Bamboo Growing & Care

Planting and Care

Before receiving your bamboo you should have picked out a place to plant. Most of the larger bamboos will need at least a few hours of direct sun or filtered sun all day. They may grow in areas without much sun but will be much slower growing and will be spread out quite a bit. If you can plant the bamboo near water it will be happiest. This does not mean the bamboo should be planted in a wet area. Most bamboos do not like wet roots. If you are in a colder climate and trying a bamboo that is borderline hardy to your zone, then try to pick a well protected area. On the south side of a wall or building is an idal spot. Anything to help block the north wind will help. Of coure you should plan on mulching heavily.

When you receive a new order of bamboo try to plant as soon as possible. If you are unable to plant as soon as it arrives, cut a slit in the plastic and paper surrounding the rootball and add some water, a cup or so. Place the plants in a shaded area until you can plant it. It's not a bad idea to mist the leaves a few time during the day. When ready to plant, dig a hole just a little larger than the rootball and place the plant so that the top of the rootball is even with the top of the hole (groundlevel).Some nurseries suggest digging a hole much larger than the rootball. This is not necessary. A better method is to take a pick and break up the sides of the hole allowing openings for the roots or rhizomes to spread out. Backfill with the soil removed from the hole or any good top soil. Water thoroughly after backfilling. I like to leave a dish shaped depression around the plant to make watering easier. I also like to mulch with leaves or straw in order to keep the plant from drying out. It is very important to keep the plant watered for the first few weeks but don't over do it! More plants have been harmed or killed from over watering than from underwatering. Let the ground dry out a little between waterings. You may need to water regularly the first year, depending on your climate and soil, and how much sun or wind exposure the plant receives. After the bamboo has been in the ground for a few months you will rarely need to water except during drought conditions. However, providing plenty of water wil help speed up the growth of your bamboo.

In the spring use a general purpose fertilizer (after plant is well established) such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10. Even better is a layer of rotted manure. I have used both with good results. Leaf or hay mulch will both protect the plant from the cold and from drying out. This will also keep weeds under control and help enrich the soil as it decomposes. A healthy, well fed bamboo is the best protection against pest and disease.

In general the hardy bamboos are pretty tough and will grow in most soils and locations. Most prefer a good bit of sun but several will grow in almost total shade. For my larger bamboos I try to pick a location where they will get lots of sun but I've planted a few in much more shaded areas. Those in the shade grow slower and seem to spread out more between culms. The ideal location would be lots of sun, beside water. (Creek, pond, lake.) Bamboos like water but don't like to get their feet wet. Most won't survive if planted in an area that stays wet most of the time.(Although they will thrive next to such an area.) Many of the smaller bamboos grow well in a partially shaded area but some prefer full sun. If I have the choice I try to plant where they will receive morning sun but be protected from evening sun. My bamboos also thrive on hill sides as well as valleys and level ground.

If you plan to grow your bamboo indoors keep in mind that it prefers the higher ambient moisture levels found outdoors. It's a good idea to mist the leaves of indoor bamboo and place in an area that gets lots of light. We often get request for bamboo to grow indoors. In response to this we have page offering suggestions on species and detailed information on growing bamboo indoors. If you still have questons, email me (or call me at 205-283-5638) and I'll be glad to make some suggestions.

On a final note, I just want to remind you that how fast your bamboo grows and spreads depends a great deal on you. If you will fertilize regularly, water during dry spells, and mulch heavily all year, you will be rewarded with much faster growth and healthier plants.

Controlling Bamboo

There are many types of bamboo but in general they can be divided into either clumpers or runners. The clumpers are non-invasive. The vast majority of clumpers are sub-tropical or tropical, althought there are a few that are extremely cold hardy, most of those can't handle the heat in the southeast. Because of this, all I grow and sell are the running types of bamboo. These bamboos spread by sending out underground rhizomes (these are rootlike, underground stems). All these bamboos are cold hardy meaning they will stay green and leafy down to about zero. A few are hardy down to -15 or even -20 degrees. Most bamboos in this country are runners. The clumpers are usually in places like south Florida, along the gulf coast, parts of Texas, and Southern California .

Most all the running bamboos have one thing in common, they spread by sending out runners, underground and these must be killed or diverted. The same bamboo that may be well behaved in a cold climate can be very invasive in a warm climate with plenty of water. Running bamboos spread by sending out underground rhizomes which then send up new shoots around the original planting. A large grove of bamboo may be a single plant, interconnected undeground by rhizomes. If you have new shoots coming up in your yard, a few inches to several feet away from other canes, you probablyhave a running bamboo. Most of these runners will more or less double in size each year so they can quickly get out of control

There are several ways to control running bamboo. One of the simplest is to kick over or cut off unwanted shoots each spring. This might be more difficult than it seems as there can be great numbers of new shoots each spring, perhaps hundreds. If you can place the bamboo in an open area that you always mow around, you can control it. If you stop mowing for one season, you will be amazed at the number of new shoots.You must mow every year. In order to kill a grove of bamboo you must cut down all the canes and remove any new shoots. You may need to do this for 2 to 3 years. Eventually the bamboo will use up all it's reserves and die. Remember, they are connected underground so removing the canes and new shoots in one area is only a temporary solution. They will be back if there are canes remaining to supply nutients to the area where you have removed bamboo. If you manage to kill the bamboo grove, you must watch for the next few years and cut down any new growth you might see. A very small cane and piece of rhizome can start another huge grove of bamboo.

