Lucky bamboo is a popular houseplant that is known for its ability to thrive in a variety of conditions. However, even with proper care, lucky bamboo plants can sometimes experience yellowing leaves and curling.
In this article, we will discuss some tips and tricks for reviving lucky bamboo plants that have yellowing and curling leaves.
Over-watering
One of the most common causes of yellowing and curling leaves in lucky bamboo plants is over-watering. When the soil is too wet, the roots of the plant can become waterlogged, which can lead to root rot.
To fix this issue, it is important to make sure that the soil is allowed to dry out slightly between watering. You can stick your finger into the soil to check the moisture level, or use a moisture meter.
If the soil is too wet, you should hold off on watering for a day or two, and then only water the plant when the soil is dry to the touch.
Under-watering
Under-watering can also cause yellowing and curling leaves in lucky bamboo plants. When the soil is too dry, the plant can become stressed, which can cause the leaves to turn yellow.
To fix this issue, you should make sure that you are watering your plant regularly, and that the soil is always moist.
You can use a moisture meter to check the soil moisture level, or stick your finger into the soil to check the moisture level. If the soil is dry, you should water the plant immediately.
Exposure to too much sunlight
Another common cause of yellowing and curling leaves in lucky bamboo plants is exposure to too much sunlight. Lucky bamboo plants prefer indirect sunlight, and too much direct sunlight can cause the leaves to turn yellow.
To fix this issue, you should move your plant to a location with more indirect sunlight.
This can be done by placing the plant in a location with filtered sunlight, such as near a window that is shaded by curtains or blinds.
Thriving Lucky Bamboo
Reviving lucky bamboo plants with yellowing and curling leaves can be done by addressing the underlying causes, such as over-watering, under-watering, and exposure to too much sunlight.
Keep an eye on the plant for any signs of pests, diseases or lack of nutrition and take appropriate actions.
Regular watering, fertilizing and providing the right amount of sunlight will also help prevent it from happening in the future. With proper care and attention, your lucky bamboo plant can thrive and bring good luck to your home.
Organic fertilizers help to keep the soil soft and feed the plants at the same time. They are best for bamboo plants.
They love the slow-release fertilizers, yet these plants will also benefit from the soluble quick-release fertilizers in spring when the new shoots are starting to come out.
5 organic fertilizers for bamboo plants
Here are some lawn fertilizers and multipurpose plant food with high nitrogen content that are great for reviving bamboo plants. Click on the links to check out the products.
Slow-release fertilizer high in nitrogen
Miracle-Gro All Purpose(NPK 17-9-11) - A slow-release fertilizer suitable for garden plants and ornamental plants such as bamboo. Apply in spring and it will last till the next spring.
Chempak Yearlong Fertilizer (15-6-2) - Apply this high nitrogen fertilizer once a year. Ideal for all trees, shrubs and evergreen plants like bamboo plants.
Soluble (quick-release fertilizers) high in nitrogen
Miracle-Gro EverGreen (NPK 22-5-5) - ensure a steady supply of this fertilizer throughout the growing season, especially just before and after the new shoots have come out.
Sportsmaster WSF Spring Summer(28-5-19) - An ideal fertilizer for pastures, contains a high nitrogen content which produces a fast initial effect.
How to identify a fertilizer for bamboo plants?
There are many fertilizers on the market today, but a good lawn or multipurpose garden fertilizer with high nitrogen content is a great option for bamboo plants.
Top tip: The nutrients in fertilizers are given in the ratio of Nitrogen (N) to Phosphorus (P) to Potassium (K), hence they are often called NPK fertilizers.
This makes it easy to identify the fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and can be seen clearly from the 4 fertilizers listed above.
Add organic compost, manure and mulch
Some popular choices for fertilising bamboo plants are natural compost, manure and organic mulch.
Add a good amount of compost or mulch early in spring just before the new shoots come out, or at the end of autumn to protect the new plants from winter's cold.
Check out this peat-free compost, ideal for strong root growth in your bamboo plants.
Video: The video below shows how a little bit of mulch can make the bamboo plants happy.
When to give bamboo plants some fertilizers?
You can use a fast-release liquid fertilizer when the bamboo shoots start developing in spring (March-April).
Also, slow-release fertilizer will do as well, but you should apply it earlier in February-March if you expect warm weather leading into spring and summer.
The best way to remove bamboo from the yard is to dig out the entire bamboo plant or the parts to be removed.
Bamboo stems are joined to the rhizomes that grow just below the topsoil. By uprooting the rhizomes, you can contain bamboo from spreading.
Note that although the bamboo roots are not deep in the soil, the intricate network of roots and rhizomes is often difficult to deal with using hand tools.
Step 1: Cut down the culms (stems), remove the branches and store the bamboo canes for future use.
