Skip to main content

BAMBOO PLANTING PRACTICAL TIPS AND ADVICE

After the purchase

1- During transport, make sure that the plants are not exposed to high temperatures for a long time. In a closed car or closed trailer it can easily exceed 40 degrees, causing damage to the plant. Wrap plants on an open trailer with foil or cloth to prevent wind damage. Open plants that are delivered on a sealed pallet by the transporter immediately after receipt.

2- After unloading, keep the plants in a shady place and continue to water them regularly until the time of planting (make sure that the soil in the pot remains moist. If the planting continues for a few weeks or longer, put the pots on a water dish and make sure that the plants always get enough water.

Soil preparation

3- It is best to plant in a humus-rich, moisture-retaining soil that is sufficiently permeable during prolonged rain. Whether you are going to plant on marine clay, river clay, peat, sand or loam, you can simply prepare the planting hole so that a bamboo always grows well. For the size of the planting hole, the rule of thumb is twice as large in diameter as the pot root ball makes and 1.5 times as deep. Crumble the soil that comes out and mix it with our planting improver: cocopeat. Depending on the initial situation and size of the plant, 1/2 to 1 package of 40 liters is sufficient. This mixture will go back around the root ball later. Note that if water remains in the planting hole due to an impermeable underlayer, this is bad for the roots (hair roots need oxygen!). Drain the planting zone if necessary. Bamboo needs a soil layer that is at least 30 cm permeable for good growth.

Root control

5- Fargesias are non-invasive, clumoing bamboos and only need a shallow 35 cm root ontrol to grow a hedge in a nice straight line on a limited width. This boundary does not have to be above the ground and can overlap half a meter at the connection (a steel connection set is not necessary)

6- Most other types of bamboos (Phyllostachys, Bashania, Indocalamus, Sasa, Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa, Semiarundinaria etc) make rhizomes that can 'walk' away from the plant to a greater or lesser extent. In places with limited growing space, such as many private gardens, it is therefore advisable to use these species within an underground border with Rhizome Barrier (root barrier foil). This special material, together with the required closure and a clear manual, is available at the nursery in various sizes between 60 and 100 cm high. Depending on the type chosen, available growing space and soil type, we recommend a specific size.

7- The planting zone in which rhizomatous bamboos come is excavated to the required depth and provided with the root barrier along the edges. It is important that this material protrudes 3 to 5 cm above ground level and that the ends are secured with a steel connecting clamp. All these materials are available at the nursery in any desired length upto 50 m.

Planting

8- Immerse the bamboo in a bucket of water for 5 to 10 minutes until the root ball is saturated and then remove it from the pot. If the root ball is very firm, it is wise to gently loosen the roots around with a nail or knitting needle so that the roots in the garden soil go well. Place the bamboo in the ground at the same level as in the pot, so do not bury it or plant it too high. Complete the space around the root ball with the mix of coconut peat with the existing soil.

NB. Never use 'fertilized garden soil' or 'GFT compost' around the root ball because of the risk of metal salt damage to the hair roots!

Fertilization and watering

9- Then water the young plantings well, let the soil slowly saturate with water with a water hose. To make watering easier, it is useful to make a soil ring around the plant of about 5 cm high so that the rain/watering water penetrates the soil at the roots.

10- Then supply the plants with bamboo fertilizer (between March and September, below 25 gr.Celcius see label) and water again lightly. Bamboo fertilizer 'BambooFood' is available at the nursery in lockable buckets

Finish

11- Finally, it is advisable to cover the planting zone with preferably an organic mulch layer of 3 – 5 cm, for example wood chips or bark. At the nursery we have French maritime pine bark in stock. one package is sufficient for 1m2. Finishing with gravel or gravel is also possible if desired. In all cases it is important that the edge of the root limiter remains visible.

Annual maintenance

During the first growing season, water the young plantings regularly through (saturating) water. It is better to slowly saturate the soil with a water hose than to spray the foliage from a distance. Check whether the soil remains sufficiently moist. If it starts to dry, water again until the plants are well established.

In the case of rhizome-forming and rampant bamboo, the edges of the root limiter are checked annually for any overgrowing roots. These can then be cut off in time to keep the plant in place.

Long term management and maintenance

After this first season, generally no additional care is required other than annual feeding and watering during prolonged drought, especially during new shoot growth between April - July. Depending on the desired result, hedges may require annual pruning in height and/or width. This is best done during the growing season after the shoot period of the particular species.

Bamboos that are planted for the ornamental value of the culms are thinned and pruned annually or every few years. A nice ratio is to prune 1/3 of the total height. Old, crooked and thin culms are cut short to the ground so that an airy, rhythmic structure is created.

Have fun with your bamboo planting! For more questions and information, consult www.bamboehaag.nl or www.PerkBamboe.nl. English: www.PerkBamboo.com

The following accessoires are available at the nursery:

  • Bamboo substrate (special plant soil adapted to bamboo cultivation 70L) + hydro granules 40L for the use of bamboo in planters
  • Various types and sizes of planters
  • Cocopeat soil improvement around the rootball 40L
  • Bamboo fertilizer (BambooFood) in buckets 2.5 L and 5L
  • French (maritime) bark as a mulch layer 40L
  • Root barrier foil (Rhizoom barrier) HDPE 35-60-75-100cm high per linear meter or full roll 50m + galvanized steel connecting clamps