A popular method for controlling bamboo is to install a rhizome barrier. Usually this is a thick plastic (30 to 60 mil), 24 to 36 inches in width. Basically you dig a trench around the bamboo, install the barrier making sure the seams where it meets are well sealed,then backfill. It is necessary to leave the barrier sticking up a couple inches above ground as the rhizomes can go over it and continue to spread. You will need to check the barrier from time to time and remove any rhizomes trying to go over. In a cold climate with dense, clay soil 24" deep may be fine. In a warm climate with sandy soil you should definitely go 36" deep. It's best if the barrier canl be slanted outward at the top to guide rhizomes upward instead of allowing them go down and under the barrier. We sell rhizome barrier in 30 and 40 mil thicknesses, 24" wide. We can supply 36" material on special order.Take a look here for information on purchasing and installing. While rhizome barrier can be an effective method of control there are many variables that should be taken into account. Rhizome barrier should be used in conjunction with other control methods for best results.

Another method is to dig a trench around the bamboo and leave it open.This probably doesn't need to be over about 18 inches in depth as there is no barrier forcing the rhizomes to go deeper. Even the rhizomes of giant running bamboos spead our only a few inches below the surface. By inspecting the trench regularly you should be able to spot the rhizomes going across the trench and cut or break them. Just as these bamboos send up large new canes each spring, they send out large new rhizomes in the fall. In a variation of this method the ditch is filled with gravel or mulch. Each fall a shovel is thrust down into the trench, going all around the grove, pruning any rhizomes that are crossing the ditch. I am aware of a few people using this method quite effectively but it means always being vigilant if you want to control the spread of a running bamboo.

At my nursery I use a combination of methods.Some groves are in large open areas and I simply keep the surrounding area mowed for 20 to 30 feet out from the grove. We have a pond and streams and I've used these as effective barriers as bamboo generally won't cross water or a wet area. (contrary to popular opinion, most bamboos won't grow in wet or "swampy" areas".) I have a long, concrete driveway over extremely compacted soil and this has also proven to be an effective barrier. Even a dirt road that is well traveled will often form a barrier. I have a large grove of Moso surrounded by a tractor trail/dirt road. If trucks or equiment is being driven over the road when new rhizomes are growing they are usually killed at that point. Skipping a seaon of rhizome growth will mean more work in the future and less likelyhood that you will keep the bamboo under control. I've seen a small island in a local lake that had been planted with bamboo. It was still young when I last saw it but I've thought about it, seemed like the perfect solution to controlling bamboo.

I am often asked about using some type of herbicide on bamboo. The herbicide would have to be applied to new growth each year for a few years to kill the grove. I've seen bamboo groves that have been sprayed and for the most part it only seems to stunt it's growth. As soon as the spraying stops the bamboo starts to recover. This also means lot of chemicals being in the ground, in the gutters and into the waterways. For these reasons I do not recommend using herbicides to control bamboo.

For more information on controlling bamboo visit this link at the American Bamboo Society.

Example of an Effective Control Method

This grove of Gray Henon is locted in an urban part of Birmingham, Al. The grove is 0ver 300 feet long and only about 6 to 8 feet wide. It is planted in a narrow right of way between a city street and a long, gravel driveway. The compactd soil of the driveway prevents the rhizomes from crossing over into the yard. The owner of the home says the bamboo was planted about 12 years ago and has never crossed his gravel driveway. He mows along strip of grass between the bamboo and his drive. As you look down the long driveway there is another home at the end and the narrow right of way opens up to an undeveloped patch of land. THe bamboo has now reached this area. I'll have to come back in a couple of years to see how it's expanded.

On the left is looking down the gravel driveway that borders one side of the bamboo grove. I walked around the near end of the grove and took the right side picture looking down the street running parrallel to the driveway. The asphalt on one side, and gravel drive on the other made this into a sort of peninsula and the bamboo had spread about 150 feet down the length of it.

The large gray canes give Henon bamboo a distinct look and make it easy to identify. My brother told me about this grove and I made a trip across town to see it. I drove downt he street to the other end of the grove. The picture on the right is looking back up the streent. The grove extends for more than 300 feet. The paved road on one side and compacted, gravel driveway on the othe side keep this bamboo on control.