Step 2: The rhizomes grow on the top layer of the soil, so dig down, along with or around the bamboo plant. Cut all the rhizomes and pull them out.
Step 3: You will also have to remove the whole bamboo buds and clumped base. Put a pickaxe through the base of the bamboo and remove them one by one. Use a pair of secateurs or garden loppers to cut the rhizomes into smaller pieces.
Step 4: Remove any soil around the bamboo roots and base of the parent plant. Keep the cutting in direct sun or pour boiling water on them to stop the cutting from growing again.
Select and cut the bamboo stems (culms), you want to remove, close to the ground. The tools that you choose to use for cutting the culms depend on their sizes.
For the smaller clump-forming and running bamboos, you will require a pair of secateurs or garden loppers. The big bamboo plants will require an electric saw or hand saw to remove and cut the thick culms.
Cut the bamboo stems horizontally (neatly across), close to the node as possible so that you have a nice and neat space to work.
Do not cut the stem across the note to avoid any pointy ends sticking out.
Collect the use bamboo sticks in the garden.
Tip #2: Dig bamboo roots and rhizomes
If you want to completely kill the bamboo, you must remove all the rhizomes.
Start by digging 20 – 30cm around the bamboo plant to expose the root hairs and rhizomes. (The best tool for this job is the pickaxe). Cut any rhizomes that you see and remove the soil as you dig.
Carefully store the rhizomes cuttings in a large pot or bin for a few weeks before discarding them from your property.
Tip #3: Remove bamboo rhizomes
Bamboo roots do not grow deep into the soil. As a grass variety, the roots and horizontal stems (also called rhizomes) are often found at the top 20 – 30cm of the topsoil.
That does not mean it is easy to remove bamboo roots from your yard.
The root hairs and intertwined rhizomes network under the soil require a lot of digging, cutting, pulling and removing.
Tip #4: Prepare work area
Before starting, inspect the bamboo to understand how much work you can do in one hour and how long it will take to complete it.
Removing bamboo roots is painstaking work if you are doing it yourself, so prepare well for the job.
The right tools and preparations are important for getting the job done.
Prepare the cuttings collection bins, tools and gloves and anything you may need.
All in all, remove the bamboo stems, branches and leaves. Then, dip up the rhizomes, cut them into smaller bits, and leave them to dry before binning them.
Want to know the best way to make tomato plants produce more fruit? There is no hidden secret but to encourage the plant to produce more flowers - the more flowers, the more tomato fruit.
This video shows how we build a bamboo frame for the tomato plants and encourage more flowers.
How to make tomato plants produce more fruit?
Many factors affectthe growth and fruiting of tomato plants. The common factors include soil, temperature, water and weather.
Come factor we can control, others are natural and we are dependent on them to give us good harvests.
As far as the much-loved tomato plants are concerned, growers need to provide the best condition for the to give more fruit. And, leave the rest to nature to do its bit.
You can prune tomato plants to produce more fruit.
Remove the early leaves to channel the energy into the main plant to produce more flowers and more fruit.
Also, remove the tips so that the tomato plant does not grow too tall, or too short.
Yet, for tomato plants to produce more fruit they must have lots of flowers. And the flowers must be successfully pollinated, either manually or by bees.
How tall can you let tomato plants grow?
But, how can you get the balance between pruning and the height of the tomato plant so that they produce lots of fruit in summer?
It is important to gardeners that more flowers means more fruit.
Tomato plants flower at different stages. That means that they fruit at different stages, too.
So, if you want more fruit, you'll have to let the tomato flower at 3 or 4 different stages which means that you'll have tall plants that need support.
Build a strong bamboo frame using bamboo sticks to support the tall tomato plants. [SEE VIDEOS]
So, grow your tomato plants early in summer in nutrient-rich soil, grow bags and pots.
Before buying a bamboo plant, check out the features because they will help you to select the bamboo that meets your expectation.
The 5 tips below will guide you to select the right Bamboo Fargesia Murielae.
Size of your pot/container.
Height of your hedge or screen.
How far does the bamboo spread?
How cold does it get in Winter (see hardiness)?
Space or area where you want to plant the bamboo.
Grow Bamboo Fargesia murielae Lava
Fargesia murielae Lava is similar to Fargesia murielae Simba, however, it is smaller, compact and miniature in appearance. Simba is taller by 2 - 3 m than its small cousins.
Fargesia varieties, and especially the murielae bamboos, are less demanding compared to the other Fargesia Robusta group of bamboo plants.
The small clump-forming bamboo plants like the Fargesia murielae Lava are best for small and contained spaces
They are brilliant for creating Tropical effects with their broad and elongated leaves and dense foliage.
Lava can grow at a rate of 0.3 to 1.0 metres in a year in the UK. This small bamboo is tough and tolerant of pests and natural threats like wind or snow.
