Dig a large hole, twice the depth and spread of the root ball of the plant; this will give the bamboo
open ground in which to establish itself over the first few years. Dig in plenty of organic matter, (we use mushroom compost
or well-rotted manure) particularly if your ground is sandy or poor in nutrients. Plant the bamboo so that the root ball is
buried maybe an inch under the surface as this will provide stability and help retain water. Bamboo will survive almost anywhere,
but will do exceptionally well if given regular doses of fertilizer and water.
Here in our garden we do not advocate the use of artificial man-made fertilizers
and summer irrigation for established plantings. I believe the plant should find its own way and adjust naturally to the existing
growing conditions. In my opinion you will have a much stronger plant as a result. The bamboo will be able to resist stress
much better (drought, pests and the enemy east wind) without you having to coddle it. That is only my personal opinion.
With that being said, water your bamboo well
through at least the first dry summer season until the plant is well established. Too much water and all the leaves will start
to yellow, not enough water and the leaves will curl length wise. Sometimes depending on the species it's normal for the
leaves to curl length wise when exposed to full sun. Do not worry, the leaves will re-open when shade returns. It’s
imperative that during that first summer you do not let the plant completely dry out. Forgetting to water a new planting even
once could set back your bamboo a season or two, or even kill it. In our northwest climate, bamboo is very drought tolerant
and typically won't need additional irrigation after establishment. For the enthusiast, the bottom line is, if you want
the largest and most robust bamboo for the planting site location, you'll need to water and fertilize on a regular basis.
Feed your bamboo in the spring (a month or two before the plant shoots up new culms is a good time to start) , mid-summer
and early autumn. Use a high nitrogen grass fertilizer (27-5-5) that does not contain any weed killer. The alternative, easier
method, and natural way to fertilize is to apply a 2" to 4" layer of mulch in late fall with composted steer manure
so the winter rains can wash in all the organic nutrients. Personally I have seen no difference in results between composted
steer manure and chemical fertilizer. Your bamboo will love the organic manure and the environment will thank you!
Running bamboo such as Phyllostachys and Semiarundinaria
species have more open groves with strong outstanding culms. Every two to three years remove the smaller and weaker canes.
This leaves the larger more upright culms to show off their best and allows more light into the center of the grove. With
Fargesia, Borinda and other clump forming bamboos this is usually not necessary but some moderate thinning will not be harmful.
As bamboo sheds its leaves throughout the year, they should be left on the ground around the plant to act as a natural mulch.
As they decompose they also put back essential nutrients the plant needs to perform its best.