Grow Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream' Heavenly Bamboo Shrub

Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream', commonly known as the Heavenly Bamboo plant, barely grows to 1.5m tall and spreads 1m. 

The Nandina Gulf Stream is medium in height and spread when compared to the other nandina domestic cultivars. 

This nandina is a fantastic bushy plant with evergreen foliage, perfect for small winter gardens.

Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’ colouration

The new foliage is bright red. It greens up in summer, turns fiery red in autumn and winter, and changes to orange in spring. 

It produces white flowers in summer followed by fire-engine red berries in winter. 

The amazing changes in foliage colours are easy to know why this plant is very popular among gardeners. Buy Nandina Domestica ‘Gulf Stream’ > Heavenly Bamboo Plants for sale.

	Foliage	Flower	Berry
Spring	Orange – green		Fiery red
Summer	Green – red	White
Autumn	Fiery red
Winter	Red-orange		Fiery red

How to grow Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’?

The carefree Nandina shrub is perfect for small gardens and built areas. Nandina Gulf Stream is a medium-sized nandina at 1.5m tall and 1m wide. 

It’s adorable when mass planted or grown as an individual plant. It likes well-drained moist soil. It also prefers a tight-spaced area where there is plenty of sunlight. 

Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream' Heavenly Bamboo can tolerate part shade but avoid planting in full shade. For the best result, grow in a location where it receives 3 – 5 hours of sunlight daily.

Planting root-bound Nandina Gulf Stream

New nandina plant come root bound with roots sticking out the sides. 

Take care when removing them from the pots because any root damage can affect the new plant. After planting, water generously until the roots are well established. 

You can grow nandina shrubs at any time of the year, but the bests time is in spring when the growth is prominent.

Uses

Nandina shrubs are ideal evergreen plants for landscaping and design and for small gardens.

In particular, Nandina Gulf Stream comes alive when deciduous shrubs lose their leaves in autumn. It’s a perfect shrub for small autumn and winter gardens. 

  Key features

1. Versatile plants grow in full sun to part shade.
2. Evergreen shrub, grow for 15 to 20 years.
3. Seasonal changes in foliage colour.
4. Adapts to small and narrow spaces.
5. Is drought resistant and hardy.

Is Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' invasive?

Some species of Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo plants) are invasive. 

They tend to grow away from the parent plants. 

But, the recent nandina domestica cultivars, including Nandina ‘Gulf Stream’, are not invasive. They grow in concentrated clumps around the parent plant. 

It is important to check the plant's description when buying it because there are different cultivars of Nandina domestica. Not all of them spread.

Prune nandina domestica care

New shoots grow after pruning in spring. (Garden Bamboo Plants)

Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’ is undemanding, low maintenance, shrub. 

It is a slow-growing plant that rarely needs pruning. 

However, light trimming especially in spring may be required to promote new growth. Pruning may be required to keep it in shape. 

Remove any old plant that looks tired. Cut it completely off the bottom so that new plants can take over. You do not have to worry about the plant dying. 

It is a vigorous plant and will grow new shoots as soon as spring arrives. We give an in-depth insight into how to propagate, grow and care for Nandina Heavenly Bamboo shrubs in the linked article.

Why is Nandina domestica called heavenly bamboo?

Nandina domestica heavenly bamboo or sacred bamboo is a shrub from the Berberidaceae family, not a grass of the family Poaceae. 

In fact, the reason why it’s called heavenly bamboo is unclear. But, the leaves closely resemble bamboo leaves. 

Also, the upright habit, fountain foliage and clumped base look like clumping bamboo. Nandina domestica heavenly bamboo is not real bamboo. It’s a small shrub.

Conclusion

All in all, Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’ had stunning foliage, perfect for autumn and winter gardens. It is low maintenance, draught-resistant and hardy. A versatile plant for small gardens, landscaping and designs.

Grow Nandina Domestica ‘Obsessed’ Seika Heavenly Bamboo

Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’, also called Obsessed Seika, is a compact shrub. A fantastic foundation plant for small gardens and pots. 

Nandina obsessed is fairly small compared to the other Nandina domestica cultivars. It grows to a height of 0.7m and spreads 0.5m from the base.

Here is the common heavenly bamboo (the 'Gulf Stream').

Nandina Domestica ‘Obsessed’ Colours

The new leaves appear fiery red and turn green in the warmer months and back to red in the cooler months. This is one of the best things about the nandina domestica shrubs. 

In summer, clusters of bright white flowers appear atop clusters of emerald green leaves and woody brown stems. 

The flowers form bright red berries in autumn that remain throughout the winter and spring. (Read how to prepare the seeds and propagate them into new plants).

The amazing changes in foliage colours are easy to know why this plant is very popular among gardeners.

Season	Foliage	Flower	Berry
Spring	Fiery Red		Red
Summer	Green	White
Autumn	Fiery Red
Winter	Red		Red

How To Grow Nandina Domestica ‘Obsessed’?

Nandina Obsessed shrub is perfect for small gardens and pots. It’s adorable when mass planted in the garden or as an individual plant in pots. It likes well-drained moist soil. 

