Transplanting Clumping Bamboo

Divide the roots in early spring before new growth begins so the divisions can establish during the warm summer season.

1. Push the blade of your shovel into the soil and cut a trench around the perimeter of the bamboo clump.
2. Slide the shovel beneath the roots and lift the clump out of the ground.

When can you split clumping bamboo?

Lifting and Dividing Bamboo Clumps The best time to lift and divide clumps is mid-spring, before the growing season. In order to hydrate the plant and reduce the risk of transplant shock, water your bamboo thoroughly the night before you divide.

How deep are clumping bamboo roots?

How deep do the roots go? Bamboo roots are thin and fibrous (think big grass roots) and can go down 2-3 feet. The rhizomes, which is the part that actually spreads, usually stay fairly shallow, less than 12 inches. This makes them easy to locate and prune if done on an annual basis.

Can you transplant established bamboo?

Transplant bamboo only before new shoots are growing or after growth has ended, preferably in early spring or late fall. Then, dig up the plant's large rhizome (root ball) area. By digging up a large clump of roots, you will ensure success when they are replanted.

Is clumping bamboo easy to remove?

Clumping bamboo does not contain rhizomes, so it's easier to remove from the soil.

Does clumping bamboo still spread?

CLUMPING BAMBOO. Clumping bamboos have a very short root structure, are genetically incapable of expanding more than few inches a year, and will generally form discrete circular clumps. The clumps slowly enlarge as new culms emerge every year, but may ultimately need to expand to anywhere from a 3 to 10 ft.

How do you divide and transplant clumping bamboo?

Propagating Bamboo Plants Push your sharpened, sterilized shovel blade straight down to cut the rhizome and sever it from the clump. Carefully dig up the rhizome and immediately replant it at the same level in its new location, or wrap it in plastic and keep moist while transporting it to its new home.

Can you cut back clumping bamboo?

Clumping bamboo can be pruned to maintain upright growth, or thinned to maintain an airy appearance. If the plant gets too wide, just use a sharp pair of bypass hand pruners to cut some of the outer culms back to ground level.

Can you cut bamboo in half and replant?

If you already have a bamboo plant in a pot or in the landscape, it's simple to propagate by cutting sections of the stem and replanting them, a method called culm-segment cutting. The sections of bamboo develop new roots creating a clone of the parent plant.

Should you thin out clumping bamboo?

A special note about clumping type bamboos: Most clumpers can become extremely dense, and thinning not only improves their appearance, but makes it possible to reach and maintain the inside of a clump over time.

How long does clumping bamboo live?

With most types of bamboo, the culms will live for about 5 to 10 years before they lose their virility and begin to dry out. At this point, they stop putting out fresh leaves and also lose some of their color. Dead poles should be cut back as close to the ground as possible.

Does clumping bamboo need a lot of water?

Bamboo typically likes a medium amount of water - not too dry and definitely not wet feet. After the bamboo is established (6 months - 1.5 years depending on what size plant you start with) it can typically take care of itself and doesn't need to be watered.

Can you dig up and repot bamboo?

As with any plant, bamboos grown in containers eventually become pot bound and need to be lifted, divided and repotted. You'll need to do this every 2 to 5 years in spring, before the main growing season.

Can I transplant bamboo in summer?

An outside growing potted bamboo that is root bound can be divided, but this should be done in the winter during cooler weather so as to avoid damaging or killing the root ball.

Can I transplant bamboo into soil?

There are two ways of doing this: you can transplant the original plant into soil or you can start a new plant from cuttings. Do be forewarned that a lucky bamboo sometimes reacts badly at first when it's transplanted into potting soil: yours may lose several more leaves.

Is clumping bamboo a problem?

Even clumping bamboos, although preferable to running varieties, can become invasive if left unchecked for a number of years. All bamboo should be planted in containers with root barriers designed to contain bamboo, to ensure they cannot spread.

Does clumping bamboo have shallow roots?

Clumping bamboo have very tight, shallow and non-invasive rootballs so they are quite safe to plant near fences, pipes or pools. As bamboo are in the 'grass family', bamboo roots do not expand like tree roots do.

How tall should clumping bamboo be?

Clump-Forming Bamboo - Clump forming bamboos usually grow to less than 5 metres (15 feet) tall because of their small, delicate culms. They will grow equally as wide over time if left to their own devices.

Does clumping bamboo attract snakes?

Snakes don't like bamboo! Snakes are known to like warm, silent places to sleep in. Bamboo mulch is too loud for them to slither through, too cold (due to the air purification) and often the stems are too slippery to climb! They much prefer the bark of tree branches or a nice sunny rock.

Does clumping bamboo attract rats?

Both clumping (Bambusa spp.) and running (Phyllostachys spp.) species must be planted with care since bamboo is known to attract rats, providing both a nesting place and desirable food source. Running bamboo varieties are known to spread, as well, and are considered invasive in some areas.