In the Asian bamboo garden, less is often more. Instead of lush flowers and colorful beds, bamboo plants bring soft colors to the Far Eastern oasis. We'll give you the best tips for planting correctly and caring for bamboo properly.
How should bamboo be planted correctly?
When planting bamboo, it is important to choose the right location, sandy-loamy to humus-rich soil and sufficient planting distance. After planting, water well and water regularly. Avoid bark mulch and waterlogging.
Planting the bamboo correctly step by step
In order to create the best possible starting conditions for bamboo plants, you should offer them the following initial care.
- Take the bamboo out of the packaging immediately
- Water the root ball sufficiently
- place in a protected, shady place
- Avoid longer downtimes
To water, place the root ball in a tub of water until no more air bubbles appear. If the bamboo is not planted immediately, place the plants in a protected location.
The best location for bamboo plants
Different types of bamboo prefer different locations in which they grow and thrive optimally. From sunny to partial shade and shady. If you arrange the bamboo plants above ground in the planned planting location before planting, the distances or gaps can still be corrected.
If the bamboo is optimally positioned at the future planting site, the excavation can be twice the size of the root ball. If you want to do your bamboo good, mix special bamboo fertilizer, seasoned cattle manure or dried cattle dung into the excavated soil. Insert the root ball so deeply into the prepared planting hole that the upper root layer is flush with the surrounding soil. Then fill with soil or plant substrate, press lightly and create a watering edge.
Water the bamboo well after planting. This slurrying avoids air holes so that all roots have contact with the soil. So that the roots can develop undisturbed in the first two years, the excavation area must be appropriately large. Also make sure that during heavy rain the water can escape to all sides and that no waterlogging occurs. Otherwise the important fine roots will rot and die.
What planting distance should you plan for a bamboo hedge?
Depending on the height of the plants, the following distances are recommended.
- Plants under one meter maximum 70 cm
- Plants from 40 to 70 cm high approx. 25 cm to 30 cm
- Plants over two meters require a meter of space
If you need opaque privacy protection immediately, you can plant two plants per meter with a height of two meters as a bamboo hedge.
Which soil is suitable for bamboo plants?
Bamboo plants feel comfortable in loose, sandy-loamy to humus-rich soil. The soil should be well drained and have a crumbly structure. Never plant bamboo in wet, loamy soil. Heavy, loamy sites can be improved by adding compost, peat, potting soil or special bamboo soil.
What additional things should you consider when planting bamboo?
Bamboo roots need some time to spread from the ball and anchor themselves in the ground. They must not dry out. That's why it's important to provide the bamboo with enough water after planting and to water it regularly.
Tips & Tricks
Avoid bark mulch around the bamboo plant. When the bark mulch decomposes, the microorganisms consume nitrogen, which the bamboo urgently needs for he althy growth. It is therefore better to avoid bark mulch or add nitrogen through fertilizer.