The Nandina Obsessed also prefers a tight-spaced area where there is plenty of light. 

They can tolerate part shade but avoid planting in full shade. For the best result, grow in a location where it receives 3 – 5 hours of sunlight daily. 

New nandina heavenly bamboo plants often come root bound in pots. Take care of the roots when transplanting. Any root damage can affect the new plant. 

After planting, water generously until the roots are well established.

Uses Of Nandina Domestica ‘Obsessed’

Like other Nandina domestica shrubs, this plant comes alive when deciduous shrubs lose their leaves in autumn. It’s a perfect shrub for small autumn and winter gardens. 

You can grow nandina shrubs at any time of the year, but the bests time is in spring when the growth is prominent. 

For best effects, grow them in clusters with the taller plants in the background and Nandina Obsessed in the front.

Key features of Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’.

Fire engine red berries in spring.

• Versatile plants grow in full sun to part shade.
• Evergreen shrub, grow for 15 to 20 years.
• Seasonal changes in foliage colour.
• Adapts to small and narrow spaces.
• Is drought resistant and hardy.

Botanical name	Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’
Common name/s	Nandina Obsessed, Heavenly Bamboo Obsessed,     Obsessed Seika
Family	Berberidaceae
Plant type	Evergreen shrub
Uses	Small gardens, pots, landscaping & design
Soil	Well-drained moist soil, loam
Exposure	Part shade to sun
Height & Width	70 cm tall, 60 cm spread
Propagate by	Root & stem cuttings, seeds
More information	5 types of Nandina domestica

Are Heavenly Bamboo Plants Invasive?

Some species of Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo plants) are fairly invasive. 

Nandina Obsessed tends to throw its roots away from the parent plants. 

Though it is not intrusive like the real running bamboo plants, it will spread. You can take the root cuttings and propagate new plants that way.

Prune Nandina Domestica

New shoots grow after pruning in spring. (Garden Bamboo Plants)

Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’ is a low-maintenance shrub. 

It’s slow-growing and rarely needs pruning. However, light trimming especially in spring may be required to promote new growth. 

Also, pruning may be required to keep it in shape. Remove any old plant that looks tired. 

We give an in-depth insight into how to propagate, grow and care for Nandina Heavenly Bamboo shrubs in the linked article. Find out what you need to know about these stunning plants.

Why Is Nandina Domestica Called Heavenly Bamboo?

The reason why it’s called heavenly bamboo is unclear. However, the leaves resemble bamboo leaves. 

Also, the upright habit, fountain foliage and clumped base look like those of the clumping bamboo plants. This is why the Nandina domestica shrubs are sometimes called heavenly bamboo plants. 

Nandina domestica heavenly bamboo is not real bamboo. It’s a small shrub.

Nandina Domestica ‘Obsessed’ Seika Heavenly Bamboo

All in all, Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’ is a compact shrub with stunning foliage and fiery red berries. Perfect for autumn and winter gardens, mass planting or landscaping. 

It is low maintenance, draught-resistant and hardy shrub.

How to build outdoor raised garden bed planter box

This article provides the steps for making a garden pallet planter box without using nails. You can re-use the materials you have in the garden for this project. 

The steps are easy to follow. What's more, use the video guide to build your own. 

DIY outdoor raised garden bed planter box

You can make a pallet planter box with some old pallet timbers, bamboo sticks and ropes. 

I build these types of boxes and use them successfully in small spaces. Hope this instruction gives you an idea about your planter box project.

Materials for garden planter box

• x12 pallet timbers or old weatherboards
• x8 treated posts (or 4-inch by 2-inch timbers)
• a packet of nails

Tools required

• handsaw
• hammer
• shovel
• road pin/crowbar
• claw bar

DIY Outdor Planter Box project

The idea is to use bamboo sticks as pegs where the pallet timbers will slot in before tying them together. This will form the 4 sidewalls.

• 1. What you need: x24 bamboo sticks, x12 pallet timbers, ropes, and a crowbar.
• 2. Set dimension: The planter box is 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres all around, and the depth of the box is 0.4 metres.
• 3. Build the first sidewall: Use the crowbar to punch x6 holes in the soil (2 holes opposite each other); put x6 bamboo sticks into the holes.
• 4. Tie bamboo in pairs: Tie bamboo sticks/pegs in pairs with pallet timbers in between them– no need to use nails.
• 5. Build the other sides: use the same idea to build x4 sides.
• 6. Tie the corners: Each corner will now have 4 bamboos, use the ropes to tie all the 4 bamboos, at the corners, together.
• 7. Planting: Finally, add soil. Your planter is ready.

DIY ideas for small garden box planter - no nails

There are many ways to build raised planter boxes. It also depends on the materials and tools you have at home. 

However, it is important to learn some simple techniques and best practices. 

One of the best things that I’ve learnt over time is to use bamboo sticks in pairs as pegs to build the sides. Tie pair of bamboo sticks to hold the timbers together. 

The natural plant leaves are perfect rope alternatives for projects like this. There is no need to use nails, cable ties, or other plastic ropes in the garden.

