Bamboo is the largest licorice grass and the fastest growing plant on the planet. It is so green in the garden, on the balcony and terrace when bamboo plants grow and thrive. But what is the reason that some bamboo does not want to grow?

Bamboos aim high, but they don't grow like trees

A bamboo stalk shoots up to final height only during the growing season. Then there is a break. In contrast to trees, it has no comparable growth in length and thickness. Only in the next year will the new generation of straws overtake the height of the previous ones.

The rhizome growth decides whether a bamboo is one of the clump-forming or root-forming bamboo plants. Tropical varieties and Fargesia are among the clumps that do not form rhizomes. Therefore, the stalks grow close to the plant. A rhizome barrier is not required.

From spring to summer, bamboo tips emerge from the earth like asparagus tips. And like asparagus, the young sprouts are pricked. Bamboo tips are not only considered a delicacy in Asia, but also here. We like to eat tender fresh sprouts of Sasa Palmata Nebulosa or Fargesia murielae. They refine salads or side dishes.

You should consider this when buying bamboo

Anyone who buys bamboo and wants to plant it in the garden should remember that the legendary, rapid growth may be a long time coming in the first year. Because the bamboo primarily develops its roots and subterranean shoots (rhizomes).

With the right bamboo care, you can see the new culms growing the following year. These overtake the existing straws by 50 cm. A stalk always grows out of the ground to its final annual height in 4-6 weeks. After about 5 to 7 years, the bamboo has reached its final size. Even if new stalks form, they no longer get taller.

The situation is different with the real or rhizome-forming bamboos. Here the rhizomes spread underground up to 10 meters away from the mother plant. They branch out into new culms that explode very quickly.

Good care - good growth

The better you care for and fertilize your bamboo, the better it will grow. You can do this:

  • Cut young bamboo plants after three years at the earliest
  • Water with lime-free bamboo water or rainwater
  • fertilize and spray regularly
  • Soil pH should not be higher than 7.0

tips and tricks

Do not remove fallen healthy bamboo leaves. The leaves contain silicon, which the bamboo plant needs.

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Herbs