Q: This spring, I intend to plant several giant timber bamboo plants. What kind of spacing do you recommend for planting this clumping bamboo? I read online that this type of bamboo grows in zones 8-10. Adam A., Kennesaw

A: Timber bamboo may be cold hardy to Zone 8 but Kennesaw is in Zone 7. The winter cold (6 degrees in 2014) would have killed your plants.

Clumping bamboos are typically tropical in nature. Umbrella bamboo, Fargesia nitida, is very cold tolerant but not heat and sun tolerant.

If you want to take the risk, I have a list of clumping bamboos at bit.ly/bambooclump.