Cordyline australis leaves garden rope alternative

One of the plants that grow in the UK – the Cordyline plants – is the practical alternative for garden ropes and nylon ropes. 

I’ve used the leaves to tie tomatoes, flowers, bamboo and many other plants in the garden.

Take a look at the different varieties of Cordyline australis available at Gardening Direct UK.

In this project, I used its dry leaves to tie the bamboo pegs that held the pallet timbers. The leaves are strong ropes. 

They can last for more than 24 months, similar to eco-garden tie-ropes. In fact, they are a great alternative for nails and other garden ropes. 

The dry leaves from the Cordyline plants may not be ideal for permanent projects. Yet, they are perfect for tying plants in spring and temporary projects, like the DIY outdoor planter box. They can last the whole summer.

See this tomato plants hoop frame where I used strips of the Cordyline leaves as ropes as an alternative to nylon ropes. 

If you want to use a natural (biodegradable) rope, use the Cordyline leaves. Here is where you can get the plants online in the UK.

Challenges of working with pallet timbers

Working with wooden pallet timbers is challenging because the jawed nails are hard to remove. Sometimes, you can damage the timbers. 

To avoid that, Use the right tools to remove the nails and prepare the pallet timbers. A wrecking bar with a chisel end is a perfect hand tool for removing nails without destroying the timbers. 

I hope this article about DIY Outdoor Planter Box inspires you to build yours. If you want more ideas for small gardens, check out my DIY bamboo garden projects.

How to make large wooden planter box

In this article, you'll find out how to re-use pallet timbers and build large planter boxes for the garden, patio or any outside space. 

The idea is simple, yet it works every time. You’ll need pallet timbers to make a garden planter box like the one in the video.

Steps for making Large Planter Box

There are many ways to build large planter boxes. In some garden DIY projects, you may use the whole pallet, whereas others require removing the nails prior to using the timbers. 

The best tool for removing nails from pallets without spoiling the timbers is a claw bar. (See the list of tools and material you'll need for this project at the end of this article.)

• 1. Collect the materials you’ll need for the project.
• 2. Set the dimensions (L, W & D). 
• 3. Cut the corner posts and timbers to length. 
• 4. Dig x4 holes big enough for two posts on each corner. 
• 5. Build the 4 corners. Put two treated posts at the right angle to each other at each corner. Nail them together. 

• 6. Build the sides of the planter box. Use a hammer to nail the pallet timbers to the corner posts. You can use 2, 3 or 4 pallet timbers – this will set the depth (D) of the planter box. 
• 7. Fill the large planter box with garden soil or compost. That’s it!

Your brand-new large planter box for the garden is ready. 

Best technique for DIY Garden Planter Boxes

This is a little-known secret used in many planter boxes and DIY projects. It is called the ‘right-angled’ boxed technique. 

The idea is about putting two timbers at a right-angle (90 degrees) to each other, where you can build the sidewalls of the box as shown in the image. 

It is an effective technique for building strong boxes, raised beds, fences or any garden projects with corners.

Each corner with x2 posts at a right angle (90 degrees)

Make large planter boxes using a DIY technique

Using the right-angle technique is ideal for large planter boxes and raised beds. It makes the sides strong and stable. You can use the garden boxes for a long time. 

We use the technique to build these two garden boxes. 

In fact, we have been using the garden planter box on the right for over 6 years. And this year, we re-use the same pallet timbers to make the new planter box shown in the images above.

That's how long planter boxes like these last in the garden. 

Small Planter Pox, elevated (L) and Raised Garden Box (R)

To make the Small Planter Box for the patio, you’ll need pallet timbers, nails and a hammer.

• Firstly, build 4 stands for each corner. (Use 8 pallet timbers to make the stand for the corners by applying the right-angle technique mentioned earlier)
• After that, hammer in the side timber, starting from the top. (Nail in 2, 3 or 4 pallet timbers on each side, leaving 5 – 10 cm space at the bottom.)
• Then, complete the other sides.
• Fill the Small Planter Box for the patio with soil.

That’s it! Your new garden planter box for the patio is ready for planting.

Make Raised Garden Box for outside

You can use the same idea to build the raised garden box, which is much simpler than the elevated patio box because its bottom simply rests on the ground. And, requires less work. 

You only have to build the x4 corners (using the right-angle technique) and the sides. 

Working with wooden pallet timbers is challenging. It is difficult to remove the timbers from the jawed nails. 

A wrecking claw bar with a chisel is a perfect hand tool for removing nails without destroying the timbers.

Simple garden DIY ideas that work

In many cases, you do not have to spend money to build new garden boxes and raised beds. You can re-use what you have to create something that you want. 

Learning to use gardening techniques like these can help you build strong planter boxes and raised garden beds. They can be adapted to other wooden garden projects too. 

We shared two skills that DIY gardeners will find useful: the Right-angled technique and bamboo pegging. We’ve used it in many projects. They are simple ideas but work every time. 

Get more ideas about the Home and Garden DIY projects via the links.