Getting Ready for Winter

The following information refers to cold hardy runners, mostly Phyllostachys spcecies. This is mostly what I sell.

Winter is fast approaching. In most cases your bamboo should be fine without doing anything. However, there are several things you can do to help cut down on the stress of winter and reduce or eliminate damage from cold and wind. As the bamboo gets older and better established it will be able to withstand even colder temperatures.

First, you should mulch your bamboo heavily. This is a good idea in general as it will both build and improve your soil while adding fertility.A thick layer of mulch will help prevent the soil from freezing while maintaining moisture at the same time. I have somtimes had trouble with voles in ares with a heavy mulch. These mice like critters build tunnels between the mulch and soil and eat roots and rhizomes. My observation has been that the benefits of mulching far outweigh the minor damage of the voles.

Cold air is often very dry and combined with winter winds can rapidly dehydrate the bamboo, leading to freeze damage. Protecting the bamboo from these drying winds is another way of reducing damage. Bamboo planted near a wall or near shrubs that block northern winds will often suffer less damage than bamboo planted in an open area. You should check the bamboo often and water when necessary. If you have bamboo in containers that you plan on leaving outside you should know that they are much more likely to suffer cold damage as the roots are more likely to freeze and dry out. You can place the container in a protected area such as an unheated garage. Just try to give it as much light as possible and water ocassionally. Don't overdo it, let the bamboo stay a little dry during the winter. If the bamboo is too tall to place inside, you might consider digging a hole and placing the container in the hole with a good mulch over it all. Just make sure the hole will drain and not drown the bamboo roots. If this is impractical you can insulate the container in some manner. I've used hay or leaves heaped up around a container to protect it.

There are anti-dessicants meant for spraying on the leaves to help slow down the rate at which the plant loses water. I've never used these but have heard from customers that have used them with good results. I sometimes mist the leaves of bamboos that appear to be particulaly dry and stressed. With a little attention and work your bamboo can withstand colder temperatures with less damage. This will pay off with more and larger culms and bamboo that holds it's beauty through the winter.

Growing Organically

I've been an advocate of organic gardening since 1971 when I read a book titled "Malabar Farm". I subscribed to "Organic Gardening" and when we moved to our farm the first thing I did was plant a huge garden using all natural fertilizer and pest control. This became not just a practical method of growing plants but in fact a philosopy for living. I've strayed a few times over the years (usuallly in a panic) but was never happy using chemicals that killed not only a particular pest but everything else (and maybe me) as well. With education and experience I've found that most pest problems can be solved without the use of deadly pesticides, fungicides, etc.

Organic growers are the exception and nurseries commited to organic methods are hard to find. Most nurseries use a host of chemicals, saturating their plants, soil (and themselves) with chemicals that kill indiscriminately and end up in our water, air, and soil. I've taken delivery of plants that smelled so strong of pesticide that I feared to touch them. I try not to be extreme about this but many of these chemicals are deadly and we should all use caution when dealing with them, either as the producer or consumer. If you're concerned with the health of our planet, like we are, ask questions, educate yourself, and make wise choices.

At our bamboo nursery we make every effort to avoid toxic chemicals for pest control. At times we are required by the state agriculture department to administer certain pest controls but we try to minimize this as much as possible and we always search for safer methods. There are a multitude of products and methods for the organic gardener. We remove all soil from new bamboo divisions and repot in a non-soil potting mix. (primarily composted bark, peatmoss, and sand). All bamboo plants are grown on a tough ground cover fabric with a lining of plastic underneath. This keeps many pest at bay, especially ants. New bamboo plants that we purchase are quarantined until we are sure they are not infected in any way. We use insecticidal soaps, dormant oils, and natural pesticides such as pyrethrium based products. We use tons of mulch each year to build the soil and control weeds. We've also had good results in the greenhouse with beneficial insects. Of course using compost to grow healthy plants plays a big part in our organic program.

USDA Climate Zones

I live near Birmingham, Al in zone 7b, maybe 7a in the past. I seem to have the ideal, all around climate to grow bamboo. However, only the running type. I'm not aware of a good performing, cold hardy, clumping bamboo for zone 7. The good news is that some of the running bamboos can be grown in zone 5, (-20 F) perhaps even zone 4.

The Jmbamboo catalog will show the temperatures and climate zones that individual species can be successfully grown. The bamboo should stay green and leafy down to the minimum temperatures given. Where the bamboo is planted, how protected it is, if it's mulched or not are big factors in how well the bamboo does. A well established grove can usually tolerate even lower tempertures than those given, especially if planted in a sheltered location. In colder parts of the country the bamboo is sometimes killed back to the root but sends up new shoots in the spring. The bamboos can survive in this manner to temperatures even lower than those listed. You should always mulch heavily. Some of the more cold hardy species are cataloged here.