On average, this fast-growing miniature bamboo can reach its full height (of ~2m) in 3 - 5 years.
After that, it will remain evergreen for an estimated 10 – 20 years under the right growing conditions and care.
Uses of Bamboo Fargesia murielae Lava
This clump-forming non-invasive (small) bamboo is the best choice for small hedges and screens. Fargesia murielae Lava thrives as pot plants and indoor container plants.
Bamboo Lava adapts well to confined spaces. One reason why it makes a good container plant is its compact ‘Umbrella’ effect. Stunning in Summer.
Another reason for this non-invasive Umbrella Bamboo is the eye-catching contrasting colours.
In fact, the broad dark green leaves and arching branches and slender yellow-green culms make it the best choice for small bamboo.
To avoid the natural threats to your bamboo plants, do these:
Apply Slug and Snail Killer around your new bamboo.
Tie the culms to poles/stakes
Add organic mulch.
Generally, the bamboo plants thrive in well-aerated loam, or sand and loose clay soil but the older plants will require fertiliser and moisture, at least, once in Spring.
Check to see if they are putting out new shoots, or whether the leaves and soil are in good condition.
This clump-forming bamboo loves moist soil, but not waterlogged soil. Something to avoid if you are growing a new bamboo plant.
Propagate Fargesia murielae Lava
There are three ways to propagate bamboo plants from the seeds, or by culm and rhizome cuttings, or culm separation.
Some bamboo growers have successfully used the conventional ‘Layering’ as the fourth way to propagate large bamboos.
However, propagating bamboos from the cuttings and by separation is, by far, the two popular ways many gardeners use in the UK.
We give a detailed insight into different methods of propagating bamboo plants in this video.
Fargesia murielae Lava Small Umbrella Bamboo
Fargesia murielae Lava is an Umbrella Bamboo that stands out from the other small Umbrella Bamboo we feature in Garden Bamboo Plants (GBP).
Identifiably, Bamboo Lava’s best features are its yellow-green small stems, compact foliage and low and low hanging branches.
If you want to give a small compact space (or undergrowth or front hedge) a serene tropical look, this small bamboo will do the job.
Many experiences have indicated that digging up clump-forming bamboo or running bamboo is a tedious task. Yet, using the best bamboo digging tools is the key to making a heavy job lighter.
The bamboo that grows among trees and new concrete structures can be even harder to dig out.
Find the 5 best tools for removing bamboo roots and rhizomes.
5 bamboo digging tools – recommended
The running bamboo rhizomes and clumping bamboo clump-base are found at the top layer of the soil, it will require a lot of digging, cutting and pulling.
Pickaxe (or mattock) – For digging and breaking into the rhizomes (of the running bamboos) and clumps (of the clump-forming bamboos).
Wrecking bar (or crowbar) – access the rhizomes and break up the solid clumps.
Garden Rake – clear the working area off loose soils and leaves.
Pair of Secateurs - cut the root hairs, small culms and rhizomes.
Pair of Garden Loppers (or hand saw)– cut the bulky clumps and rhizomes.
Correct tool key to a light job
'Lever' is key when removing bamboo
The correct tools make the job easier. If you are planning to dig and remove bamboo plants, you will need all the 5 had tools listed above.
Running Bamboo Plants:
The rhizomes of the Running Bamboo Plants run horizontally away from the parent plant and also intertwine with other rhizomes, plant roots and anything in their way.
A long-handled tool with a pointed tip gives you access and provides the lever you need to remove the bamboo deep underground.
Clump-forming Bamboo Plants:
The clump-base of the clump-forming bamboo plants is often tightly packed together, tough and strong.
The best way to deal with it is to work your way through the clump base from one side and chip off bit by bit until you remove the bamboo.
Perhaps the most important point is to use a long-handled hand tool to give you the leverage you need to uproot the bamboo.
Although, the bamboos do NOT grow deep into the soil. It will require a lot of digging, cutting and pulling.
Dig up bamboo, slow and steady
The hardest part is removing the intertwined rhizomes of the runner bamboo or chipping away the tightly packed clump-base of the clump-forming bamboo.
It is going to be a slow and steady job. So, do not try to get them done in one go if you are working alone. In a case where you want a fast job, get help.
Where you Buy Bamboo Digging Tool:A better tool for digging tough and stubborn bamboo is one that gives you the best leverage.
Our running bamboo plants are in great shape providing the evergreen cover over many years. It is always a delight to see the new delicate bamboo shoots in Spring or the old plants dancing in the wind in Summer. Never a dull moment.
But, it is hard work to maintain them. Tedious. Here are some bamboo Grow & Care tips we shared earlier.
The correct tool is the pickaxe and garden loopers. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to remove or dig up their bamboo plants.