• Bamboo hanging wall planters.
• Build Garden Box without nails.
• How to make a bamboo garden trellis.
• Make garden netting using bamboo hoops.
• Check out all the DIY home and garden projects.

 

Materials for garden box

• x12 pallet timbers or old weatherboards
• x8 treated posts (or 4-inch by 2-inch timbers)
• a packet of nails

Tools required

• handsaw
• hammer
• shovel
• road pin/crowbar
• claw bar

Follow us on YouTube for practical DIY ideas.

Evergreen shade-loving plants like bamboo

There are many evergreen plants for shade, some are deciduous and others are evergreen. Only a few grow best in deep to light-shaded areas.

In this article, you will find out about the 5 popular evergreen, shade-living plants that thrive in pots and in the garden.

5 shade-loving popular plants in the UK and US plants 

How to grow evergreen shade plants – pots or garden?

Some shade-loving plants like the bamboo plants will thrive in pots and in the garden. However, not all the shrubs that grow well in shade will thrive in pots. 

The flowering shrubs have taproots that grow deep into the soil. This means that they do not like to be contained within pots and containers. 

Unless, of course, they grow in large planters and containers where there is plenty of rooting space. 

Evergreen plants for shade like bamboos

To put this article in perspective, here are some uses of the 5 shade-loving plants and suggestions for growing them.

The 5 Best Evergreen Shade Plants:

• Bamboo plants,
• Sarcococca,
• Buddleia,
• Viburnum tinus and
• Ceanothus.

Read about the 5 plants and their features: 5 shade-loving popular plants

Shade-loving plants for pots

The shade-loving shrubs, unfortunately, will not do well in pots. They have taproots and like to root freely.

They will not do well in contained spaces like the pot, planters and containers. 

If you want to grow a plant in a pot and put it in a deeply shaded area, bamboo is a fantastic option.

Shaded hedge plants

There are many hedge plants, some are deciduous whereas others are evergreen like the 5 plants featured in this article.

The 3 best plants for hedging a shaded area are:

•  Bamboo,
• Viburnum tinus and
• Ceanothus.

Hardy plants/shrubs for shade

Most evergreen plants are hardy, which means that they can tolerate frost and ice during the winter.

The 5 hardiest evergreen plants are:

• Bamboo,
• Sarcococca,
• Buddleia,
• Viburnum tinus and
• Ceanothus.

Note that some buddleia cultivars are semi-evergreen or deciduous.

Check the plant description carefully when buying online or in-store.

Best garden plants for ground cover plants

The evergreen shrubs may not be the best ground cover, but they will require pruning to keep them in shape. These shrubs are beautiful ground covers when they are in full bloom.

The small Chinese Dwarf bamboos and variegated bamboos are best for evergreen ground covers. You can mix and match them to great effect. 

The 3 best ground cover plants are:

• Bamboo plants (Sasa nopponica),
• Sarcococca and
• Viburnum tinus.

Where to buy the evergreen plants for shade?

The 5 shade-loving plants in this article thrive under the covers of trees and buildings, where other plants tend to struggle to grow. 

They are also fantastic ground covers. You can buy these plants online from YouGarden or Crocus.

Shade-loving evergreen hedging plants

In addition to the 5 shade-loving plants for pots and gardens listed in this article, here are the top 6 hedging plants that thrive in shade. They have tightly packed leaves that last all year round. 

The groundcover, shade-login plants mentioned in this article, bamboo is the only grass variety among the fast-growing evergreen hedging plant. 

Also, the beech tree is deciduous. Read more about the 6 common hedging plants we covered in an earlier article here.

The 5 evergreen shade-loving plants for pots and gardens are Bamboo, Sarcococca, Buddleia, Viburnum tinus and Ceanothus.

Bamboo is well-known for being the fastest growing plant. And, the shrubs are popular for their scented flowers and contrasting colours, best for attracting bees and butterflies. 

We hope this article gives you some ideas about the evergreen plants for shade. Check out our website (GardenBambooPlants.Com) for more information in the common bamboo plants that grow in the in UK.

Uses of Green Cordyline australis, red star and varigated Cornish Cabbage Palm

Cordyline australis is an exotic plant, also known as ‘Torbay or Cornish Cabbage Palm’. This upright plant has dark green sword-like leaves and clusters of white scented flowers, bees’ magnet.

The dry brown leaves have a special use that many gardeners will love to know. This article shows you how to prepare and use the leaves as an alternative to artificial garden ropes.

Cordyline australis (Cornish Cabbage Plant) leaves are lovely garden ropes.

Uses of Cordyline australis leaves

Buy Cordyline australis ‘Cornish Cabbage’ plants at Crocus

This plant has long slender leaves. They are thin, flexible and strong. 

Plants with leaves like these are used successfully in traditional and survival settings for tying objects together.

If you have a Cordyline australis plant in the garden, you can use the leaf as an alternative to garden rope. 

Check out the 5 garden projects where the Cordyline australis leaves were used successfully as ropes. 

