Bamboo can be a difficult plant to grow, especially if you live in a very hot or very cold climate. But these plants are relatively inexpensive and can add a special touch to your yard. If you are interested in growing bamboo, here are the things you need to do.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation
Step 1. Know the differences between the three main types of bamboo
Bamboo plants are usually grouped into clumped bamboo, lined bamboo, or reed bamboo.
- Bamboo reeds are rarely planted in the yard, so it is recommended that you plant bamboo in clumps or bamboo in rows.
- Bamboo lined release rhizomes, which spread to other areas, so this plant will spread quickly.
- Clump bamboo grows in tight clusters and rarely spreads over a larger area.
Step 2. Choose a bamboo variety that will grow well in your climate
Most varieties of bamboo grow well in tropical climates, but if you live in a slightly cooler area, there are some stubborn varieties that you can grow successfully.
- If you live in a warmer zone, such as zones 7 to 10, some good bamboo species choices include Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr', Borinda boliana, and Phyllostachys nigra. The first two bamboos are clumped bamboo, while the last two are lined bamboo.
- For slightly cooler climates, such as those in zones 5 and 6, try the clustered bamboo species Fargesia dracocephala 'Rufa' or the lined species Pleioblastus viridistriatus.
Step 3. Choose the best place on your page
Bamboo needs a lot of sun, so you should choose a spot in the yard that gets 8 or more hours of sun each day. However, note that some tropical species need shade when it's very hot.
Shade can be very important during winter. The combination of frost and direct sunlight can dehydrate plants quickly. Thus, if you live in an area that experiences frost during the winter, you should choose a place that gets partial shade instead of a place that gets direct sunlight
Step 4. Till the soil
While bamboo can grow well in a variety of soils, the best soil types for bamboo are loam or marly. Increase your success by digging and mixing suitable materials in your soil before planting.
- Mix garden compost or manure into the soil for additional nutrients. Ideally, the compost should be placed at the bottom of the planting hole so that the bamboo roots are above the compost.
- Loose soil is a mixture of five parts compost humus with two parts sand, two parts silt, and one part clay.
- Avoid rocky or muddy soil, as well as soil that does not absorb water.
Step 5. Be prepared to handle the wind
Bamboo has a shallow root system, but also grows tall and fast. As a result, bamboo can easily be damaged if exposed to strong winds. You need a barrier to keep this from happening.
The easiest way to protect bamboo is to plant it behind a garden fence or tree. If not, you may need to build a fence around the bamboo plant
Step 6. Prevent the bamboo from spreading
If you plant bamboo in a row, you will need to create a barrier to prevent the growing bamboo from spreading to other parts of your yard.
After determining the area to limit the spread of the bamboo, install a barrier made of sheet metal or concrete around it. This barrier must be made 0.9 to 1.2 meters deep
Part 2 of 3: Planting
Step 1. Plant in spring
Bamboo grows quickly and requires quick access to warm, frost-free temperatures. Sow the seeds after the last frost of the season for best results.
- If you are starting your bamboo plant from seed, you should sow it in early spring so that it has enough time to grow into the summer. If you are planting seedlings that have sprouted, you can plant them any time in the spring.
- You should avoid planting bamboo in the fall, especially if you live in a cold climate, as it takes time to harden the stems before the cold, dry winds of winter come.
- On the other hand, if you live in a very hot climate with average temperatures hotter than 38 degrees Celsius, you should plant them in early spring or early fall to avoid the scorching heat of summer.
Step 2. Prepare the seeds
Bamboo seeds should be cleaned and dried in the sun for 1 to 2 hours. After that, you should soak the seeds in clean water to wake them from their dormant period (temporarily stunted growth). Soak the seeds for 6 to 12 hours.
Drain the water 10 to 20 minutes before you sow the seeds
Step 3. Plant the seeds in a plastic nursery container
If you are growing bamboo from seed, you may get better results if you plant the seeds in plastic pallets filled with soil that is used specifically for seed breeding.
- Fill the nursery container with a mixture made of 8 parts humus, 1 part ash, and 1 part sawdust or rice husks. Strain this mixture through a wire mesh sieve to remove stones and debris before placing it in the container.
- When filling the container, leave the soil loose enough.
- Make a small 2.5 to 5 cm deep hole in the center of each nursery box. Place one seed in each hole and gently cover the seeds with additional soil.
- Immediately moisten the soil and water every day. Allow the seeds to grow in a partially shaded area.
