How to plant bamboo

It’s perfectly possible plant bamboo in pot, but there are some factors that need to be taken into account. On the one hand, we must consider that bamboo is a plant that occupies a large amount of volume underground, so it is advisable to choose large pots for her.

If you are going to have your pot outdoors, such as terraces or gardens, it is better that you choose one of the panda or fargesia bamboo species, since these end up forming a kind of bush and their roots will completely cover the pot. It is better to avoid species that can reach great heights, because the pot will greatly limit their growth. Also, it is better that you use a resin pot or some very resistant material, since ceramic ones can end up breaking due to the great force of the bamboo roots.

Plant bamboo in a pot

1. Before sowing your bamboo seeds, clean them and let them dry in the sun for about two hours, then leave them to soak overnight in clean water.
2. Always sow during the spring, and use a substrate rich in peat and fertilized, if possible, with organic and ecological fertilizer. If you live in a very hot area, you can plant in the fall, to spare the young plant the worst of summer. Bamboo is called the patient tree, because planted seeds can go years without germinating, and then begin to grow explosively, although the most common germination period is between 10 and 25 days.
3. Moisten the soil after sowing but without flooding.
4. Put the pot somewhere shady.

Plant a potted bamboo cutting

1. Prepare the soil with some well-mixed natural compost.
2. Make a hole in the center of the pot a few inches deep.
3. Make sure that the cutting you are going to plant has roots and some small new leaves.
4. Place the plant in the hole so that the roots are covered and the stem is well supported with the soil somewhat tight around it.
5. Water a little and put the pot in a semi-shaded place.

In both cases, first make sure that the pot has a good drainage.

If you want to plant bamboo in the ground, the dates are the same as for planting in a pot: spring or fall if your climate is very hot. Depending on the weather, outdoors or on land it is important choose the species of bamboo suitable: in Mediterranean areas, the Bambusa multiplex or the Bolivian Borinda are recommended, and in colder climates you can opt for the Fargesia Rufa.

Steps to plant bamboo in the ground

1. Choose an area of ​​the terrain with shade or semi-shade.
2. Prepare the soil by stirring and aerating it, to then sow your previously sunny and soaked seeds about 3 cm deep.
3. Leave a space of at least 1 meter between each seed.
4. It may also be a good idea to use sheet metal or cement barriers around the perimeter that you don’t want their rhizomes to come out of. It is a plant with an enormous capacity for extension, and you could find yourself with the plant taking over spaces that you do not want it to take.

Plant a bamboo cutting

1. Prepare the soil well, leaving a trench a few centimeters wide.
2. Place the cutting horizontally, that is, with the thick stem horizontal and in such a way that the new shoots of the cutting or thinner branches are facing up so that they can grow.
3. Cover with a little soil around the edges, but leave part of the horizontal trunk exposed on the surface.
4. You can also place the plates or plates mentioned before to avoid excessive extension of the plant.
5. When you finish sowing or planting, water the soil a little.

There are species of bamboo that can be grown directly and simply in a container with water, in a culture without soil. One of the most common of this type is the so-called lucky bamboo, which, although not actually a bamboo, is named for its appearance. For plant lucky bamboo in water just follow these instructions:

1. Choose a suitable container and add some stones so that the roots have something to hold on to.
2. It is important that you use distilled water when filling it, and if it is tap water, filter it or at least let it sit for 24 hours before adding the stems.
3. Add the lucky bamboo stalks to the container.
4. Still, if your plant turns yellow or seems to start to lose vitality after a few months, you should repot it in a pot or space with soil.

Bamboos require mainly two things: a constant watering and abundant although without flooding, and a illuminated area but with semi-shade. The latter is especially important in hot areas with hot summers, where prolonged exposure to intense sun can damage the plant.

In addition, the plant appreciates that its roots are covered with a layer of leaves, as well as a contribution of fertilizer in spring.

In this other EcologíaVerde post we tell you much more about the different types of bamboo and in this other post and in the video below you will be able to learn more about How to take care of a bamboo.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to plant bamboowe recommend that you enter our category .