want to grow bamboo???

Question

i want to start growing bamboo. i really dont care that it is invasive so if you tell me that im not going to care!!! have an underground wall stopping it. how shouold i start when start from seed or another existing plant. how should i start if growing from an existing plant

Answer 1

It is true that bamboo rarely flowers and sets seed. When it does the mother plant generally dies as it uses the all it's energy for seed production and the "next generation". Therefore, growing from seed probably will not be your option. Moso (one of the largest and useful timber bamboos in the world) however is always flowering somewhere in the world and seed generally is available, but importation into the US of bamboo seed is illegal.

So, your options are starting your bamboo from division, but first you need to determine what you'd like to do with the bamboo. Are you planting it as a hedge wall for privacy or just planting it to have it? Knowing this will help determine what bamboo you should plant. Also, is there someone in your area that already has the bamboo that will dig you a division? If not, there are numerous online retailers that ship quality bamboos nationwide.

Now, if you are planting a runner, then it is easy to get a division or two. Select the culm you want to dig, then dig about 6 inches all the way around it. This ensures you will get enough root mass for survival.

For a clumping variety, which are better for hedge purposes, getting a division is a little more tedious since the rhizome mass is tighter and much less open than a runner. Therefore a sawzall, axe, prybar and shovel all may be needed to get your division. Select the culms to want to transplant then dig around them, which often times getting the outer culms are easiest.

Also, depending on how tall the boo is you may want to cut off the top half of the culm as there may not be enough energy in the rhizomes to support the plant. It is essential that the root ball once dug does not dry out, so watering the bamboo before diggin then wrapping the roost in plastic during transport will greatly improve survivability.

Once your boo finds it's new home, water it frequently for the first few weeks. As long as the leaves stay green you should be ok. If they do drop off and the culm turns brown it could be a goner, but maybe not as the plant may have done that for survival reasons and new growth will appear next season.

Just know that runners usually send up new shoots around March and clumpers shoot starting about now, so you may not see new growth till next year depending on the species you go with.

Oh yeah, you will get much greater receptiveness to your questions and choices here:

http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/index.php

Good luck!

Answer 2

I like your attitude.. haha... anyway, I grow stone and black bamboo on my side walk and back yard....so I am a bamboo lover myself....

Start from an existing plant..... but you do not really need to buy a lot as bamboo propagate very fast.... they can double in 4-6 months time.....so you must make a good estimate on your space....

Bamboo need is generally a heavy feeder... I fertilize it once in 2 weeks using organic fertilizer and also a lot of water and sun....

It is true that bamboo is invasive as it really dont allow any other plant to be growing below it.. as it strip the land from nutrients, shade the sun from reaching the bottom of the tree and also pierce the roots system of other plant when their shoots appear..

Anyway, happy bamboo growing... good luck

Answer 3

Everything you ever wanted to know about bamboo is in the links below
Good Luck!
******* i really dont care that it is invasive*******
I like to say this about that..........It's your yard and you can grow what you want.

Just to set the record straight there are 2 types of bamboo..........running and clumping
clumping is not invasive.
http://www.americanbamboo.org/GeneralInfo.html
Introduction
There are also varieties of root systems that are a mixture of these types. Generally, the tropical bamboos tend to be clumpers and the temperate bamboos tend to be runners.
There is a section on bamboo seeds but they are difficult to come by.


Frequently Asked Questions
Promoting the Beauty and Utility of Bamboo
http://www.americanbamboo.org/FAQ.html

Answer 4

Never heard of bamboo being started from seed as bamboo rarely sets flower. So to start from an existing plant just dig up and replant. Not all that tough.

Answer 5

Plenty of clean water, change it regularly. I always take out my bamboo stems and wash them gently in the sink getting anything slimy off of them and them put them back in the clean water. Sunlight is very important. They should be growing a little when they are healthy. Also, use rocks (small clean pebbles, etc) to support the bamboo shoots and keep them upright. Don't put too many shoots in any one container. I use a glass jar/container to let the light through.

Answer 6

You go right ahead and grow bamboo. But you have to start it from a plant, I've never heard of the seed versions. Check out your local arborist for info.