How to Plant a Running Bamboo
Choose somewhere that gets at least 6 hours of sun per day., Measure out your planting plot., Till the soil., Use top soil to create a raised bed., Install a bamboo barrier., Dig a trench., Plant your bamboo in a planter., Space the bamboo plants 3...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose somewhere that gets at least 6 hours of sun per day.
Most types of running bamboo are the hardiest varieties of bamboo that exist, and they need lots of sun to grow well.
The area where you’re planting your bamboo should get at least 6 hours and up to 10 hours of sun a day., The area where you plant your bamboo should measure at least 3 ft (1 meter) by 10 ft (3 meters) to accommodate the rhizomes of the plant and allow for their growth.
Runner bamboo will grow to fill whatever space it has, so you can also make your planting area larger.Your planting area doesn’t have to be in the shape of a rectangle.
An oval or circle also work well for bamboo.
If you’re planting in a container, choose it based on how wide you want the bamboo to grow.
You can set several containers next to one another to extend the length of the planting area. , Bamboo prefers loose soil, so the more you till your soil, the better.
Make sure you break up any clumps in the soil.
You can also till in a standard potting soil if your soil is a bit dry., You should mix a good top soil with the existing soil down to a depth of about 12 inches.
Make sure that the raised bed of soil is raised 6 to 12 inches above the existing soil around the planting area.
The natural border this creates, where the raised bed tapers off, prevents the running bamboo from spreading., If you prefer not to create a raised bed, you can plant a bamboo barrier.
You should use a barrier that is 22 to 30 inches tall and about 35 mm thick.
After you’ve buried the barrier around you’re the perimeter of your planting area, compact the soil next to the barrier.
The density of that soil will make it harder for the rhizomes to grow through., The trench should be 8 to 10 inches deep and a few inches wide and should extend all the way around the planting area.
This creates a natural barrier and will allow you to see if rhizomes grow out of that area.
If they do, trim them with shears., An easy way to contain running bamboo is to plant it in a planter.
The planter should be at least 3 feet (1 meter) wide and 5 feet (1.5 meters) long, but it can be wider and longer if you’d like a thicker wall of bamboo.
Bamboo planted in a planter will likely not reach its full height.
If you plant in a planter, you’ll also need to divide or transplant the bamboo every 3 to 5 years to ensure it continues to stay healthy.If you decide to plant in a planter, you can follow the same directions as planting in soil – just make sure you place each plant in the center of the planter. , Anything less than 3 feet will reduce the eventual height of the bamboo plant.
Bamboo plants planted 6 to 8 feet apart will take a few years longer to fully grow in., Running bamboo does the best when it’s planted no more than a few inches from the top of the soil.
Dig a hole just slightly wider than the plant and a few inches deep., You can use top soil, wood chips, or compost, because bamboo will grow well in most types of organic material.
Tilling those materials into the bottom of the hole ensures that the plant can drain and root well., Bamboo requires a bit of water to grow well, so wetting the hole first ensures it grows more quickly.
Don’t put so much water in the hole that it starts to create a puddle, but the soil should be pretty soaked. , The rhizome should be placed horizontally in the center of the hole, a few inches below the hole's surface.
Then loosely cover the rhizome with top soil until the hole is full.
Make sure you get soil on top of and next to the rhizome to cover it completely.Bamboo grows best in loose soil, so don’t pack the soil in as you would with other plants. , You should spread the mulch to a depth of 2 or more inches (5 or more centimeters), since this will encourage decomposition under the mulch.
The nutrients released by the decomposition process will help the bamboo grow quickly., While bamboo is still growing, it needs a lot of water.
If the weather is mild, water your bamboo twice a week or so.
If it’s very hot or windy, you might want to water every day.
Soak the soil around your bamboo each time you water it., Bamboo plants will lose their leaves during the fall, when they’ll yellow and fall to the ground.
Don’t rake these leaves.
They’ll eventually decompose into the soil, creating a source of nutrients for the bamboo., If you’ve planted your bamboo near your lawn, make sure you mow the edges near the bamboo planting area frequently.
Frequent moving prevents the rhizomes from getting into your grass.
If you have a trench dug around your bamboo, check it regularly during the spring to make sure no rhizomes are growing out.
If they are, you can trim them with pruning shears. -
Step 2: Measure out your planting plot.
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Step 3: Till the soil.
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Step 4: Use top soil to create a raised bed.
-
Step 5: Install a bamboo barrier.
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Step 6: Dig a trench.
