Bamboo is the largest licorice grass and the fastest growing plant on the planet. It's so green in the garden, on the balcony and terrace when bamboo plants grow and thrive. But what is the reason why some bamboo doesn't want to grow?
Why isn't my bamboo growing?
If bamboo doesn't grow, it could be due to soil, water, pH or lack of care. Water with lime-free or rainwater, fertilize regularly and keep the soil pH below 7.0 for optimal growth.
Bamboos want to go high but they don't grow like trees
A bamboo stalk only shoots to its final height during the growing season. Then it's break. In contrast to trees, it does not grow in length or thickness in a comparable way. Only next year will the new generation of stalks overtake the height of the previous one.
The rhizome growth decides whether a bamboo is a clump or root-forming bamboo plant. Tropical varieties and Fargesia are among the clump-growing species that do not form rhizomes. That's why the stalks grow close to the plant. A rhizome barrier is not necessary.
From spring to summer, bamboo tips emerge from the earth like asparagus tips. And like asparagus, the young sprouts are pricked. Bamboo tips are not only considered a delicacy in Asia, but also here. We like to eat tender, fresh sprouts of Sasa Palmata Nebulosa or Fargesia murielae. They refine salads or side dishes.
You should consider this when buying bamboo
If you buy a bamboo and want to plant it in the garden, you should remember that the legendary, rapid growth may take a long time in the first year. Because the bamboo primarily forms its roots and underground shoot axes (rhizomes).
With the right bamboo care, you can see the new stalks grow the following year. These overtake the existing stalks by 50 cm. A stalk always grows from the soil to its final annual height in 4-6 weeks. After about 5 to 7 years the bamboo has reached its final size. Even if new stalks form, they no longer grow taller.
It looks different with real or rhizome-forming bamboos. Here the rhizomes spread underground up to 10 meters away from the mother plant. They form widely branched new stalks that explode very quickly.
Good care – good growth
The better you care for and fertilize your bamboo, the better it will grow. This is what you can do:
- cut young bamboo plants after three years at the earliest
- water with lime-free bamboo water or rainwater
- fertilize and rinse regularly
- Soil pH value should not be higher than 7.0
Tips & Tricks
Do not remove fallen, he althy bamboo leaves. The leaves contain silicon, which the bamboo plant needs.