Step 4. Transfer the seedlings after 3 to 4 months
Although mature bamboo grows rapidly, in the early stages, most bamboo species will not be strong enough if removed earlier than this time span. Transfer the seedlings into separate small pots or into polybags that have been filled with a mixture made of two parts manure, three parts soil, and one part sand.
- Bamboo seeds usually germinate after 10 to 25 days, and in the early days, the leaves are very brittle.
- It can take 3 to 4 months before the seedlings produce rhizomes, or stems, and are able to produce new shoots. This is a good time to move the bamboo.
- Note that if you're growing bamboo from seed instead of from seed, here's a hint you should pay attention to.
Step 5. Space the bamboos about 1 to 1 1/2 meters apart when transplanting them into the yard
If you ultimately want to create a dense bamboo display, you will usually need to plant the young seedlings much earlier. This is especially true of lined bamboo species.
- Plants should be moved to the yard once they reach 40 to 50 cm in height. Remove plants from pots or polybags and place them directly into the soil.
- The hole in which you plant the bamboo should be approximately twice the mass of the bamboo root.
- If growing clumps of bamboo, you can plant them 30.5 to 61 cm deep as this variety will not grow too spread out.
- Note that clustered bamboo grows to a height of 30.5 to 61 cm annually, whereas lined bamboo grows to a height of 0.9 to 1.5 m annually and has the same spreading rate.
Part 3 of 3: Daily and Long-Term Care
Step 1. Water the bamboo regularly
Most bamboo species require consistent watering, but you should never leave the bamboo roots submerged in water for long periods of time.
- Bamboo seedlings and young shoots should be watered daily when the weather is cool and dry.
- Once the bamboo plants are planted in the yard, you should water them twice a week when the weather is cool and three to four times a week when the weather is hot or windy.
Step 2. Spread the mulch
Organic mulch helps keep bamboo growth under control and can protect bamboo from potential threats.
Grass clippings make good mulch for bamboo because they are rich in nitrogen and silica. Compost and straw also work well, as can many other types of unprocessed organic mulch
Step 3. Protect the bamboo in winter
Bamboo is a plant that thrives in hot weather, so you should take extra precautions during winter to prevent plant roots from freezing.
- Backfill with a thick additional layer of mulch to protect the root system of the mulch when the temperature freezes.
- If problems arise with cold, strong winds, you may need to build a temporary barrier to fortify your bamboo.
- If your bamboo looks dry or is silvery in color, this could be an indication that your bamboo has a cold injury.
Step 4. Use a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen
Organic fertilizers are often recommended, and nitrogen promotes the growth of greener and stronger plants, so fertilizers with a high nitrogen content are best.
- Apply fertilizer once in early spring and once in summer. This schedule corresponds to the main growing season for bamboo.
- If using an organic, light bamboo fertilizer, you can fertilize monthly throughout the spring, summer, and early fall.
Step 5. Thin and trim the bamboo as needed
As the bamboo grows, you may need to thin it out to prevent the stems from sticking together and cutting off the nutrient supply.
- If you want to prevent lined bamboo from spreading and you don't put up barriers to prevent it from spreading, you should cut off new shoots at ground level as soon as they appear in areas you don't want them to.
- Remove old, unattractive bamboo branches once a year. Tidy back until they look neat.
- If you cut the bamboo just above the internode, it can grow back.
Step 6. Protect bamboo from pests and diseases
Bamboo is resistant to most pests and diseases, so you should only spray pesticides and fungicides if problems arise.
- Some species of bamboo can fall victim to ticks, red spider mites, and rust fungus. However, as mature bamboo is strong enough, mites are usually only a problem on new shoots.
- If you suspect that a pest or fungus is threatening your bamboo, quarantine the new plants and spray them with an anti-mite or fungicide before planting them.
Step 7. Consider harvesting your bamboo
Fresh bamboo shoots (bamboo shoots) can be used as food, so if you want to add them to your diet, harvest the shoots in the first few months.
- Bamboo tastes best fresh, but you can also canning or freezing it for longer storage.
- Fresh bamboo has a crunchy texture and a sweet taste.
- Bamboo is a good source of fiber and almost equals onions in terms of nutritional benefits.
Warning
- Many types of bamboo are invasive and can spread quickly to other parts of the garden or yard. When planting this type of bamboo, make sure you limit the growth of the bamboo so it doesn't spread and plant it away from areas that could be damaged if the plant still finds a way to invade.
- Bamboo can be a very difficult plant to get rid of using natural methods and may require the use of chemical herbicides. Before planting, make sure you really want the plant to grow in your yard.
