| Bamboo plants are one of the easiest plants to | | | | moderately acidic. If you have heavy soil, add |
| grow. Sometimes they're too easy to grow, | | | | organic materials. If you mulch in a heavy manner, |
| because their advanced growth rate may cause | | | | the earthworms can do the job of spreading the |
| their roots to overpower roots of other plants in | | | | mulch around for you. You merely spread about |
| your garden. | | | | two inches of mulch in the area where the |
| When you choose a bamboo, it should be planted | | | | bamboo will be planted, because they do better in |
| in an area that gets five hours or more of direct | | | | soil similar to what is found in a forest. |
| sunlight a day. They also need protection from | | | | You can plant bamboo plants any time of year if |
| weeds, as well as fertilization and ample water. | | | | you have a mild climate. In areas that see colder |
| When they are young, a little shade will help them | | | | winters, plant them outdoors early in the fall, so |
| grow, and some bamboo plants do well with | | | | they can become strong enough to weather their |
| moderate to light shade later in life, as well. | | | | first winter. The later in the Fall season you plant, |
| Most bamboos really spread their rhizomes | | | | the more mulch you should use, because this will |
| underground swiftly, so you will want to | | | | give your bamboos more protection from the |
| remember this when you are planting. Root | | | | cold. |
| pruning should be done every year, or they will | | | | Unless you want your whole garden or yard in |
| take over much of your garden's root space. You | | | | bamboo, you will have to control the root growth |
| can also use polyethylene to create an | | | | in some manner. You may prune roots yearly, or |
| underground barrier that your bamboos can't | | | | provide a barrier of polyethylene 60 mil thick by |
| cross. | | | | thirty inches deep. Otherwise you'll have bamboo |
| To form a screen, bamboo plants should be | | | | roots everywhere. Make sure you sink your |
| spaced from three to five feet apart. If you have | | | | barrier deep enough if you plant one, because the |
| a fast grower and you won't be pruning roots, | | | | rhizomes may sink themselves lower when they |
| leave even more room between plants. Most | | | | run into the barrier at the top level of their |
| bamboos will reach their adult height in about five | | | | growth. They are very persistent. Check and |
| to seven years. Clumping bamboo usually add one | | | | remove any rhizomes that make it over, under |
| or two feet of height each year, and the running | | | | or around your barrier, at least once a year. |
| varieties may grow out from three to five feet | | | | Bamboo plants are very easy to grow - just |
| per year. They also tend to spread outward at | | | | make sure it doesn't over-run the rest of your |
| about the same rate of growth. | | | | garden, so that all the other plants will have room |
| Bamboos are most happy in loamy soil that is | | | | for their roots. |