Bamboo 101
Grow with confidence.
A few essential decisions make bamboo easier to grow—and much more enjoyable for years to come.
Running vs. clumping: which is right for you?
This is the most important choice for any bamboo grower. The varieties currently offered by Bambuiplants are running bamboos (Phyllostachys), prized for forming dense screens and impressive groves quickly.
| Running bamboo | Clumping bamboo | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fast privacy screens, open areas, groves, timber | Small gardens, containers, tidy specimen plantings |
| Roots | Rhizomes travel outward underground | Rhizomes stay close to the central clump |
| Containment | Use a root barrier where spread must be controlled | Usually no root barrier required |
Running bamboo rewards good planning. In a suburban garden, install a high-density plastic root barrier about 24–30 inches deep, or choose an appropriately large contained area. If you want a plant that stays in one tight spot, clumping bamboo is usually the better fit.
Growing bamboo in pots
Containers are a good way to create movable privacy, enjoy bamboo on a patio, or control a running variety. Choose a broad, durable pot with generous drainage and at least 15–20 gallons of volume to start. Use a quality potting mix, water more often in hot weather, and plan to divide or repot a root-bound plant every few years.
Why isn’t my bamboo sprouting?
New rhizomes invest energy below ground before they show impressive top growth. The familiar pattern is “sleep, creep, leap”: root development in year one, modest expansion in year two, and stronger shoots after the plant has established. Keep the soil evenly moist, mulch well, and give the plant adequate sunlight.