1. Tie garden and pot plants 

2. Tie bamboo garden trellis panels.

3. Make DIY Garden Planter Box without Nails

4. Make bamboo hoops and garden netting (image)

Use Cordyline australis ropes in the making of bamboo hoops and garden netting

How to prepare Cordyline australis leaves for garden rope

The long narrow leaves of Cordyline australis are perfect natural garden ropes. As shown in the garden projects, you can also use them to tie garden plants, flowers, new shoots and any garden plant that needs tying. Here is how to prepare the dry leaves to use as garden ropes.

• Collect the dry brown leaves.
• Soak them in water overnight.
• Strip each leaf into smaller (preferable) strands.
• Use the strands to tie plants.

To tie large objects, use a whole leaf or two. You can join the leaves together if you need a longer length. An example is this DIY Garden Planter Box, instead of nails we used only Cordyline australis leaves to build it.

Many people in the Pacific and Southeast Asia use the leaves from the palm trees, coconut and yacca plants and Cordyline fruticosa as ropes for tying plants. 

They also use the long green leaves for arts and crafts. However, the dry leaves are best for tying plants, flowers and shoots.

About Cordyline australis plant

Cordyline australis is evergreen and hardy shrub, commonly known as ‘Torbay or Cornish Cabbage Palm’. The Cornish Cabbage plant has long leaves and palm-like stems.

It produces a bunch of numerous tiny creamy white flowers in summer. You can keep an individual plant (or keep it lower) by pruning the old plants and encouraging a new single plant to take over.

This exotic shrub is perfect for landscaping, planted as a standalone plant or centrepiece. There are several cultivars of Cordyline australis ‘Cornish Cabbage Plants’, ranging from variegated leaves to green and burgundy red.

They are undemanding and low maintenance. The three common cultivars of Cordyline australis Cabbage plants are

• Green Cordyline australis,
• Cordyline australis red star and
• Variegated Cordyline australis 'Torbay Dazzler'.

See the full collection at Crocus 

Do you know a garden plant like Cordyline australis?

As mentioned earlier, the dry brown leaves of Cordyline australis (‘Cornish Cabbage Plant’) are fantastic alternatives to garden ropes.

We’ve used the leaves as garden ropes in many garden projects (as shown in the images).

Hope you can try the ropes out if you have a Cordyline australis, Cordyline fruticosa or Yacca plant growing in your garden.

Do you have a garden plant like the bamboo stems or Yacca, Cordyline australis or Cordyline fruticosa plants? We would love to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below.

Here is the YouTube video of the strawberries netting project where we use the Cordyline australis leaves as a garden rope.

How do bamboo plants grow and how long they live

Bamboo plants are either runners or clumpers. The running bamboos are invasive and should be planted within barriers or in pots. Clumping bamboos are exotic plants that are not invasive. Both bamboo types can thrive for many years in the garden, but how long do they really live? 

This article provides the insight into growth behaviour of bamboo plants and how long a bamboo grove can survive.

Check out an extended version of this article - how fast bamboo plants grow and how far they spread.

How do bamboo plants grow?

The growth behaviour of running and clumping bamboo plants, generally, determines how long they live. Whether in the garden or in pots they will grow in the same way, nonetheless.

Bamboo plants will give out new shoots every year in spring. These new shoots will be bigger in size and longer than the previous year’s shoots. 

Every year you’ll have a bigger and longer bamboo plant, and the bamboo grove will also increase in size. In retrospect, the bamboo shoots do not expand in size as the trees and shrubs do. The size of the new shoot remains the same until it thins out at the top at maximum height. 

A bamboo plant will reach its matured height anytime between 5 and 10 years depending on the variety. 

The common bamboos in the UK often reach their maximum heights (and produce full-size shoots) within 5 years. So, every year you’ll have a longer plant and bigger shoot as your bamboo grove takes shape.

How long do bamboo plants live?’

There are many different types of bamboo plants from the dwarf varieties to the giant timber bamboo plants. They can live for many years in the garden. Some estimation puts them between 30 – 50 years, but they can live longer.

As mentioned, bamboo groves re-generate by putting new shoots out every year. This growth behaviour means that they can thrive for much longer than anticipated.

To put it in perspective, a single bamboo shoot will mature within 5 - 7 years and live for about 10 - 15 years within a bamboo grove. It will produce new shoots, resulting in an expanding bamboo grove.

This re-generative growth pattern means that bamboo plants can live and thrive for many years after they are planted.

However, bamboo plants that grow in pots and barriers do not last longer than those grown in open spaces. They’ll struggle to survive in the contained spaces.

 

Bamboo plants can last up to 30 years, and bamboo groves can last longer

Life expectancy of common bamboo plants

The growth and regenerative behaviours of bamboo plants, mentioned earlier, are important factors that determine the life expectancy of bamboo plants.

The table shows the general life expectancy of a garden bamboo plant in the garden or in pots and containers.

