Select the position for your bamboo carefully. Most bamboos are reasonably well behaved like the clump
forming non-invasive mountain bamboos of the genus Fargesia, Borinda, and Thamnocalamus. The majority of running bamboo here
in the northwest have a tendency to spread slowly but there are exceptions! All bamboo prefer good free draining garden soil
high in acidity which is what we have on the west side of the Cascades. You should amend the soil around the planting area
and use a good garden mulch after planting to keep soil temperature even at the base of the clump. Most running timber bamboo
prefer full sun in Portland. The mountain bamboos actually prefer partial shade but most will tolerate full sun here in the
northwest.
The final height of your bamboo is probably
the most important factor you will need to consider, as well as the amount of sun the planting area will receive. Since maximum height is a product of perfect environmental growing conditions, plan on buying a plant that is rated
substantially higher in height then you actually want. It is much easier to trim back the top of canes then to be disappointed
a few years down the road with a bamboo that is not tall enough.
Some bamboo, as you will doubtless know already, are rather rampant spreaders and will often need plenty of space
or containing to prevent them from spreading too far. Mostly these are of the genus Phyllostachys, the most common running
bamboo and Pleioblastus, the dwarf bamboos. Containing can be done by planting into a large pot, although this means extra
watering and feeding, or by sinking barriers made from 60 mil HDPE plastic to a depth of approximately 30” inches all
around the plant. You can also rhizome prune around the grove area with a sharp spade in late fall or early winter which is
what we do. Usually a combination of control methods is required to keep running bamboo in check.
The clumping non-invasive bamboos require no rhizome maintenance at all since
they spread only a few inches each season in a controlled circular manner.