PLANTING YOUR BAMBOO

Think about your location and the type of bamboo you are planting. Are you planting up against a fence or property line? If so, give clumpers 3-4 feet away from any obstacles in all directions to center the clump and give it room to grow. Does your variety grow erect and plume like or arch at the top? Do the canes lean to the sides from the ground up? Is the location easy to water? What is the sun/shade ratio in the location year round? Does it drain well? Bamboo does not like to get wet feet for extended periods of time. Are there any overhead obstacles like a roof over hang or tree branches? Running bamboos are great for planting up against the side of your house, clumpers might not be as happy! If you are planting a running bamboo, plan your rhizome barrier carefully or leave yourself access to mow or remove unwanted shoots by hand! How close to other plants in your yard are you planting? Do not count on gravel pathways or sidewalks to contain a running bamboo! These are common questions to ask yourself when considering your location. Have more? Email us!

1. Dig a slightly larger hole than the container of your bamboo. While digging, make sure your bamboo is nearby to make sure you are digging the correct sized hole. You do not want to remove it from the container and leave the roots exposed to the wind and sun. Bamboos are quite resiliant to soils and conditions, but when they are small, you can help your bamboo get a good start by amending the surrounding soil inside the hole with a mix of mulch/compost. You can mix this with soil you removed from the hole. Remove all surrounding weeds etc.

2. Remove your plant from its container and inspect the root ball. Use a garden fork and break up the sides of the root ball as well as the bottom. Is the plant root bound? If tan roots are caked up and down the sides, you must break them up. Dead roots are toxic to your plant, make sure that you remove as much as possible this allows your plant to grow into it's new soil. A root bound plant placed in the ground could still suffocate and die if new growth cannot surpass the dead roots.

3. Place your plant into the hole. You should be able to reach in with your hands and still be able to touch the bottom of the hole all the way around the plant. If you need to dig more or adjust your hole, place the bamboo back in the container or cover the root ball. Do not lay the plant down in the sun for more than a few moments. While planting, a forgotten tool or trip to get refreshments can lead to a break, and if you laid your plant down with the roots exposed, you could quickly become a bamboo murderer! Fill your hole with your newly mixed soil. You might make a slight mound around the perimeter of the hole to help retain and redirect water into the rootball. Fill the hole with water and let it sit, returning later to water again, this insures that the soil settles in nicely and no air pockets exist.

4. I recommend applying a layer of well-composted manure on top of the root ball extending several inches past the edge of where your hole was. I also recommend several thick layers of mulch on top of the compost. I like to use a mulch with a neutral to low ph level like pine bark etc. ANY MULCH IS BETTER THAN NONE. Extend your mulch beyond the compost to help discourage weeds and grasses from growing into your bamboo plant. Mulching is fantastic in itself, but in our hot Texas sun, bamboos don't like to have their root system cooked. As the plant grows and shades its own root system, you will find that it will need less water. Mulching will help protect the soil and roots from direct sun, break down and improve the soil under it, regulate moisture, cool the plant in summer, and protect the plant in winter. Mature bamboos that shade their root system also begin to produce their own mulch. Bamboo leaves are high in silica and if left as mulch will continue to act as mulch and recycle silica into the soil for the roots to use.

5. Although bamboos grow on our farm property with no fertilizer or care after their first few years, they will never reach their largest cane size or height. To keep those leaves dark green and produce maximum size, fertilizing is necessary. Composted manure is very popular as the sole fertilizer for bamboos with natural gardeners. Here are some other options for you to try.

- Any comercial fertilizer rich in nitrogen as you would give your lawn grass. NO WEED AND FEED!

- Palm Tree Fertilizer

- Medina and Miracle Gro Products high in nitrogen, or to feed acid loving plants.

- Avoid anything containing Boron or Salts!

- Know your soil and provide correct PH balance to keep your bamboos green, bamboo prefers neautral to slightly acidic levels of PH.

- Foliar feeding your bamboos with liquid fertilizers also will keep foliage fresh and robust, bamboos like chileated iron etc. This is mostly helpful in spring when your bamboos make new leaves.

Over-Fertilizing your bamboo can lead to burning the root system, killing foliage, and killing your plant. Also if harvesting your bamboo, over-fertilizing can lead to poor wood quality.