Gardeners and hobby gardeners use different ways to grow bamboo plants. Each breeding method has its advantages and disadvantages. It is important to choose the right option according to your needs. Grow bamboo - different options at a glance:
- rhizome propagation
- propagation by division
- propagation by cuttings
- Propagation by seed
- meristem proliferation
Grow bamboo - make many out of 1
If you want to grow bamboo plants quickly, you have to propagate them by rhizomes or divide the root ball. These are the two most proven breeding methods for home gardeners. Both variants deliver fully fledged bamboo plants identical to the mother plant.
Whether rhizome propagation or division - start cultivating bamboo at the right time and with the ideal weather. Divide, propagate or transplant the bamboo either in March or in late summer. New stalks grow from April to June. The roots must not be disturbed.
A cloudy, damp day is recommended for professional sharing or narrowing down. Ideally after a rain shower when the soil is moist and loose.
Growing bamboo by rhizome propagation
Bamboo plants reproduce predominantly vegetatively by spreading the roots (rhizome). In this way, the starting material for new bamboo plants is obtained from separated, rooted rhizome pieces. To do this, partially dig up the bamboo or expose individual rhizomes and remove them from the bamboo. Proceed as follows:
- Remove soil from rhizomes
- Separate young bamboo shoots individually
- Let the cut dry for a day
Then simply keep the bamboo shoots slightly moist in the loose, sandy soil and let them drift. Also works in the pot. Important: do not use peat soil! This is too acidic.
Growing bamboo by division
You can propagate the garden bamboo (Fargesia) as a clump-forming type of bamboo by dividing the root ball. Water the root ball first. Then continue with the following steps:
- tie the plant together
- Divide the root ball several times with a sharp spade
- Immediately cover separated root pieces with moist potting soil
- then plant in the prepared location or in a planter
Propagating bamboo by cuttings
Only works on some tropical bamboo species when root buds are present in the axillary buds. Bamboos in temperate latitudes do not have this trait.
Growing bamboo from seed requires patience
Some types of bamboo bloom only every 80 to 120 years. The others form few germinable seeds after the bamboo has blossomed. The bred offspring often differ from the mother plant.
Bamboo from meristem cultivation
Plant tissue or meristem propagation is only possible in the laboratory.
tips and tricks
Be careful when buying bamboo! Many bamboo plants from meristem breeding do not develop in a species-typical way. Therefore only buy if the mother plant can be examined.