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Step 7: Plant your bamboo in a planter.
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Step 8: Space the bamboo plants 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) apart.
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Step 9: Dig a hole no deeper than the container the bamboo came in.
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Step 10: Till in organic material at the bottom of the hole.
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Step 11: Wet the hole for planting.
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Step 12: Place the bamboo in the hole.
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Step 13: Cover the soil with mulch.
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Step 14: Water your bamboo frequently.
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Step 15: Leave falling leaves alone.
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Step 16: Prune or mow the edges of the bamboo.
Detailed Guide
Most types of running bamboo are the hardiest varieties of bamboo that exist, and they need lots of sun to grow well.
The area where you’re planting your bamboo should get at least 6 hours and up to 10 hours of sun a day., The area where you plant your bamboo should measure at least 3 ft (1 meter) by 10 ft (3 meters) to accommodate the rhizomes of the plant and allow for their growth.
Runner bamboo will grow to fill whatever space it has, so you can also make your planting area larger.Your planting area doesn’t have to be in the shape of a rectangle.
An oval or circle also work well for bamboo.
If you’re planting in a container, choose it based on how wide you want the bamboo to grow.
You can set several containers next to one another to extend the length of the planting area. , Bamboo prefers loose soil, so the more you till your soil, the better.
Make sure you break up any clumps in the soil.
You can also till in a standard potting soil if your soil is a bit dry., You should mix a good top soil with the existing soil down to a depth of about 12 inches.
Make sure that the raised bed of soil is raised 6 to 12 inches above the existing soil around the planting area.
The natural border this creates, where the raised bed tapers off, prevents the running bamboo from spreading., If you prefer not to create a raised bed, you can plant a bamboo barrier.
You should use a barrier that is 22 to 30 inches tall and about 35 mm thick.
After you’ve buried the barrier around you’re the perimeter of your planting area, compact the soil next to the barrier.
The density of that soil will make it harder for the rhizomes to grow through., The trench should be 8 to 10 inches deep and a few inches wide and should extend all the way around the planting area.
This creates a natural barrier and will allow you to see if rhizomes grow out of that area.
If they do, trim them with shears., An easy way to contain running bamboo is to plant it in a planter.
The planter should be at least 3 feet (1 meter) wide and 5 feet (1.5 meters) long, but it can be wider and longer if you’d like a thicker wall of bamboo.
Bamboo planted in a planter will likely not reach its full height.
If you plant in a planter, you’ll also need to divide or transplant the bamboo every 3 to 5 years to ensure it continues to stay healthy.If you decide to plant in a planter, you can follow the same directions as planting in soil – just make sure you place each plant in the center of the planter. , Anything less than 3 feet will reduce the eventual height of the bamboo plant.
Bamboo plants planted 6 to 8 feet apart will take a few years longer to fully grow in., Running bamboo does the best when it’s planted no more than a few inches from the top of the soil.
Dig a hole just slightly wider than the plant and a few inches deep., You can use top soil, wood chips, or compost, because bamboo will grow well in most types of organic material.
Tilling those materials into the bottom of the hole ensures that the plant can drain and root well., Bamboo requires a bit of water to grow well, so wetting the hole first ensures it grows more quickly.
Don’t put so much water in the hole that it starts to create a puddle, but the soil should be pretty soaked. , The rhizome should be placed horizontally in the center of the hole, a few inches below the hole's surface.
Then loosely cover the rhizome with top soil until the hole is full.
Make sure you get soil on top of and next to the rhizome to cover it completely.Bamboo grows best in loose soil, so don’t pack the soil in as you would with other plants. , You should spread the mulch to a depth of 2 or more inches (5 or more centimeters), since this will encourage decomposition under the mulch.
The nutrients released by the decomposition process will help the bamboo grow quickly., While bamboo is still growing, it needs a lot of water.
If the weather is mild, water your bamboo twice a week or so.
If it’s very hot or windy, you might want to water every day.
Soak the soil around your bamboo each time you water it., Bamboo plants will lose their leaves during the fall, when they’ll yellow and fall to the ground.
Don’t rake these leaves.
They’ll eventually decompose into the soil, creating a source of nutrients for the bamboo., If you’ve planted your bamboo near your lawn, make sure you mow the edges near the bamboo planting area frequently.
Frequent moving prevents the rhizomes from getting into your grass.
If you have a trench dug around your bamboo, check it regularly during the spring to make sure no rhizomes are growing out.
If they are, you can trim them with pruning shears.
About the Author
Theresa West
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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