• When the weather is dry, you'll need to irrigate your bamboo, or else a good portion of the fence might die.

Living bamboo fences are certainly a green choice, and they're a great way to make your yard unique. However, they come at the price of hard labor. Think through your decision carefully before you have a living bamboo fence planted.Contact a local fencing contractor, such as ANA Affordable Fencing & Deck Co., to discuss all of your fencing options before you decide.