Tools for planting bamboo
Planting a new potted bamboo or growing one from the nursery also requires a good dig. The ground hole has to be deep enough to take the whole plant.
Many bamboo plants come in heavy-duty pots of various sizes, ranging from 10 L pots (26cm diameter top and 22cm depth) to 40 L pots (50cm diameter top and 35.5cm depth.)
Generally, dig an area about twice the Top Diameter and Depth of the pot. A good digging tool makes the job lighter.
If the soil is compacted and tough, you will need a pickaxe or crowbar. Ideally, a crowbar or spade that is narrow at the tip (such as the grafter and trench digger) will do the job.
Alternative bamboo digging and planting tools
The 5 tools mentioned in this article are all you need to dig and remove the bamboo.
To recap here are the 5 tools: Pickaxe (or mattock), Wrecking bar (or crowbar), Garden Rake, Pair of Secateurs and Pair of Garden Loppers (or hand saw).
There are two groups of bamboo – the running bamboo and clumping bamboo.
Bamboo plants can grow at an astonishing rate of 2 - 5cm in a day. In our experiment, we found out that the bamboo we monitored grow 1.43cm in Autumn.
The running bamboo plants grow horizontal underground stems (canes) called rhizomes. They are invasive.
When growing bamboo screens, always have in mind how you will maintain the plants when the need arises.
Garden bamboo privacy screen care insights
Here are three options for ensuring complete control over your garden hedging privacy screens so that the bamboo screens do not spread.
Build Raised-base: The raised base will help you to spot the rhizome tips and trim them before the tips creep into the small gaps in the pavement or the neighbour’s side.
Dig narrow trench 0.3m to 0.5m deep: The running bamboo rhizomes tend to grow on the top layer of the soil. As the name implies, the rhizomes are running horizontally, not deep into the soil. A narrow trench will help you to monitor the rhizomes and trim them as they grow out. The narrow trench acts as an open root barrier.
Plant the bamboo in large pots: If you are growing bamboo plants for balcony privacy screening, plant them in large pots or containers. This is the best way to contain the bamboo.
Bamboo privacy screen maintenance
Also, the rhizomes do not grow deep into the soil like other deciduous plants with taproots do. Though the plants are tough to deal with, the privacy screens are maintainable.
If the running and clumping bamboos are left unchecked, they will encroach on other spaces, so it is important to keep them in check.
These evergreen hardy plants need attention once or twice a year.
If you are growing a new bamboo plant or propagating them from seeds and cuttings, you will find this care guide useful. The guide provides handy tips for propagating bamboo successfully.
Grow bamboo in the right place
Always grow the running bamboo where you have control over them when they are growing.
As a rule of thumb, plant the bamboo at least a metre away from your neighbour’s boundary if there is no raised structure or root barrier.
This is an important space that will provide the access to the bamboo plants as they grow.
Here is an article about ‘how to control the running bamboo plants’ from invading the neighbour’s side. It also provides more information on planting hedging bamboo near patios, pavements and houses.
Related articles on Evergreen Outdoor Privacy Screen
Readers' note: This article is so long that we split it into several parts. Here are the related parts that you may also like to read:
This is an important question because after growing a bamboo plant, you’d be anticipating that lush evergreen screen. Right?
The video info gives clarity on how a bamboo plant grows from year to year. If you want to know how fast bamboo grows, check out this article.
But, bamboo plants like other plants will take time to grow to reach full height and maturity. This video shows first-year growth.
Under the right conditions, bamboo plants will provide that beautiful greenery within 3 years. The first growth will continue to mature for up to 5 years and, interestingly, remain evergreen for up to 20 years.
The new shoots will be taller than the previous growth until the bamboo grove reaches its maximum height.
Thereafter, the bamboo grove will remain evergreen for as long as it can.
As the bamboo matures, you will need to prune the old bamboo culms and rhizomes to promote new growth. Or transplant the ones that outgrow the pots.
Here are some guides to bamboo Care and Maintenance Tools that you will find useful if you have older bamboo plants in your garden.
Watch videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Related articles on Evergreen Outdoor Privacy Screen
Readers' note: This article is so long that we split it into several parts. Here are the related parts that you may also like to read:
Bamboo plants in pot and container planters are great for instant privacy screens. Besides, you do not have to worry about the bamboos’ invasiveness because the planters are barriers.
They also provide the benefit of moving them around to optimise on space available, perfect for small and narrow spaces.
There are more benefits to using the plants. However, growing bamboo in pot and container planters requires extra care and attention, unlike the garden hedging bamboo screens.
In this article, you will find out about how to:
choose the best bamboo for small outdoor spaces,
select the best planters to grow bamboo and
provide long-term care for the bamboo plants.
How to select the best pots and containers?
