PLANTING BAMBOO

TYPES OF BAMBOO

RUNNING BAMBOO

Spread by sending out roots, or rhizomes, into the earth to a depth of about one foot. Some running bamboo are modest growers, while others can be very vigorous and invasive. Giant timber bamboos grow to huge proportions in the southeast and on the western seaboard.

There are 3 categories of running bamboo:

GIANT BAMBOO

Phyllostachys. These are the tallest of the species, ranging from 10 feet to over 100 feet. They prefer sun or partial shade.

MEDIUM BAMBOO

Sasa and Indocalamus. Heights range from 4 to 15 feet. A shade to part sun environment is preferred.

GROUNDCOVERS

Pleioblastus. Heights range from 1 to 4 feet. They prefer a sunny area for good foliage and vigor.

CLUMPING BAMBOO

Not invasive, new shoots occur on the outside margin of the parent plant. The Fargesias are the hardiest of all bamboos, remaining. Evergreen throughout the winter months and tolerating temperatures to -25 degrees F. These bamboo originate in the high altitudes. Fargesia Murieliae ( umbrella bamboo) and Fargesia Nitida (fountain bamboo) are very similar, with pendulous foliage and a height of about 10-12 feet. The major distinction between them is the color of the culms. Murieliae has powdery blue green culms while Nitida has powdery purple culms and finer foliage.

Both Fargesia Murialiae and Fargesia Nitida are magnificent specimen plants. When planted near the edge of the pond, the water will reflect the pendulous silhouette. Fargesias are often used to form a hedge with wonderful weeping mass of evergreen foliage.

BAMBOO FOR INTERIORS

BAMBOO IS ADAPTABLE

Bamboos are a very adaptable plant to either low or high bright light conditions. When bright light conditions are present, bamboo will grow more vigorously. When low light is prevalent, bamboo grows less vigorously. Leaf drop will occur in low light conditions to balance the amount of foliage with available light.

LOW LIGHT ACCLIMATION

We can acclimate bamboo for low light interior landscapes by growing the plants 3-6 months in specific low light settings. In this manner, bamboo drops leaves proportionally to the exact interior light condition. We are available for consultation to assist in low light acclimation specifications.

TYPES OF BAMBOO – INTERIORS

There are two types of bamboo – plants that migrate on a running root system and clumping types that multiply upon the outside margin of the plant. Running bamboo become pot bound in 1-2 years. The root system rapidly fills the pot and takes up the air space in the soil. The air space in soil is the water holding space. More frequent watering is required for pot bound plants. Plan to repot every 12-15 months.

Bamboo with clumping root systems are good choices for interiors because they do not become rapidly pot bound as do running bamboo. Bambusa multiplex species are recommended tropical clumping bamboo. Plan to repot in 18-30 months.

GENERAL CARE

WATERING

Watering requirements vary with temperatures, available light, the season of the year and the type of bamboo. The most important factor in understanding water needs is to understand thecondition of the root system. The longer it has been in the pot the more frequently it needs to be watered.

Bamboo shows under watering stress by curling it’s leaves inward to preserve moisture. To find out how often to water, start watering daily then watering every 2 to 3 days until you understand the stress level of your bamboo. When bamboo is overwatered, tips of leaves will turn “dark brown” with blotchy spots, and begin to show signs of decay.

PESTS

Bamboo is susceptible to insect infestations as are all indoor plants. Treatment varies depending upon the insect. Consult your local nursery agent concerning the variety of chemical options available. Ultra-fine oil is an effective alternative to chemical insecticides. A thorough washing of the foliage with cold water is usually sufficient to control insect infestations; however, this is not a practical solution. We do not recommend the application of safer soap on bamboo as it burns the foliage.

FERTILIZERS

Fertilizers are available in liquid or in granular forms. Liquid fertilizers tend to build up salt levels in the soil with prolonged use. We recommend a slow release granular fertilizer. Osmocote High N (Nitrogen) with micro-nutrients is an excellent fertilizer for bamboo. The higher formulation ( 22-4-8 ) gives bamboo what it wants – lots of nitrogen. Topdress the fertilizer on the bamboo and it will last 7-9 months depending on the temperature. We sell this product for $5/lb. One pound will be sufficient to fertilize 5 #10 plants.

PLANTING WITH PROTECTIVE BARRIER

BARRIER INSTALLATION

-Hand or machine trench to depth of 28” in the areas proposed for the installation of running bamboo.

-The barrier should be .80 mil or thicker. Select thickness to fit your planting zone. Zone 6+ should use .80 mil. The two ends will be fastened to join them together with stainless steel or plastic clamping system.

-Insert the barrier in the trench overlapping the ends 6-12” and fasten using proper fastener clamp.

-Fill in hole assuring barrier is held as upright as possible to avoid roots running up and over. Leave barrier lip above ground. A level to ground barrier will require yearly inspection. Maintenance of the barrier is required once a year in mid October. This maintenance involves checking the top edge of the barrier to make sure the roots have not traveled over the top, which happens occasionally as the bamboo matures.

-When unwanted root has migrated beyond the barrier, cut the root inside the barrier in the fall October 15th- Oct. 30th.

NATURAL CONTROL OF RUNNING BAMBOOS

There are natural ways to control running bamboo; Natural ways include:

mowing around bamboo in lawn area which surrounds it by 20’ or more.
extremely dry areas in zone 8 and above.
wet areas such as ponds.
alkaline areas.

PROPAGATION

Bamboo remains as a scarce plant in today’s nursery industry due to it’s difficulty to propagate. Since seeds are generally unavailable and tissue culture methods have proven unsuccessful, vegetative propagation remains the only option for growers. Traditional propagation methods are labor intensive.

Bamboo is a pest-free, evergreen plant that is widely appreciated for it’s filigree green foliage. It blends well in the native landscape and is a stunning addition to the garden to be enjoyed for all seasons.