Bamboo	Grow medium	Maturity
Shoot	Garden	6 – 12 months to mature
Plant	Garden	5 - 7 years to mature (requires selective pruning)
Grove	Garden	30 – 50 years
Shoot	Outdoor Pot	3 - 6 months to mature
Plant	Outdoor Pot	2 - 5 years (requires selective pruning)
Grove	Outdoor Pot	5 – 10 years (requires repotting)

The Giant Timber Bamboo plants take up to 7 years to mature and live for as long as 50 years in their natural environment. They are massive plants which reach above 10 metres in height.

In the UK, you can see the Giant Timber Bamboo in full growth at the Kew Garden Palm House.

If you want to find out about the running and clumping bamboo plants, follow these links:

• Clumping bamboo collections.
• Running bamboo collections.

Bamboo plants vs bamboo grove

How long bamboo plants last depend on the growth of the individual plants and the regenerative behaviour of the plants in the grove. 

Some bamboo plants will live in the soil until the condition is right before they put out new shoots. Others will spread pretty quickly.

Generally, the common bamboo plants that grow in the UK, US and other cooler regions will last for 30 – 50 years. And, they will continue to grow as long as the condition is right.

Maintain bamboo plants: what you need to know about water, soil and mulch

Bamboo water uptake requirement differs slightly from plant to plant. An established bamboo plant requires less water than the new plants, not the other way around. 

How often should I water my bamboo plants?

Understandably, new bamboo plants will require moist and well-drained soil to establish themselves, whereas the old plants will tolerate dry soils. If your bamboo plants are growing in fertile and well-aerated soil, you do not have to worry about giving water regularly, unless (of course) it’s very dry. 

Here is a guide to the best soil for growing new bamboo plants.

Bamboo plants do not like dry, compacted soil

A well-established garden bamboo can thrive without water for months. Yet, bamboo plants that grow on compacted soils, such as the building sites, will require more water than those growing on loose soil.

Water any new plants and those growing on compacted soil regularly. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. 

Though the roots, called rhizomes, do not run deep into the soil, they will tolerate dry soil but do not like compacted soil. 

A combination of hard and compacted soil is not ideal for bamboo plants. The bamboo rhizomes will struggle to survive in compacted soil.

How often should I add mulch to my bamboo plants?

One of the important things that you can do when attending to bamboo is to add mulch to it. As mentioned, the bamboo plants are low maintenance, yet they’ll benefit from the water and mulch. Add mulch once a year. 

The best time to add mulch is at the end of autumn or the beginning of spring.

If you are expecting a very cold winter, then add it at the end of autumn. This is an ideal time because you can rake the fallen leaves onto the bamboo grove, which will keep the soil reasonable warm. 

Also, if you want new shoots to grow and give you a thick hedge or screen, add mulch to the bamboo late in spring. 

Take a look at this YouTube video of how we added mulch in spring. The results were stunning. We got lots of new shoots in summer, see the image below.

All in all, maintain your bamboo plants and enjoy them for many years. If bamboo plants turn yellow, attend to them immediately. It can be hard to revive them when the leaves turn yellow and start falling off the stems.

How to look after tall tomato plants

Tomato plants are thought to be ‘annuals’ as they grow outdoors only in spring and summer. But they are in fact short-lived ‘perennials’ that bear flowers and fruits multiple times throughout the year in their natural (tropical) settings.

Completed the tomato plants' bamboo stakes...now waiting for the plants to grow. 🍅🍅🍅

The video shows how to look after tomato plants - staking pruning, watering and feeding them for a healthy harvest.

Bamboo sticks for tall tomato plants

Tomato plants will need support as they grow taller.

Bamboo sticks are slim and strong which is why they are the best stakes for tomato plants. They do not take up a lot of space, flexible and bendable. Easy to cut and tie together to make frames. Many gardeners use bamboo sticks to make tomato trellis and support the plants. They are also perfect for plants in patio grow bags, pots and containers, and in the garden.

The plants will love it.

Find out about the uses of bamboo sticks & what bamboo plant is best for bamboo sticks.

The first sign of tomato flowers

Use Cornish Cabbage Plant as garden ropes

Cordyline australis (Cornish Cabbage Plant) leaves are lovely garden ropes. You can use them to tie the tall tomato plants and stakes.

If you have a Cordyline australis plant in the garden, you can use the leaf as an alternative to garden rope.

Grow tomato plants in a well-drained and nutrient-rich soil.

Keep them well-watered during the hot months.

Use bamboo sticks as stakes to support the tall tomato plants.

Tomato plants turn black or leaves yellow - here is what to do

Many gardeners come across this problem. Often, you’ll see the black spots on the stems and leaves early on if it’s caused by bacteria, viruses or fungal infestation. You can lose your tomato plants if the infestation spreads.

Why do tomato plants turn black?

Sometimes you will find black spots on the leave, stems and fruit of tomato plants. The three common causes are:

• Bacteria, virus or fungal infestation,
• Nutrient deficiency
• Cold

To save your plants, remove the infected leaves or stems. Spray with a fungicide to keep them free from bacteria, viruses and mould.

Check out these garden DIY hacks.

Why tomato leaves turn yellow

Tomato leaves turning yellow is natural. The old leaves will change from green to yellow and brown.
Occasionally, tomato leaves prematurely turn yellow because of the following reasons:
- a lack of sunlight,
- waterlogged soil or
- lack of nutrients in the soil.

