Why does bamboo spread

Important application note… Containers and planters do not provide the same amount of insulation as the ground does. If you are utilizing a planter or container it is crucial to choose a species that is more cold hardy than is typically required for planting in the ground.

A bamboo grove can last for a hundred year or more. An average cane may live up to 15 years depending on the species, but to generalize, 7 to 10 years is more common.

The starter plant and smaller plants will begin to die off a little faster as the grove matures because of sunlight absence. The goods news is that several years down the road when the starter plant starts to expire, you will be well on your way to having a grove or screen of mature size canes emerging each Spring and Summer.

There are over species that can be grown well in North America, this will be determined by your climate zone. Bamboo can add greenery to your garden during the winter, it can stabilize the soil of embankments and control the worst of erosion problems.

This plant can provide privacy or windscreens and can be trimmed to the height you desire. We carry a species of bamboo for almost all application with a multitude of sizes, colors, and cold hardiness. Just added to your cart. Continue shopping.

Close search. How does bamboo grow? How fast does bamboo grow? Bamboo produces new canes culms in the Spring. These shoots emerge out of the ground and grow in height and diameter for around 60 days. During this 60 day period, it will produce limbs and leaves. After the 60 day period of growth, the bamboo cane never grows in height or diameter again.

It will put on new foliage every year, and a cane typically lives for 10 years. Bamboo is a member of the grass family. It is a colony plant, so it uses energy from this existing plant to produce more plants and expand the root structure.

The new plants will grow in the same manner. New shoots emerge to turn into a cane with limbs and leaves within a 60 day period. Bamboo takes about three years to get established. Once established the new shoots that emerge in the Spring they will still only grow for 60 days will continue to get bigger and more numerous from year to year as the colony grows towards maturity.

It takes a varying number of years for different species to reach their maximum size. This is dependent on species selection, soil, sunlight, climate and watering conditions. Size of initial planting, species, the age of grove and environment are all factors that influence new shoot size.

Your starter plant should be a healthy division from an established bamboo grove. The bamboo you start off with, should not be thought of as an individual plant but one that will become a colony. Clumping vs Running Bamboo.

Sleeps Creeps Leaps The mother plant regardless what size that you begin with is finished growing in diameter and height, but the rhizome will grow outward underground. Bamboo are evergreen and put on new leaves each year. This new leaf growth happens during the Springtime. This process is gradual and is highlighted by the appearance of a new carpet of golden brownish leaves within the grove. It is important not to remove this carpet of leaves from the groves for it provides mulch and nutrients for the colony.

Just like any other weed if you reduce its capacity to absorb energy it will eventually weaken and die. So keep cutting off the stems as they show themselves. Or you can take more radical action. They can be cut out, or even just pulled out. They should come out with the assistance of a fork or lever such as a pick axe.

Bamboo Botanicals has further useful information. Let the stem grow until it has a width of 6mm or more. Then cut of the stem leaving a portion behind. To this stump apply a glyphosate weed killer. With larger stems the liquid will sit inside the hollow stems and kill the runner. The treatment may need repeating.

There is always the danger that it will knock back more than just the runner you want rid of. So in some cases dig around the runner to expose it and cut as close to the main plant as possible. A single bamboo culm reaches full height in just one growing season. It then persists for several years, gradually increasing the number of side branches and branchlets, but neither growing broader or taller.

Another important difference is that bamboos don't have a bark as trees do, they have protective leaves around the culm culm sheaths in their early stages of development.

In other words, all continents except for Antarctica and Europe have bamboo. Coincidentally, all continents except Antarctica and Europe have diamonds. Bamboos grow in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America, extending as far north as the southern United States or central China, and as far south as Patagonia.

They also grow in northern Australia. Bamboo is naturally found as secondary vegetation in forests, but in some cases, they are the dominant vegetation type. Such is the case in northeast India where bamboo covers many thousands of square kilometers, and on the mountainsides of eastern Africa.

Bamboos can also tolerate extreme conditions that most plants can't. The Bambusoideae subfamily consists of both woody and herbaceous bamboos with a total of 1, identified species in different genera. About species are used commercially, of which 20 are identified as priority species for those wishing to start bamboo plantation.

