You can grow your giant bamboo yourself, but you have to be very patient. It will take some time, or more precisely years, before your home-grown plants can rightly be called giant.
How do I grow giant bamboo myself?
To grow giant bamboo yourself, place seeds in warm water for 24 hours, sow them on potting soil or coconut substrate without covering and keep the seeds moist at 25 °C. Seedlings appear after 10 to 20 days and take 2 to 3 years to be considered a giant bamboo.
How to sow giant bamboo
It's best to buy your seeds from a specialist store, not from just any dealer. Here you have the greatest chance of getting fresh seeds. The older they get, the worse their ability to germinate. Soak the giant bamboo seeds in warm water for about 24 hours. Then sprinkle them into a pot with potting soil or coconut substrate.
Since the giant bamboo is a light germinator, the seeds are not covered with substrate or soil. Moisten the seeds well and place the seed pot in a warm and bright place. The germination temperature is around 25 °C. We therefore recommend growing in a mini greenhouse (€239.00 on Amazon) or under foil that you stretch over the pot.
Prick a few small holes in the film to prevent seeds and soil from getting moldy and always keep the seeds evenly moist, but not wet. The seedlings should appear after about 10 to 20 days. Feel free to sow more giant bamboo than you will probably need, because not every seed actually germinates.
How to care for your young giant bamboo
It can take two to three years until a giant bamboo worthy of the name grows from your seeds. During this time the young plants are still quite sensitive to frost. They should be kept indoors for the first year and spend at least the second winter indoors, possibly in a cold house. Later, the giant bamboo is hardy down to around -15 °C.
The most important things in brief:
- Soak seeds in warm water for approx. 24 hours
- Light germinator, do not cover with soil
- Keep sowing evenly moist
- Germination temperature: approx. 25 °C
- Germination time: about 10 to 20 days
- Young plants are sensitive to frost
- With increasing age, giant bamboo is frost hardy down to -15 °C
Tip
Only get involved in sowing giant bamboo if you have the necessary patience, otherwise you would be better off planting a container plant.