Make sure the plant receives at least 6 hours of sunlight, the soil is moist and well-drained and is rich in nutrients.
If the problem persists, give the plant some tomato feed. Nine out of ten times, this will improve the condition.

Alternatively, move the plant to a different area or bigger pot.

Tomato leaves turn yellow

Keep your tomato plants healthy

In most cases, prevention is better than cure.

The tomato plants will require feed as they grow. To keep them healthy, add tomato-grow.

Low temperatures can damage your tomato plants.

If you grow your tomato plants late, you’ll sometimes see black spots appear on the leaves, fruits and stems as the summer ends.

Move the plants indoors or into the greenhouse if you expect more flowers and fruit.

If the green tomatoes turn black, harvest them immediately before they rot.

About this blog.

Garden Bamboo Plants blog is a sister blog of the GardenBambooPlants.Com website, a site about garden bamboo plants. It is an extension of the website where we show how to use bamboo sticks in the garden. 

Follow us on this blog by joining Bamboo Gardening Community on YouTube. Get information and ideas about how to grow and use bamboo plants and bamboo sticks in amazing ways.

Do tomato plants need lots of water and sunlight?

Tomato plants need regular water to stay healthy. The soil must remain fairly moist where they grow.

Also, they will tolerate wet soil, but not waterlogged soil. The leaves will show signs of distress if they are floating in water for extended periods.

On the contrary, they will wilt and whither if there is less water.

It is important to get the water balance right. Dip a finger into the soil and make sure it remains fairly moist all the time.

Water tomato plants

How many times can you water tomato plants in a day?

Water them once a day as long as the water uptake (and water lost to the air) is at equilibrium with the water available in the soil.

If it’s too hot and dry, you may be required to water them twice a day.

They are known to be thirsty plants. Pay close attention to the leaves as they will let you know when they need water.

Generally, water regularly if you see that the tomato plants are enjoying the water.

How to make Garden Trellis for garden plants

Should tomato plants be in full sunlight?

Tomato plants love the full sunlight.

Though there are different varieties, the common tomato plants will require at least 6 to 7 hours of sunlight.

As mentioned earlier, tomato plants are tropical perennial plants, they thrive in hot and humid conditions. They need this condition to give good yields of tomatoes.

Cultivated garden tomato plants will not do well in shade. Grow them in sites where there is enough sunlight during the day. If you grow them in pots, put them in an area where there is a good amount of sunlight every day.

Your tomato plants will thrive in direct sunlight, but too much heat and too little water are bad for them.

In summer, especially during the long daylight periods, check on your plants. Give them water if the soil loses moisture and keep them hydrated during hot sunny days.

About this blog.

Garden Bamboo Plants blog is a sister blog of the GardenBambooPlants.Com website, a site about garden bamboo plants. It is an extension of the website where we show how to use bamboo sticks in the garden. 

Follow us on this blog by joining Bamboo Gardening Community on YouTube. Get information and ideas about how to grow and use bamboo plants and bamboo sticks in amazing ways.

Do you prune tomato plants and stop them from growing tall?

Pruning is not essential for the health of tomato plants. The plants will need the leaves and suckers to produce flowers and tomatoes. However, there are things you can do to maintain the plants’ health.

Prune the early leaves and side shoots to drive the nutrients to the main plants for better yields.

In cases where there are dense leaves and side shoots, selectively remove any that are struggling.

The best time to prune tomato plants is early in the morning. The fresh cuts will dry during the day, keeping the plants healthy.

Get tomato and veggie seeds from YouGarden

Tomato plants care

Read about how to grow and care for tomato plants.

How to stop tomato plants from growing too tall?

To stop the tomato plants from growing tall, remove the main tips higher up. 

Use a pair of secateurs or scissors to prune the delicate tips. The best time to do that is to wait until the first flowers emerge.

Naturally, tomato plants are perennials. Though they are short-lived in the cooler regions, new suckers and flowers will still emerge as the plants grow taller.

Keep it neat and tidy but encourage more flowers. This way, you’ll get lots of tomatoes.

It is okay to snip off the tips if you are worried that the tomato plants are growing too tall.

About this blog.

Garden Bamboo Plants blog is a sister blog of the GardenBambooPlants.Com website, a site about garden bamboo plants. It is an extension of the website where we show how to use bamboo sticks in the garden. 

Follow us on this blog by joining Bamboo Gardening Community on YouTube. Get information and ideas about how to grow and use bamboo plants and bamboo sticks in amazing ways.

How to Prune, Water and Care for Tomato Plants

In this article, you’ll find out how to prune tomato plants and provide the right care (prune, water and maintain) garden tomato plants.

Tomato plants are thought to be ‘annuals’ as they grow outdoors only in spring and summer. But they are in fact short-lived ‘perennials’ that bear flowers and fruits multiple times throughout the year in their natural (tropical) settings.

Understanding this behaviour can help you to grow the best tomato plants in patio grow bags and pots or in the garden.