Apart from those commercially important species, many attractive ornamental bamboos are grown in nurseries for landscaping purposes. Bamboo comprises of many different species which all have unique growth rates and characteristics. Saying that bamboo grows 1 meter a day is misleading as not all bamboo species grow that fast.

Therefore, one should always specify the species. These growth rates can be established in shooting season, and when optimal soil and climate conditions are present. Some types hardy to Zone 5, will be root hardy in Zone 4. You are at the mercy of the weather. Try growing bamboo in containers and moving them indoors from November through March.

How do I maintain a running bamboo? Edging twice a year is best, both for the health of the bamboo and to keep it fully under control. Edging involves cutting back the rhizomes as they expand to the edge of the designated growing area. See a full list of maintenance methods, details, and photos on this page: Bamboo Control. Can I keep my running bamboo from spreading by not fertilizing or watering it?

To some extent yes, but if a bamboo feels too neglected it may decide to head for greener pastures, so use this technique with caution. It often depends on the location. Lack of nutrition and water will often result in less healthy looking bamboo. During the first three years, as the bamboo is getting established in a new area, it is important to water regularly, times per week, during the summer.

Can I plant my runner in a pot and put the pot in the ground to contain the runner? This is the number one way to have bamboo get out and cause havoc. Pots, Tupperware containers, garbage cans, metal feeding troughs, are all too small to contain bamboo for longer than a couple years.

In order for the bamboo to survive, the containers must have adequate drain holes at the bottom. The bamboo rhizomes spiral down the container, go out the drain holes, and then burst the pot walls within a couple years.

By that time, instead of bamboo rhizomes being shallow like they usually would be, they are running deep, which means they will be more difficult to dig up and prune back into shape. If one or more sides of the grove is inaccessible for pruning, install 80 mil barrier and check the inside of the barrier yearly for circling rhizomes.

Using the three sided barrier technique is best for this application. For smaller running type bamboo, 60 mil barrier is adequate. Can metal be used as a bamboo barrier? It also is difficult to join together effectively enough to avoid the bamboo breaking it open.

Can a retaining wall act as a barrier? If the foundation is well constructed and made of concrete, it will block bamboo. It needs to be deeper than 30 inches, otherwise the bamboo can possibly get under the wall.

Bamboo can find its way through stone retaining walls. Will bamboo grow well in containers? Bamboo is an excellent container plant. It provides an upright, evergreen screen for many applications.

We have developed a specialized container for growing bamboo called the Sugi Bamboo Planter , as our flagship offering 60" x 24".

Other options include galvanized metal stock tanks, cedar boxes, and large fabric pots Root Pouch. The following are key points to consider for long term health and maintenance:.

Smaller runners will generally grow better in containers than larger ones; clumpers can do very well in containers but they need partial shade to stay healthy. Good runners for containers include Pseudosasa japonica, Phyllostachys aureosulcata , P. For clumping bamboo, most Fargesia will make a nice container plant, with a fountain shaped plume of foliage.

Groundcovers like Sasa make nice short, bushy container accents. The Fargesia and most of the Sasa will definitely need afternoon shade, or the leaves will burn. Use well draining potting soil and make sure the container has good drainage at the bottom. For example, Black Bamboo a Running Bamboo can grow over 30 feet tall in the ground but often won't top 15 feet when grown in a container. Clumping Bamboo will often achieve 10 feet in a planter, as opposed to 12 to 15 feet in the ground.

Clumping Bamboo are shade loving. Hardiness - Bamboo grown in containers are less hardy than if grown in the ground. Container bamboos, especially those that are not well adapted to hot sun and cold winters, require more care in placement, as they can be damaged if the pot overheats or freezes. A bamboo hardy to 0 F in the ground may suffer cold damage at 10F when grown in a container. The larger the container, the more cold hardy your bamboo will be. Watering - We recommend watering your containers when the top of the soil appears dry, until water comes out the drainage holes at the bottom.

