How to care for bamboo
Gaining in popularity because of its friendliness to the environment, bamboo is rapidly becoming a very common plant. It can be found in many gardens, homes and offices.
Bamboo is easy to take care of and easy on the eye. And it can easily be formed into various shapes. With proper preparation and maintenance, taking care of bamboo is a piece of cake.
This article will tell you everything you need to know about how to care for bamboo.
Location
Bamboo thrives both inside and out. Just make sure the conditions are right, and you’ll grow your own plant in no time.
More care is required to have a healthy indoor bamboo plant, particularly when it comes to watering. Over watering can cause excessive loss of leaves, while under watering can cause death or poor growth.
Potted bamboos are also more susceptible to temperature damage. In the summer the plant may overheat if placed in the hot sun. Likewise, cold winter temperatures may kill the plant. If potting is your only option, you have to make sure you are aware of the placement of your plant.
Outdoors, bamboo can be planted during any time of the year in areas with mild climates. In colder regions the plants should be planted earlier to allow them to grow and harden to the extent that they can withstand their first winter.
Watering
Watering is most crucial with newly planted bamboos. Bamboo should be watered twice weekly in mild climates. Drier and windier climates may require more frequent watering. Plants under 5 gallons in volume will need at least a half-gallon of water each watering and plants over 5 gallons will need at least a gallon.
Once the bamboo grows to your desired size, watering can be reduced to once a week. Note: If the leaves start to curl back on themselves, the bamboo is underwatered. Water the plant immediately and decrease the time between waterings.
Fertilizer
The best kind of fertilizers are those high in nitrogen. Although bamboo can grow and thrive in proper conditions, the use of fertilizer can result in a healthier, more attractive plant.
Competition
Bamboo has to compete with competitive weeds. But bamboo can also overtake the existing plants in your garden. Fargesia and Thamnocalamus are two common types of bamboo known for their thick clumping behavior and will not spread aggressively. Regardless of the type of bamboo you choose, it is recommended to use a barrier to limit spreading.
Mulch
Bamboo prefers to have a layer of some kind of mulch more than two inches deep covering its roots. It is better not to clean up the leaf debris from the bottom of the plant. The layer of mulch helps return nutrients to the soil, and keeps the soil moist and soft. If the soil in your yard is too dry, you may want to add organic material to the ground prior to mulching.
How to mulch
Almost any organic material is good mulch, yard clippings and homemade compost being some of the best examples. You can also use hay or manure, although it may introduce unwelcome weeds. Don’t forget to spread the mulch over the entire area you want the plants to grow, not just where you plant the shoots.
Maintenance
Don’t be afraid to thin out older or dead branches and even entire culms at least once a year. If trimming the tops of plants, make your cut is directly above a node. Removing entire culms encourages the remaining plants to grow larger. An attractive garden with large bamboo plants is very achievable if you are familiar with the age of each plant and keep up its maintenance.
What is lucky bamboo?
That little bamboo plant is your office is not actually bamboo at all. Also known as by its botanical name, Dracaena sanderiana, Lucky Bamboo is actually a lily. However, its resiliency to indoor conditions has gained this little bamboo look-a-like a lot of popularity in homes and offices. Lucky Bamboo is also associated with the Chinese practice of feng shui. Lucky Bamboo is given as a gift to wish good fortune on the Chinese New Year, or events such as weddings.
Bamboo flooring
Bamboo is a popular material for flooring. Like growing the plant, proper maintenance of bamboo flooring will keep it looking beautiful for years to come.
After installing your new flooring, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for sealing and care of the wood. If no instructions were included, contact the manufacturer. Take care of your bamboo floor just as you would any hard wood floor.