There are a lot of recommendations for larger and bigger bamboo planters, but these are not often the best recommendations for narrow outdoor areas like the deck, patio, balcony or porch.
Unless, of course, use a bigger planter if the outdoor area has enough space for a bigger plant.
When choosing a pot or container for growing bamboo, size, weight and stability matter!
That begs the question what is the best pot or container for planting bamboo plants?
The three-pointers will help you to identify the bamboo planter that suits you.
A strong and durable frost resistant pot or container planter will act as a root barrier and protect the plant against the cold. Avoid the thin plastic pots because they do not stand a chance against the bamboo rhizomes and clumps in compacted space.
Avoid growing bamboo in containers that have small openings and heavy tops. If you use these planters, it will be hard to remove the bamboo plants for repotting, or the tall plants will topple to the ground.
Perhaps the important point to consider when selecting a pot or container for growing bamboo is the space available on your porch, patio, deck or balcony. Most of these spaces are usually narrow.
Ideally, the narrow rectangular heavy-duty containers are best for this kind of space. For the corners, you may want to choose a heavy-duty square container planter.
Some DIY wooden and metal containers are great for other plants, but not ideal for bamboo plants.
Furthermore, the metals pots do not have good insulations as they either absorb or lose heat pretty quickly in Summer and Winter, respectively.
If you still wish to use DIY wooden containers to grow bamboo, the best thing to do is to use the treated timbers that can last longer than 5 years.
As for the metal containers, ensure that they are well insulated from heat and cold.
Above all, ensure that the pot and container planters for growing bamboo are strong and stable, are well insulated, and have good drainage.
Choose large pots or container planters
You can move the bamboo into a larger pot or container planters. It is going to be a tedious operation getting the bamboo out.
However, if you are using the square and rectangular container box, you’ll find it easier to uproot the plant and repot it while saving the old container box.
In a case where it is difficult to remove the plant from the container planter, you will have to decide whether to keep the plant or keep the planter box. That means that you will have to destroy one and save the other.
The best time for repotting a bamboo plant into the container planters is early Spring when the new growths are prominent.
Avoid environmental stress in confined areas
Like other potted plants, bamboos in pots require attention if they were to thrive in the confined space.
One of the main reasons why bamboo leaves turn yellow (more info here) is the lack of moisture and nutrient in the soil.
Undoubtedly, bamboo in pots and container boxes will grow well where there is good moisture and nutrient in the soil.
Many pot and container planter boxes have a hollow bottom where the water drains out pretty quickly.
Bamboo plants tend to lose more water through transpiration through the thin and slender leaves compared to other thick leaves plants.
Poor drainage and a high rate of transpiration are often the main reasons why the soil in pot planters becomes devoid of nutrients and moisture. This is the main cause of the yellowing of bamboo leaves and browning culms.
How to improve soil condition in pots?
There are two things you can do to improve the soil moisture and soil nutrients in pot and container planters.
Firstly, fill the base of the pot and container planters with pebbles, gravel or a porous pot filler to stop it from losing water.
Do not block the hole at the bottom of the planters completely because the bamboo plants dislike waterlogged containers.
In addition, leave a spacing of about 10cm to 15 cm at the top of the pot and container planters after you’ve planted the bamboo. This space is very important for mulching and fertilising the plants later.
Secondly, use nutrient-rich loam soil and or potting compost when potting bamboo plants into containers to give them the best start.
Here is the right mixture of clay to sand to silt to create an ideal loam for growing bamboo.
Alternatively, a 50/50 mix potting compost contains the right nutrient and moisture for new bamboo plants to thrive in the pots.
If you need more information on how to grow bamboo, check out the Instructional Guides from YouGarden.
How to stop tall bamboo in pots from falling down?
Ominously, the tall bamboo plants will sway in the wind and topple to the ground if the pots are unstable. When this happens, you are likely to have a damaged plant, or pot, or both.
To avoid bamboo in pots falling to the ground, choose a pot or container planter with good stability.
A regular occurrence is when the tall bamboo culms lean out of the bamboo cluster or grove. In this case, use the garden ropes to tie them back.
Protect potted bamboo roots and rhizomes from cold and frost
The bamboos in pots and container planters require insulation in Winter when the temperature falls to negative values.
Although the bamboo plants are tough and hardy, the roots and rhizomes are above ground level and are directly exposed to the weather, unlike the plants on the ground.
The bamboo plants in the planter pots are prone to frost, frozen soil and, even, the Winter’s chill.
The best way to protect the bamboo in the planters is to add mulch and cover the base of the pots with an insulating blanket, bubble wrap or special plant insulation fleece.
Do these when bamboo in pot and container planters grow big
The running and clumping bamboo plants will reach full growth in the pots and containers within 2 – 5 years. That is the period when the plants are at their peak.