Always monitor your plants for signs of dehydration such as curling leaves. We often water our bamboo every day during extreme heat, but in normal weather, we water 2 to 3 times per week during the summer, or during extended dry periods. We recommend fertilizing 3x per growing season Spring - Summer with a high nitrogen grass fertilizer, for example: NPK with added iron. We also offer an organic Bamboo Fertilizer this is a custom blend we have developed at Bamboo Garden for mixing in with the potting soil.

With our Sugi Bamboo Planters, bamboo can grow well for up to 10 years. If not maintained, root bound bamboos may escape or even break their container. Smaller divisions can be made at this time as well. With our Sugi Bamboo Planters, the bottom can be detached so that the bamboo can be pushed out from beneath which is a big advantage for ease of transplanting.

Containers - We recommend using our Sugi Bamboo Planter because it offers good insulation from heat and cold, and ease of maintenance because of the trapezoidal shape and Bamboo Barrier lining. If metal stock tanks are used for bamboo, we recommend insulating the inside with Bamboo Barrier. We suggest placing any container on brick footings to avoid the eventual blocking of the drainage holes or degradation of the container.

What size container does bamboo need? The bigger the better. If you are planning to use planter boxes, 18x18 inches and 18 inches deep is the smallest you should go. Bamboo can be grown in smaller pots temporarily. If you are planting indoors in smaller pots, keep in mind that you will have to divide the bamboo fairly frequently to keep them healthy, years. Also keep in mind that bamboo can blow over fairly easily, so avoid vase-shaped containers and use caution when placing a tall bamboo in a windy area.

What is the best choice for growing a large bamboo in a container? Members of the species Phyllostachys aureosulcata are very cold hardy and grow tall and upright in containers, to heights of 15 to 18 feet. Bamboo that can achieve attractive, larger diameter canes in a pot, include Phyllostachys dulcis , P.

They can reach heights of over 20 feet, with canes over an 1. If you want the best chance of getting big canes in a container, you need to buy a mature plant. Can I plant Bamboo in a raised concrete planter? Yes but to provide a stable, long lasting container, the concrete should be reinforced with rebar.

But keep in mind that fresh concrete initially leaches lime into the soil, which may raise the pH beyond what bamboo prefers. To keep the bamboo healthy and happy, check the soil pH level once per year, and use a bark-heavy soil mix, which raises the soil acidity. What time of year is a good time to plant bamboo? Generally Spring is best, March through June. Fall is also a good option, September through the end of October. A well rooted bamboo can be planted in the Summer, as long as it is watered regularly.

Avoid planting fresh dug bamboo in the summer. All of our bamboo in regular stock are rooted out in pots, so they are hardy and versatile. If you live in a mild climate you can pretty much plant year round, barring severe weather, as long as you supply the bamboo with enough water in the summer and a layer of mulch for insulation in the Winter.

How far apart should I plant my bamboo and what size should I plant? If you want to produce a dense screen quickly, plant 5-gallons or larger we have bamboo up to 35 feet tall in containers feet apart and they will fill in years. If you are willing to wait, plant the bamboo 6 to10 feet apart and they will fill in within years. Bamboo can be "trained" to run where there is a layer of loose, loamy topsoil and regular irrigation. Planting our smallest size starter Phyllostachys 1-gallon about 5 feet on center will provide you with an 18 to 30 foot tall, solid screen in years.

It is usually not advised to plant bamboo closer than 3 feet apart, however some bamboos can be planted back to back, if an immediate screen is desired. This may hinder the growth rate. Contact us to discuss the details and timeline of your project. How much space do I need to give bamboo to grow in?

It depends on how big you want the bamboo to grow. Dedicate at least 3 feet by 3 feet for the Clumpers 12 feet circumference , and 3 feet by 10 feet for the Runners 26 feet circumference , to get reasonably close to mature height.

The more space the better. You can maintain bamboo in a smaller area, for example, a runner contained within a 3x5 foot planter, but it can be tricky to keep the bamboo healthy after 4 or 5 years.

Transplanting or dividing every years is recommended for small containers or planters. Bamboo in a small area will grow shorter, with thinner canes, than if they are given more space to spread. Irrigation is critical for bamboo that has been in the same container for years.