Plant Bamboo

These are some of the things you need to consider to be successful in planting and growing bamboos in your garden.

Position and Location

When deciding on the position and location to plant bamboo you should take note that different species have different requirements according to sun, shade, water, weeds, and wind. Match the preferred conditions of the species to the position in the garden and the amount of time and ability you have to apply towards caring for bamboo plant. With around 1,000 species and 91 genera you can imagine that they do not all like exactly the same conditions to keep them happy or for their optimal performance! Also try to choose a site where caring for bamboo plant will be easy and accessible.

Sun

Larger species of bamboo grow faster and are at their best when in full sun. Some of the smaller species benefit from dappled shade during the hottest part of the day and/or protection from high winds (particularly young plants and smaller species).

Water

Although most bamboos don't need huge amounts of water to sustain, they do need to have access to water and the amount will again be dependent on the requirements of the individual species. So if you want to plant bamboo in a particularly wet area of land you need to check for species that thrive on lots of water, and vice versa for a very dry climate.

Note: Bamboos in containers need a slightly different watering routine, see my page on Container Bamboo.

Weeds

Weeds compete for water and nutrients and young plants or smaller species benefit from protection from competitive weeds at least until they have become well established.

Spreading

Some clumping bamboo species can be planted without any fear of spreading out of their area. The hardiest of the clump type bamboos that won't spread are Thamnocalamus and Fargesia. Most of the other hardy bamboos of the running bamboo species can spread through their underground rhizomes. I have a sections on pruning and bamboo control and containment that provides advice about keeping the aggressive spreading species inside their allotted area.

Planting

Soil Type

Most bamboos species do their best in a loamy soil that is moderately acidic. A good soil preparation for an area where the soil is heavy is to dig in some organic matter prior to planting. Alternatively spread a couple of inches of mulch around area the bamboo and the earthworms will pull it into the soil, it's what they do best! Having said all that, I have some bamboos that are planted in a clay type soil and they seem to be very well established.

Season

You can plant bamboo at any time of the year in mild climates. In parts of the world that have hard winters, to enable them to survive, they should be planted out early to give them time to get well established and harden off before the winter. If you do choose to plant later in the year, be sure to provide winter protection (see below).

Spacing

Use the following as a guide for the spacing needed to allow your bamboos to grow freely . It won't take long for them to get established and fill in the gaps!

Dwarf species 3ft apart
Shrub size species approximately 6ft apart
Tall bamboo species approximately 10ft apart
Giant and timber species allow somewhre between 15 and 25ft between plants

Planting

If you have just acquired plants in pots and can't plant them out straight away be sure to put them in a shady area and don't let them dry out until you are ready to put them in the ground. If they have been delivered with bare roots it is important to get them planted as soon as possible and make sure you don't damage any tender your shoots or fine roots.

Dig your hole the same depth as the pot, or root ball, and twice the width.
Mix some of the soil you have just dug out with some compost, a 50/50 mix is good.
Ease the bamboo plant from its pot if it is in one, taking care not to damage and shoots or roots.
Put the root ball in the prepared hole and check that the level of the soil is at the same level as the surrounding ground
While supporting your culms, gently fill the hole with the 50/50 soil/compost mix and press down so it is planted quite tightly and in the right position.
Water until the ground is soaked
Make sure the new planting does not dry out during its first summer so it can establish a good root system to support it in future years. Mulch is excellent for helping to retain moisture in the ground, 3-4 inches of bark or wood chips being ideal.

Stakes

If you are planting bamboos that are tall and slender it is sometimes wise to provide them with a stake so they don't get uprooted by the wind and their roots don't get damaged. This can be achieved by putting short stakes on 3-4 sides of the plants and tying a rope to the culms just to steady them until the roots have established. This need will be dependent on the species, how big the root system is, and whether it is in an exposed or sheltered location.

Mulch

Although it may not look like grass, bamboo is a group of perennial evergreen plants in the Poaceae grass family. It is also a forest plant that does best with good mulch over its roots. If you leave fallen leaves where they lay under the plant they will keep the soil moist and soft, and recycle natural chemicals that are needed by the bamboos for good growth. If you don't like to see fallen leaves it can be a good idea to plant a shade loving low ground cover that will allow the leaves to fall through but will hide them from view at the same time. Ideal mulch would be; grass - it is high in nitrogen and silica, commercial compost, manure (not fresh and not too hot), tree chippings.

As well as providing nutrients, good thick mulch will help protect the soil and roots from becoming too dry or too cold in varied climates.

Plant Bamboo in Containers

Some bamboo species are suitable to grow in containers if you don't want to put it in the ground. I like this idea as it provides a way of moving everything around in the garden now and then to create a different environment. I have bamboos and several large trees in pots too!

Please see my section on Container Bamboo

Propagating bamboos

Bamboos can be propagated by lifting their rhizome shoots. This will also help with restraining the spread of running species so you get two jobs done all at the same time! This is best carried out when bamboos are actively growing, during the warm part of the year.

The rhizome shoots are connected to the root ball underground and can be pretty tough to cut. Use a sharp spade, secateurs, or some loppers for this job. Try to cut it off close to the root ball and leave a tidy cut. Carefully dig up the young rhizome shoot and be watchful that you don't damage the roots. Once you have them out of the ground it is important not to let them dry out, I usually put them in a bucket of water temporarily.

You may have already prepared your ground or pot ready to plant into. If it doesn't quite fit into the hole or container you can trim it with secateurs. Once planted be sure to water it in well. You can also shorten the top growth by up to half which will help reduce transpiration while the new plant establishes itself.

Care and Maintenance

For more information on care see my section on Caring for Bamboo Plant

More...

From your interest in Plant Bamboo you will also find useful information on the following pages including how to care for your bamboos, species listings and guides.