Do you prune tomato plants?

Pruning is not essential for the health of tomato plants. The plants will need the leaves and suckers to produce flowers and tomatoes. However, there are things you can do to maintain the plants’ health.

Prune the early leaves and side shoots to drive the nutrients to the main plants for better yields.

In cases where there are dense leaves and side shoots, selectively remove any that are struggling.

The best time to prune tomato plants is early in the morning. The fresh cuts will dry during the day, keeping the plants healthy.

Get tomato and veggie seeds from YouGarden

Tomato plants care

How to stop tomato plants from growing too tall?

To stop the tomato plants from growing tall, remove the main tips higher up. Use a pair of secateurs or scissors to prune the delicate tips. The best time to do that is to wait until the first flowers emerge.

Naturally, tomato plants are perennials. Though they are short-lived in the cooler regions, new suckers and flowers will still emerge as the plants grow taller.

Keep it neat and tidy but encourage more flowers. This way, you’ll get lots of tomatoes.

It is okay to snip off the tips if you are worried that the tomato plants are growing too tall.

Bamboo sticks for Support

Tomato plants will need support as they grow taller.

Bamboo sticks are slim and strong which is why they are the best stakes for tomato plants. They do not take up a lot of space, flexible and bendable. Easy to cut and tie together to make frames.

Many gardeners use bamboo sticks to make tomato trellis and support the plants. They are also perfect for plants in patio grow bags, pots and containers, and in the garden.

The plants will love it.

Find out about the uses of bamboo sticks & what bamboo plant is best for bamboo sticks.

Do tomato plants need lots of water?

Tomato plants need regular water to stay healthy. The soil must remain fairly moist where they grow.

Also, they will tolerate wet soil, but not waterlogged soil. The leaves will show signs of distress if they are floating in water for extended periods.

On the contrary, they will wilt and whither if there is less water.

It is important to get the water balance right. Dip a finger into the soil and make sure it remains fairly moist all the time.

Water tomato plants

How many times can you water tomato plants in a day?

Water them once a day as long as the water uptake (and water lost to the air) is at equilibrium with the water available in the soil.

If it’s too hot and dry, you may be required to water them twice a day.

They are known to be thirsty plants. Pay close attention to the leaves as they will let you know when they need water.

Generally, water regularly if you see that the tomato plants are enjoying the water.

How to make Garden Trellis for garden plants

Should tomato plants be in full sunlight?

Tomato plants love the full sunlight.

Though there are different varieties, the common tomato plants will require at least 6 to 7 hours of sunlight.

As mentioned earlier, tomato plants are tropical perennial plants, they thrive in hot and humid conditions. They need this condition to give good yields of tomatoes.

Cultivated garden tomato plants will not do well in shade. Grow them in sites where there is enough sunlight during the day. If you grow them in pots, put them in an area where there is a good amount of sunlight every day.

Your tomato plants will thrive in direct sunlight, but too much heat and too little water are bad for them.

In summer, especially during the long daylight periods, check on your plants. Give them water if the soil loses moisture and keep them hydrated during hot sunny days.

Why do tomato plants turn black?

Sometimes you will find black spots on the leave, stems and fruit of tomato plants. The three common causes are:
- Bacteria, virus or fungal infestation,
- Nutrient deficiency
- Cold

Many gardeners come across this problem. Often, you’ll see the black spots on the stems and leaves early on if it’s caused by bacteria, viruses or fungal infestation. You can lose your tomato plants if the infestation spreads.

To save your plants, remove the infected leaves or stems. Spray with a fungicide to keep them free from bacteria, viruses and mould.

Check out these garden DIY hacks.

Keep your tomato plants healthy

In most cases, prevention is better than cure.

The tomato plants will require feed as they grow. To keep them healthy, add tomato-grow.

Low temperatures can damage your tomato plants.

If you grow your tomato plants late, you’ll sometimes see black spots appear on the leaves, fruits and stems as the summer ends.

Move the plants indoors or into the greenhouse if you expect more flowers and fruit.

If the green tomatoes turn black, harvest them immediately before they rot.

Why tomato leaves turn yellow

Tomato leaves turning yellow is natural. The old leaves will change from green to yellow and brown.
Occasionally, tomato leaves prematurely turn yellow because of the following reasons:
- a lack of sunlight,
- waterlogged soil or
- lack of nutrients in the soil.

Make sure the plant receives at least 6 hours of sunlight, the soil is moist and well-drained and is rich in nutrients.
If the problem persists, give the plant some tomato feed. Nine out of ten times, this will improve the condition.

Alternatively, move the plant to a different area or bigger pot.

Tomato leaves turn yellow

Conclusion

Grow tomato plants in a well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. Keep them well-watered during the hot months.

Use bamboo sticks as stakes to support the tall tomato plants and add tomato feed and fungicide to keep the plant in good health.

Tomato plants turning black, and leaves prematurely turning yellow can be the results of infestations, nutrient deficiency or cold weather.

Hope this article gives you an idea about how to prune tomato plants and get the best yields every time.