They’ll display evergreen foliage, shiny culms and beautiful leaves – an ideal time to enjoy the beauty of your bamboo plants.
The plants will thrive for more than 5 to 10 years in large pot planters under the right conditions and care mentioned in this article.
To continue to enjoy them, there are a couple of things you can do to keep the plants in the pot longer.
How to maintain bamboo plants in pots and containers?
Bamboo plants are relatively hardy bamboo and can withstand air temperatures as low as – 20 degrees Celsius in normal growing conditions.
However, bamboo plants in pots and containers without the right insulations will struggle to survive at such very low temperatures.
So the first thing to do before planting them is to insulate the containers by using styrofoam which is light and great for extra insulation.
In addition, the new bamboo plants are prone to slugs damage. Add Slugs and Snail Killer to protect new shoots and rhizome tips.
Here are some general protection measures to apply when planting bamboo in pot and container planters;
Apply Slug and Snail Killer around your new bamboo.
Add organic mulch.
Tie the long culms to bamboo sticks or poles.
Add insulation inside the pot and containers.
Cover the pots and containers with additional insulation fleece or blanket when the temperature drops to negative degrees Celsius.
‘Thinning’ bamboo in pot and container planters
Remove the old unhealthy culms (canes) to give the new shoots a chance to reach full height. In fact, the new shoots will be stronger and taller than previous bamboos, so encourage new growth if you want taller and healthier plants.
After 5 – 10 years, you will have to carry out ‘thinning’. Remove the older bamboo culms and rhizomes from the pots and containers, and separate the culms into segments for repotting. This activity is best done in Spring.
At this juncture, we provided insight into how to select and grow the perfect bamboo plants in pots for the small outdoor space at home, the office or the rental place.
Growing bamboo in pots is the best way to stop them from spreading. It makes it easier to move them around and can be used as screens indoors and outdoors.
Despite the benefits, there are also limitations to growing bamboo in pots.
There are two groups of bamboo plants to grow in pot and container planters - the running bamboo and the clumping bamboo.
The former has horizontal stems called ‘rhizomes’ that can grow up to a metre away from the parent plant in just one growing season.
The latter forms a tight base around the parent bamboo, forming dense clusters of canes (culms) and tend to expand in time.
Growing bamboo in pots and containers is an effective way to stop the invasion and or expansion of the running and clumping bamboo plants.
They provide a formidable barrier, restricting the rhizomes from spreading.
Limitations of growing bamboo in pot and container planter boxes
Most bamboo plants are tolerant of pests and diseases and thrive in variable outdoor conditions.
This group of plants are, in fact, tough and hardy but are limited to the size and conditions present in the pot and container planters where they are growing.
Here are likely limitations for growing bamboo plants in pots, containers and planters.
Bamboo plants will succumb to environmental stress in containers.
Tall bamboo in pots will sway and fall in breezy conditions.
Bamboo roots and rhizomes are exposed to cold and heat above the ground.
Running and clumping bamboo will outgrow the planters in 2 – 5 years.
The plants will not grow to the maximum height and will not attain the maximum spread.
To grow bamboo in pot and container planters, you should create (and maintain) the best possible conditions for the plants in the confined space.
The pots contain soil and water. They are practically immovable.
You can move the smaller bamboo pots by using old cardboard boxes to slide them across the floor.
If you need help moving the heavier bamboo pot and container boxes, the Hand Truck will make the heavy work easier.
With some help, you can arrange (and rearrange) the bamboo pots and container boxes neatly to suit your design and liking.
In some cases, you may have to move the bamboo in pots to a site where there is enough sun. The bamboo varieties prefer sun to shade or part shade. By doing this, you can get the best out of your plant.
In other cases, your bamboo may not grow well in the planters. These bamboo plants will need to be removed.
In fact, growing bamboo in pot and container planters is a great way to provide privacy screening for a small space, home, office or rented place.
Bamboo plants are great shade plants. They are also undemanding, shade and drought tolerant. Some varieties are invasive whereas the others are non-invasive.
The new bamboo in pot and container planters will need the right amount of water and attention in Spring as the roots start to develop.
Pay extra attention when planting the bamboo cuttings in late Spring or early Summer as they will need water every other day to support the new growths.
Mulching is highly recommended at this stage too, as it will help to retain moisture in the soil or in the pots and containers.
For the older bamboo plants, you will have to add NPK fertilisers, fresh organic mulch and water to keep them happy.
The best way to check for moisture in the soil is to dig out a layer of soil to a depth of 5cm. It is an effective way to inspect the soil for moisture content.
The soil in the pots and containers should be nice and moist, not too dry or too wet.
If it gets too cold in Winter, move the plant into a sheltered area like the garage, patio or veranda to keep them warm and safe from the chill and wind.
