PLANTING
& CULTIVATION OF BAMBOOS
Site
/ Soil / Planting
/ Controlling Running
Rhizomes
Feeding / Watering / Pruning
/ Pests
Site
Bamboos grow successfully in most
soil types and nearly all are content in either sun or shade -
although a few have slight preferences. Those with particularly fine
foliage, such as some of the Fargesia and Drepanostachyum species,
generally prefer a shady location, while some of the dwarf bamboos,
which live on the forest floor in their natural habitats, thrive in
deep shade. Many of the Phyllostachys bamboos, on the other hand,
favour an open, sunny position.
Although some nurseries suggest
using bamboos as windbreaks, we hate to see the beautiful foliage
and canes exposed to damaging gusts. Instead, we recommend putting
in a shield of wind-resistant shrubs or trees, and then planting a
graceful screen of bamboo in its shelter.
Soil
The ideal soil for bamboos is
well-drained, rich, moist and loamy. However, with careful
preparation, almost any kind of ground will provide an accommodating
home. We cannot stress enough the importance of preparing the site
properly: the bamboo will establish much more quickly if the ground
is well-dug and fertile. (In fact, in some ways, we think that
bamboos are like people. Give them a really good start in life and
most of them will eventually look after themselves.)
Planting
Dig a hole about 50 centimetres deep
and wide. Make it wider if you are planting a large specimen. If the
soil is poor, you might like to discard it in favour of good
topsoil. Put a layer of well-rotted manure in the bottom and mix it
with an equal layer of soil. Take the bamboo out of the pot (having
watered it well first) and place it in the hole so that the soil
comes to the same level on the canes as it did in the pot - except
in very light soil where you can plant it a couple of centimetres
deeper. Fill in around it with good soil mixed with more well-rotted
manure, garden compost or other soil conditioner and a sprinkling of
general purpose fertiliser. Firm in the plant by treading gently
around it (take care not to stand on any new shoots) and give it a
good drink of water.
Bamboos love moisture and humid
conditions, but good drainage is essential: the rhizomes and root
system should not sit in water. For that reason, where bamboos are
planted by streams or lakes (a situation where we think they look
strikingly handsome) they must be sited on a bank at least 20
centimetres above water level. Where the soil is slow to drain, the
conditions can be improved by digging a pit about a metre deep - or
more if you have the energy - breaking up the bottom and putting in
drainage pipes, a layer of rubble or other free-draining material
before planting as above.
Controlling
Running Rhizomes
The words "running
rhizomes" put some gardeners off growing many bamboos. This is
a double pity as some of the "runners" are amongst the
most sculptural and elegant plants that we know - and controlling
their growth is relatively easy, requiring only a few moments of
vigilance a year. There are a number of ways to limit the spread of
these bamboos, especially as the rhizomes usually stay close to the
soil surface.
Simply planting them by a solid path
or drive usually keeps them from wandering, and positioning them
alongside grass allows any errant shoots to be mown down. Cutting
around clumps twice yearly with a sharp spade and removing any
rhizomes outside the perimeter is also effective. Some gardeners
surround running bamboos with a trench about 30 centimetres deep,
inspecting it from time to time to eliminate any rhizomes attempting
to jump across it.
Finally, the method used in some
botanic gardens is to insert a barrier of high-density polyethylene
(60 - 70 centimetres wide and 2 millimetres thick) at the time of
planting. The barrier must protrude about 10 centimetres above
ground. We recommend using a rhizome barrier when planting next to a
patio or alongside garden ponds lined with plastic or butyl.
Feeding
Bamboos are remarkably greedy
feeders. We found this advice for feeding groves of Phyllostachys
bambusoides in Ernest's Satow's The Cultivation of Bamboos in
Japan, published in 1899: "The dead bodies of dogs, sheep,
cats, rats and other animals, the skins, bones and hoofs of cattle
and horses, are the best for this purpose. Decayed rice and wheat
plants, rice and barley bran, and other vegetable matter, ashes, the
contents of the dust-bin, rotten compost, stable litter, the dung
and urine of men and horses, and lime where the soil is not sandy,
may all be used."
However, thank goodness, we have
discovered that a simple mulch of well-rotted manure in the autumn
and a top-dressing of general fertiliser in spring (just before the
growing season starts) keeps our bamboos in good health. We also
recommend leaving the fallen leaves on the ground under the clump:
these rot down to provide important nutrients including silica, the
substance that gives bamboo canes their exceptional resilience.
Watering
What most affects the speed at which
bamboos grow - and their eventual height - is the amount of water
that they receive, particularly during the period from late spring
until late summer when the new shoots appear and the culms are
growing. We water our bamboos regularly during this time to keep the
soil around them moist but not waterlogged. Some bamboos are
resistant to spells of drought (especially if they are in a
well-prepared site) and reduce water-loss by rolling up their
leaves, but almost all grow faster, plumper and taller if the soil
is kept slightly damp. Mulching helps conserve moisture.
Pruning
Pruning bamboos is virtually
unnecessary. Some dwarf species can be cut down in late winter
annually or every couple of years if you wish to enjoy the fresh
growth uncluttered by last year's leaves. This also makes the growth
denser. Other varieties grown as a hedge can also be trimmed or
shaped when the new shoots have finished growing. In some varieties
grown as clumps we remove the older, more tired culms to create an
open framework of fresh, healthy canes.
Pests
Bamboos are almost completely
unbothered by pests. The only time when they are vulnerable is when
the new shoots - which look like miniature rockets - are pushing
through the soil. At this time they need protection from browsing
animals such as rabbits, squirrels and deer. Children love to play
amongst bamboos, and while we encourage this most of the time,
during the sprouting season our clumps are a no-go area lest the
shoots are trampled by little feet.
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� Stam's Bamboo
Nursery Ltd 2001 (disclaimer)
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