Introduction

The more than 1300 species of Bamboo belong to the family Poaceae (formerly Gramineae), which includes the grasses. As such, it exhibits many of the characteristics of the other grasses, such as the propagation through an underground system of root structures known as rhizomes. It also reproduces by the production of flowers and wind-blown pollination. However, unlike the normal grasses which produce flowers annually, the bamboos only flower during cycles which may be fifteen to a hundred years, depending on the species.

Bamboo begins as an herbaceous shoot which develops from a bud on the underground rhizome, grows rapidly to its full height and then begins to produce branches and leaves. At this time it also begins to transform from soft plant tissue to a culm, which consists of a series of nodes. The node is a solid cross-section of the culm where branches and leaves are produced. Between the nodes are internodes which consist of a hard outer shell with a hollow center. (There are a few exceptions which have mostly solid culms).

As a member of the grass family, the care of bamboo is similar to the other grasses with which most people are more familiar: lawns, golf courses, etc. The major difference is that a sprig of this grass may be five to fifty feet tall and weigh between twenty and one hundred pounds. The size of the rhizome ball dictates a little more care in the handling and planting of bamboo.

Planting

Soil: Any porous soil will do for bamboo but it must be well drained. Most people think that bamboo loves water. It does require adequate water, but it will not grow in standing water. (In fact, standing water serves as a very adequate barrier to the spread of bamboo rhizomes.) Some sand in the mixture helps improve the drainage and also provides silicate which is used in the cell walls.

Light: Like most plants, bamboo has various combinations of sunlight requirements. Generally, the larger the bamboo, the more sunlight it requires. Most temperate bamboos in our area do well in full sun except for the pygmy varieties.

Initial Site: The rhizome ball should be planted in a hole large enough and deep enough to accommodate the root system. Unlike trees, the root ball of the bamboo may be planted deeper than the original soil level. If delivered in a pot or other plastic material, remove the bamboo from the container and gently unwind and straighten any bunched roots. If delivered in a burlap bag, you may leave the burlap bag to support the root system during planting, then loosen the top of the bag before mulching. (The burlap will decompose rapidly providing additional humus for the soil.)

Before placing the root ball, loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole. The root ball should be placed in the hole and refilled with either the original soil or a mixture of the original soil and a good mix of soil, sand, and humus. The soil should be packed to insure that no large air pockets are left around the root ball. Watering a couple of times during the back-filling process will help insure that any air pockets are removed.

The major requirement to acclimatize the bamboo is to supply enough water so that it does not become desiccated (dried out). It is normal for bamboo to lose some leaves after transplanting but if the leaves are curling during the heat of the day, the bamboo is not receiving sufficient water.

Fertilizer: We do NOT recommend adding fertilizer or other supplements during the planting. We feel that the chance of root burning is significant and more than offsets any advance growth potential.

Whether or not the bamboo is fertilized after planting depends on the time of the year the planting is done. If the bamboo is planted in the autumn, we usually do not fertilize until the spring (see the Maintenance Section). This lets the plant remain in a semi-dormant condition and prevents the generation of new tender leaves which may be damaged by winter cold. If planted in the spring after the risk of frost, we add a pint to a quart of high nitrogen fertilizer (common lawn fertilizer works just fine!) This allows the plant to produce the new leaves necessary to increase its energy for rhizome production.

Mulch: After the hole has been filled and thoroughly watered, the entire disturbed area should be covered generously with mulch (eight to twelve inches) to protect the rhizomes from drying and from rapid changes in temperature. Bamboo will tolerate a little more acidic conditions than many plants, so pine bark mulch or pine straw creates a very good mulch.

Maintenance

Bamboo requires little maintenance compared to other plants. It should be supplied with adequate water after planting until it can establish its root system. After that, it can normally find its own water supply (except in severe drought).

Containment: There are primarily two types of bamboo: Running and Clumping. This describes how the bamboo produces underground rhizomes, it also tends to separate by climate: clumpers tend to be tropical; runners tend to be temperate or cold climate. In our zone (Zone 8), only the runners remain green and do well all winter long. This characteristic unfortunately creates the major maintenance requirement. If not contained bamboo will become very invasive.

Natural barriers such as rocks, building walls, etc., provide the best containment but this will usually affect only one or two sides of the grove. Water is another good method of containment. However, the water must cover the ground year-round or it will only serve as an enticement.

The most effective method of containment (unfortunately requiring the most labor) is to install a bamboo barrier around the grove. This barrier should be a continuous roll of 30 to 60 mil plastic from 18 to 36 inches deep. For most locations we recommend using DeepRoot™ High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) 30 mil, 24 inch barrier buried 22 inches deep. (This allows an edging to contain the mulch and delineate the grove boundary.) The barrier should be overlapped 18 to 24 inches and taped wherever joined.

Fertilization: Like most grasses Bamboo likes fertilizer. An established grove of bamboo should be fertilized three times a year: the spring, the summer and the fall (withholding fertilizer in the winter allows it to remain partially dormant).

Fertilizer in the spring should be high nitrogen to promote the generous creation of new shoots and new leaves. Regular lawn fertilizer can be used: such as an NPK of 27-4-4 or similar. The Phosphorous and Potash (N and K) numbers are not as important as long as generous nitrogen is supplied. Foliar liquid nitrogen is not recommended as it will tend to burn the leaves of some varieties. A guideline for the amount to supply is about one-half pound (about a pint) per 100 square feet.

In the summer, drop the nitrogen ratio slightly, but keep the nitrogen high such as an NPK of 16-6-6 or similar. Most of the nitrogen requirements at this time will be to supply the leafing-out of branches on the new culms produced in the spring.

The fall fertilization should drop back to a balanced fertilizer such as an NPK of 6-6-6 or 8-8-8 and should be less generous than the spring and summer feedings. This feeding is to promote the underground maturation of the rhizomes and to allow the culms to store energy for the spring.

Pruning: Bamboo does not require pruning in the sense that applies to trees and shrubs, but there are special methods that keep a grove healthy and looking good.

New Shoots: Bamboo will tend to create more shoots than it can adequately nourish in the spring, which will cause the shoots to be smaller and shorter than normal. This process can be assisted by removing some of the shoots where they are not wanted. (These shoots are also a great source of fresh bamboo shoots for cooking!) Prune shoots that are close together on the same rhizome, since these will be in competition for nourishment from the mother culm.

Old Culms: The bamboo culm will reach full maturity in the first year. It extends its branching and leaf production during the next two to three years, then begins gradually to decline until (if left alone) it will die. A five-year-old culm is at its peak and ready for harvest to use in crafts, furniture production, etc. It should be cut parallel to and as close to the ground as possible using a fine-tooth saw (a beveled bamboo stump can inflict a nasty wound!). Gently remove the culm from the grove without breaking limbs on adjacent culms.

Summary

In short, Bamboo can be an invasive pest or an aesthetic addition to your landscape. As with almost anything, its role reflects the attitude of the landscaper. If you nurture it, it will look good; if you ignore it, it will fend for itself (and it does quite well!). Most unkempt groves and the reputation for taking over usually can be traced to neglect.

Prepared by:
The Bambusetum
704 James Nobles Road
PO Box 491
Chadbourn,NC 28431

Phone: (910) 654-4628
email: bamboo@noblescorp.com