Add more mulch or grass cutting to provide the added layer and heat.
Growing bamboo in pot and container planter boxes for privacy screening might seem like hard work, but frankly, it's not.
These stunning plants, like other privacy and hedging plants, will need just the right attention to thrive in contained spaces.
The bamboo plants require watering, feeding and mulching. They’ll also demand separation and repotting.
Generally, bamboo plants will thrive in container planters for 5 – 10 years. All the while, producing the evergreen foliage and providing natural privacy screens.
The common running and clumping bamboo plants in the UK will grow well in large planters. Many bamboo cultivators of both bamboo kinds are notable for their tolerance to small spaces.
In fact, bamboo plants are low demanding, hardy and drought resistant.
They are great plants to grow in pots, containers and plants indoors and outdoors.
The article puts into perspective why it is important to use the right pot plants and why you should follow each step above.
Re-potting black bamboo plants
The black bamboo plants will require to be moved into a bigger pot or into multiple pots. Either way, you will need additional help.
The plants that are grown in the pots with the small top and open bottom are going to be really hard to remove.
Therefore, it is important to choose a pot that has an open top, which is going to make your work easier when it comes to removing the plants from the pot for repotting.
To re-pot, firstly separate the plants into smaller segments (ideally 2 or 4 parts), then soak the segments in water and then plant them in pots or in the garden. Careful not to disturb any rooting and budding rhizomes.
This activity is best done in early Spring!
Select a site for growing black bamboo
When growing bamboo as a garden hedge or for screening an unsightly structure near the boundary, it is important to choose the site carefully.
There are three things you can do to stop the running black bamboo from invading other spaces.
Use root barriers
Build a raised structure
Plant the bamboo 1 to 2 metres away from the boundary, patio, pavement and building.
Grow black bamboo in the garden
Choose the site carefully.
Dig a hole twice the size of the diameter and depth of the pot holding the plant.
Soak the black bamboo in water before planting it.
Add nutrient-rich soil and compost.
Compact the soil into the ground.
Add mulch.
Water generously.
Fast-growing plants
The running bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and clumping bamboos (Black Pearl & Volcano) are fast-growing plants.
The new culms can grow up to 2cm per day or 60cm per month. The former is a tall arching plant, whereas the two clumping black bamboo plants will grow to 4m or less.
Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk
How to protect black bamboo?
Bamboo plants are hardy and tolerant of pests and diseases. However, the Black Bamboo plants will require sunlight, water and fertiliser to thrive in pots and poor soil.
The best time to prune, add fertilisers and mulch and re-pot/replant bamboo is in early Spring when the new growths are prominent.
Pruning and thinning bamboo plants are vital for the plants. As mentioned above, pruning can be done to either remove the old culms and rhizomes with the aim to promote new growths.
Whereas thinning is normally carried out to reduce the bamboo’s density and stop the rhizomes from spreading, basically removing the unwanted growths.
The bamboo canes are great sticks for staking tomatoes, plants and flowers in the garden. So, keep the bamboo sticks when you are pruning or thinning the black bamboo.
All in all, we hope that this article helps you to identify the common black bamboo plants that thrive in the UK and learn how to grow them in pots and containers, or in the garden.
Newly planted bamboo leaves sometimes turn yellow when you split the potted bamboo and grow them. The main cause of the yellowing of leaves is stress.
If you see that the leaves will turn yellow, or nothing happens, in the first 2 weeks, there is a need to worry.
It will take time, at least 4 to 8 weeks, to see signs of growth.
So, keep watering the plants and check that the soil is not too dry or too wet. (See the video of the bamboo plants we grow from culm cuttings)
If you see no activity after 8 weeks, try these options:
Leave them for a further 2 weeks (By then, the new bamboo plants will have been in the ground for 10 weeks – Spring to Summer).
Dig the plants out and inspect the whole bamboo. (This is the last thing to do- but do not be surprised to see fresh rhizomes or a new shoot popping its ‘head’ out)
Just leave the bamboo in the soil over Autumn and Winter. (Bamboo plants remain inactive on the top, but there will be a lot of activities underneath the soil. Leave the newly planted bamboo plants to rest and check on them the following year).
Time it takes for bamboo to grow
The video shows the time it takes for a new bamboo plant to grow from culm cutting.
Bamboo will require care and maintenance to grow well. In this article, we take a look at how you can take care of your bamboo plants, and when to attend to them.
Thinning is important because sunlight will reach the inner part of a bamboo plant and promotes growth.
The young plant will do well when it does not have to compete with the older, more established plants in the stock.
The best time for thinning bamboo is early Spring, just before any new shoots from the previous year establish themselves.
It is important to note that thinning bamboo is likely to cause distress to the whole plant.
To avoid any significant damage to the plant, cover it with access soil, and add mulch and water.
