growing bamboo question??

Question

if i were to cut a bamboo shoot out of the groundwith no roots at all will it be able to grow.

alsowhat is the best way to grow my own bamboo by digging other smaller bamboo out of the ground.

i know it is invasive just give me an answer!!

how much of the roots do i need for it to start growing immediatly.

Answer 1

don't do it.. once bamboo gets established you can't get rid of it.. all of your neighbors will hate you when it starts to grow into their yard.

seriously!

Answer 2

I must say gardengallivant gave a very thorough answer.

Sounds like you have a runner and know that,so the only tried and true method to propagate this is to divide it. First, water completely around the culms you are going to cut. Bamboo roots dry out quickly. Find a nice culm (make sure it is not a new shoot) and then dig a circle around it 6 to 12 inches. This will provide enough roots and rhizome to support life. If the culm is larger than 6 feet then I recommend topping it down to 6 feet as this will aid in your success. If you are traveling a good distance you will want to wrap the root ball in plastic to keep the moisture in.

Once in it's new home, keep moist but not flooded for the first few weeks, then back off the watering to about once per week. Bamboo is a grass and will love some high nitrogen fertilizer everynow and then also. You probably will not see much growth for the first year as the bamboo will be concentrating on new root growth, but next year you should see a few shoots popping up. Don't be disappointed when you find out the are nowhere near the size of the parent plant...that will take a few years!

You stated you know it may become invasive, so precautions may be warranted to prevent this if you are in an area that others might not like your new "friend".

Answer 3

Vegatative propagation, or establishing a new plant using cuttings from a donor plant and forcing it to root can only be done with tropical clumpers, not runners.
Most bamboo is divided but some bamboo will root at the nodes. Take the whole culm, with roots, and bury it length-wise in the ground. Shoots will appear at the nodes.
Alternately you can layer them. Either a whole culm or only the branch bearing part of it is bent down to the ground and into a shallow trench, fastened in place by means of hooked or crossed stakes, and covering it with suitable propagating medium.
What you asked about is stem cutting. Culm segments of bamboos of 2-3 nodes bearing healthy buds or branches, have been used for propagation. The side branches on each culm segment are generally pruned to a length of less than 10 in and no foliage is retained. Rooting hormone placed in the culm cavity will help. Place cuttings are set upright or at an angle, with at least one node well covered. Cover the pot with plastic tented up from the culm. This keeps the humidity constant. Water to keep the soil moist and to let fresh air into the tent.

Dividing a bamboo is best done in early spring before growth produces new shoots or wait for the growth period to be over late in the autumn. Never try to move it once shooting has begun.
A bamboo has two underground portions the rhizome and the root. You need to have some of both attached to the culm. Bamboo rhizomes are tough but must not be allowed to dry. Cutting can be done with an ax or I like a saws-all, just use a clean blade or wipe it with 10% bleach before use.
Choose a clump with at least one cane that is more than a year old, ideally 2 or more culms. In general, the larger the division, the faster it will establish itself in the new location.
Once you have dug around the clump in a complete circle, the root ball should pop out easily - the roots and rhizomes travel in a horizontal direction and are usually not that deep - about 12 inches, maybe 18 inches maximum depending on the age of the clump. How big of a root ball? Well as big as you can dig and handle. I aim for a minimum 12 inch diameter rootball for single culm clumps, and up to 18 to 24 inches for 2-3 culms. This will also depend on the size of the bamboo (height and diameter of the culms).
You must keep the roots moist and well watered at all times if you are not going to plant it immediately.
I usually cut part of the top off to reduce foliage and, therefore, evaporative water loss. When planting, make sure that the bamboo is well staked - wind rock to the root ball is a significant problem for a newly planted bamboo. If the can is more than 6-8 feet tall, I use use 3/4 ropes/strong ties secured at three different directions to reduce the swaying motion of the culms.

Answer 4

I'm not sure about getting the cutting to sprout roots and grow, but we have successfully transplanted small bamboo plants into our yard - simply by digging a small hole and planting it.
BUT, BE CAREFUL! Bamboo can be very invasive and get out of hand quickly. We have a friend (in rural Ohio) who's backyard is becoming overgrown with bamboo plants that get quite large.