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Bamboo

Bamboo

Bamboos are very desirable garden plants. They can make large clumps that are ideal as focal points or for adding structure to borders. The long canes give height and sway in the breeze adding a tropical effect to a garden, making them an ideal plant to provide a screen.

We stock clump forming bamboo, which spreads slowly and has a pachymorph rhizome system. This means that the underground buds turn upward and become canes immediately, as opposed to the running types which can travel several feet outward. Clumping bamboo tends to average 10-15 feet in height, increasing 1-3 feet in height each year.

Easy to grow and fully hardy we stock a number of varieties including Phylostachy and Fargesia.

Planting Bamboo

Bamboos thrive in moist, but well-drained soil in a sheltered, sunny spot. They tolerate most types of soil but prefer slightly acidic. The ideal time to plant bamboo is in spring. Before planting, dig in well rotted garden compost to condition the soil and improve its ability to hold moisture. The planting hole should be dug so that the rootball sits slightly low with 2-3cm of soil covering the original surface. Water and mulch after planting, water regularly during dry periods.

Popular Varieties:

  • Fargesia Murielae – Wispy, slow growing bamboo
  • Phyllostachys aurea – Yellow stemmed, clump forming
  • Phyllostachys nigra  – Tall stem, turning black in one year
  • Pseudosasa Japonica – Deep green foliage, prefers moist site

Bamboo Maintenance

Caring for bamboo plants once established is relatively easy, with little effort bamboos can be kept looking good and prevent them from becoming a nuisance in the garden. Bamboo does best if it gets at least 1 inch of water a week either from rainfall or manual watering. Water bamboo deeply to encourage deep roots, which will help protect your bamboo from drought.

In spring, remove any weak, dead, damaged or spindly canes, cutting them to ground level with secateurs, at the same time remove any debris at the base of clumps. It’s also recommended to remove some of the foliage from the bottom of the canes.

< Back to Plant Centre

Bamboo

Bamboo

Bamboos are very desirable garden plants. They can make large clumps that are ideal as focal points or for adding structure to borders. The long canes give height and sway in the breeze adding a tropical effect to a garden, making them an ideal plant to provide a screen.

We stock clump forming bamboo, which spreads slowly and has a pachymorph rhizome system. This means that the underground buds turn upward and become canes immediately, as opposed to the running types which can travel several feet outward. Clumping bamboo tends to average 10-15 feet in height, increasing 1-3 feet in height each year.

Easy to grow and fully hardy we stock a number of varieties including Phylostachy and Fargesia.

Planting Bamboo

Bamboos thrive in moist, but well-drained soil in a sheltered, sunny spot. They tolerate most types of soil but prefer slightly acidic. The ideal time to plant bamboo is in spring. Before planting, dig in well rotted garden compost to condition the soil and improve its ability to hold moisture. The planting hole should be dug so that the rootball sits slightly low with 2-3cm of soil covering the original surface. Water and mulch after planting, water regularly during dry periods.

Popular Varieties:

  • Fargesia Murielae – Wispy, slow growing bamboo
  • Phyllostachys aurea – Yellow stemmed, clump forming
  • Phyllostachys nigra  – Tall stem, turning black in one year
  • Pseudosasa Japonica – Deep green foliage, prefers moist site

Bamboo Maintenance

Caring for bamboo plants once established is relatively easy, with little effort bamboos can be kept looking good and prevent them from becoming a nuisance in the garden. Bamboo does best if it gets at least 1 inch of water a week either from rainfall or manual watering. Water bamboo deeply to encourage deep roots, which will help protect your bamboo from drought.

In spring, remove any weak, dead, damaged or spindly canes, cutting them to ground level with secateurs, at the same time remove any debris at the base of clumps. It’s also recommended to remove some of the foliage from the bottom of the canes.