Add mulch
Bamboo plants will grow thick and fast where there is well-drained soil with good moisture.
It is also good to way add warmth and protect the bamboo from frost and frozen soil in Winter.
Mulching is important for the soil to retain moisture in Summer, promote new bamboo growth and preserve the plant from Winter’s cold.
It also gives your garden a neat appearance.
The best mulch to use is bamboo leaves. They contain silica which is high in nitrogen and nutrients plants need. So rake the bamboo leaves and put them back onto the plant.
Other options are grass cuttings, tree barks, dead leaves and small twigs.
You can add organic mulch as and when your bamboo needs it, but the ideal time for mulching is early in Spring or late in Autumn.
Maintain bamboo plants
Bamboo is a tough plant, however, there are two ways to protect the new shoots.
Slug attacks
Firstly, the new plants are prone to slug attacks.
In fact, slugs love the new bamboo leaves and shoots. They can devour the plants in one visit, this happened to one of our new bamboos.
If you see any new growth, add Slug and Snail pellets to protect them.
Staking new shoots
Secondly, the tall bamboo and new shoots will require staking.
This stem support encourages the shoots to grow upright and protect them from the wind.
Staking the plants is important if you grow bamboo in pots or as windbreaks.
You can use bamboo sticks and garden rope to tie bamboo as they grow.
The ideal time to stake your bamboo is when the new growths are coming out. They will need this support.
Taking care of bamboo plants outdoors
If you are planning to build root barriers or thin out the bamboo rhizomes and culms, do it in early Spring.
After attending to your bamboo, always add the access soil and mulch to the base of the bamboo plants, and tidy up the base of the bamboo before Summer to stimulate new growths.
Here are helpful tips for taking care of (and growing) bamboo plants.
Care is an important element of growing plants in the garden. Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plant (also known as the Fish-pole Golden Yellow Bamboo) will require care and maintenance as they grow.
We created a list of some top UK bamboo sellers online. Check them out on our website.
Care for Phyllostachys aurea
The running bamboos are resilient plants. They tend to thrive in the UK and are commonly used as privacy screens and for garden hedging.
However, these bamboos will require care and maintenance as they grow. Use the two tips below to help your plants grow unobstructed!
Firstly, add Slug and Snail pellets to protect them when your bamboos put out new growths.
Secondly, tall culms and new tender shoots will require staking.
Protect new bamboo shoots
We have seen slugs devouring the new plants in one visit.
So, apply the Snail and Slug pellets to stop the slugs from damaging the new growths.
Tie new shoots upright
The support you provide will encourage the tall plants to grow upright and protect the new tender culms from the wind.
If you grow the Phyllostachys aurea bamboos in pots, they will require some support. Staking them is one option.
Another option is to tie the culms into a tight grove, providing a neat and upright hedge or screen.
The ideal time to care for your bamboo is when the new growths are coming out early in Spring to Summer.
If you have problems dealing with bamboo in the garden or in containers, here is a detailed guide that will help you to deal with the common bamboo problems.
Buy Phyllosyachys Aurea
If you are wondering where to to buy Phyllosyachys Aurea, check out the list of UK retailers.
You can buy the plants online on at any of these sellers near you.
Root barriers, essential for maintaining Phyllosyachys aurea
The root barrier is essential for containing the rhizomes of invasive plants like the Phyllostachys aurea.
They are running bamboos, top above the invasive varieties.
In fact, they will require some sort of barrier, either as raised beds, pots and containers or a trench.
Create a root barrier before planting running bamboo, unless you are growing them in a contained space.
If your bamboo does not have a root barrier, here are some places where you can get one. The plastic root barriers are formidable – strong enough to stop rhizomes from spreading.
Know more about Phyllostachys aurea bamboo
The Fish-pole Golden Yellow Bamboo is one of my favourite bamboo plants.
When you know this bamboo plant personally, you'll understand why it is popular among many bamboo growers in the UK.
Phyllostachys nigra 'Megurochiku' bamboo has olive-green stems with a black stripe through the sulcus.
The new stems appear green, however, the stripes are predominant in the sun as the stems get older.
You'll have to look carefully to differentiate 'Megurochiku' from ‘Boryana’. 'Megurochiku' has brown stripes and ‘Boryana’ has black stripes and spots.
As mentioned earlier, there are over 10 cultivars or varieties of the black bamboo plant, Phyllostachys nigra.
Many growers in the UK love the Phyllostachys nigra Black Bamboo and therefore is becoming very popular among bamboo growers.
Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk
Common black bamboo plants in the UK
There are 4 common black bamboo plants that grow in UK gardens. You can find most of them at the Kew's Japanese Bamboo Garden in London.
The common Back Bamboo Nigra can also be seen in many home gardens. It is easy to identify with its black stems.
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