Know the Bamboo

Originally from Southeast Asia and introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 19th century, bamboos belong to the Pinaceae family (formerly Grasses).

They have in common rhizomes (underground stems) more or less tracing from which the stems (culms) emerge, having the particularity of being ligneous (which have the consistency of wood) and perennial (which live for several years, up to 10 years), a unique case in grasses.

Their foliage is evergreen, generally green, sometimes streaked or variegated with white or yellow.

Depending on the species and varieties, the height of bamboo varies from a few centimeters to several tens of meters. The choice is so vast that you will necessarily find the bamboo of your dreams.

The species are also distinguished by their more or less tracing character:

Non-tracing bamboos

 Non-tracing bamboos, also called clumps, have very short and dense rhizomes. This is the case of the Fargesia. These bamboos grow in dense, non-invasive clumps and are ideal for small gardens and container growing.

The creeping bamboos

 The creeping bamboos spread thanks to their powerful running rhizomes a few centimeters below the surface of the ground. They can become invasive, especially in poor, dry soil where the roots seek food and water away from the original plant.

In rich and sufficiently moist soil, these species will be easier to maintain. We can contain the clumps installed in the ground with Anti-Rhizome Barriers to be installed at the time of planting.

For container culture, you must choose solid containers to avoid any risk of breakage once the bamboos are well developed.

The plants we offer are among the hardiest. Bamboo brings to gardens, as well as to balconies and terraces, a touch of exoticism and escape.

planting bamboo

The bamboos are delivered to you in containers and are ideally planted from October to May. They grow in the sun or in the shade in any good garden soil, even limestone, rich in humus and retaining some humidity all year round. Heavy, sticky and cold soils will be improved by adding compost and planting soil.

 Prepare the soil by digging it deep to remove weeds and stones and incorporating composted manure and roasted horn to feed it deeply. Soak the pot in a bucket of water to rehydrate the clod well before planting.

 Dig a hole twice the volume of the pot, i.e. at least 50 cm in all directions to facilitate rooting. For certain very creeping varieties of bamboo, the use of an anti-rhizome barrier may prove essential in places where space is limited.

 Slightly loosen the roots of your bamboo which may be entangled in the clod of earth. Place this clod so that the top coincides with the level of the ground, fill the hole and tamp lightly at the foot. Water thoroughly to compact the soil naturally.

Planting distances range from 30/40 cm for varieties with small development up to 1.50 m to 2 m for varieties with strong development.

Bamboos are easily grown in containers in a mixture of equal parts topsoil and good planting soil, at any exposure. Choose pots and trays that are large enough (minimum 50 cm deep and in diameter) and stable because bamboos have a strong wind resistance.

 Bamboo maintenance

Watering bamboo is essential the first year for plantations in the ground, it must be plentiful and regular (15/20 liters of water every 15 days). Then the plants are strong enough to withstand summer droughts, water only in case of prolonged drought.

In containers, watering will be more regular and abundant (even in winter during mild periods): due to the limited volume of soil, bamboos are more sensitive to dryness.

The bamboos are very robust and do not require any care once well established. A mulch of leaves will keep the soil clean and fresh: the easiest way is to leave and keep the dead leaves of the bamboos that have fallen naturally.

The fertilization of bamboos grown in pots and trays must be regular: a fertilizer such as lawn fertilizer is ideal. In the ground, an occasional spreading of composted manure is generally sufficient to maintain the richness of the soil.

The size of the bamboos comes down to the removal of dry culms and can be completed by thinning the stems to keep only the most vigorous and highlight the color of the culms. Regular hedges can be top-trimmed, usually once a year, in the summer when the growth of new growth is complete.

Naturally resistant to cold, bamboos, like all evergreen plants, can nevertheless suffer from the combined effect of wind and intense frost, causing foliage to burn. If necessary, prune the badly damaged parts in the spring. New shoots and new foliage will develop quickly.