What to do when growing black bamboo plants? [VIDEOS]

Black bamboo plants are expensive compared to the other plants. For the success of the new plants, here is what you can do.

Check out the black bamboo plants for sale at Crocus.co.uk

How to grow black bamboo in pots?

When growing the bamboos in pots, always choose a pot that is stable, and remember that size does matter! 

(Read about how to choose the best pot for planting bamboo)

Here are the steps for growing the black running and clumping bamboo in the pots and containers.

• Select a good (open-top & stable) pot or container.
• Lay placeholders underneath the pot to stop it from wobbling.
• Put the pot planter into place.
• Lay the base of the pot with porous sheets, pebbles or gravel for drainage.
• Fill the pot with a 50/50 potting mixture or loam soil.
• Soak the bamboo before planting it in the pot.
• Add soil and compact it into the pot (leaving 10cm to 15cm space at the top)
• Add mulch.
• Water generously.

Check out this article for the guide to how to select the best pot and container plants. 

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.

1. Use root barriers
2. Build a raised structure
3. 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.

Bamboo Privacy Screen Care and Maintenance Insights

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:

• PART 1: EVERGREEN BAMBOO SCREENS FOR BALCONY AND TERRACE
• PART 2: FAST-GROWING EVERGREEN OUTDOOR PRIVACY SCREEN - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW [WITH IMAGES]
• PART 3: HOW CLOSE TO THE BOUNDARY CAN YOU GROW BAMBOO PLANTS?
• PART 4: BAMBOO PRIVACY SCREEN CARE AND MAINTENANCE
• PART 5: HOW DOES A BAMBOO PLANT GROW? [VIDEO]

 

How to grow red bamboo plants?

Red bamboo plants are a stunning group of plants, though not so common as the black bamboo plants. 

Most of the red bamboo plants are from the clumping variety. 

Check out these articles for the 5 best read bamboo plants that grow well in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and other parts of the temperate regions where there are four seasons.

Grow red bamboo plants in the garden

Bamboos are evergreen and long-lasting, best grown in sites where they’ll provide a permanent cover such as in the garden as ornamental plants, or along the boundary as hedges and privacy screens. 

The red bamboos are a standout. 

So, grow them somewhere obvious where you will admire them all year round. 

It is a good idea to use root barriers if you are growing the running red bamboo plants because this will stop them from spreading. 

Alternatively, grow them in pots. See below why growing bamboo plants in pots is a great idea.

Grow red bamboo plants pot?

The red bamboos are fantastic pot plants. Though these plants do not flower regularly, the red canes are naturally beautiful.

• Movable

Most bamboos in pots are not easy to move because they are large and heavy plants. 

The red bamboo plants will require additional help or tool to move them around, like this Hand Truck from B&Q. 

However, the great thing about growing bamboo in pots is that you CAN actually move and adjust the pots to your heart’s desire with a bit of help.

• Maintainable

Bamboos are undemanding plants. 

You can prune the culms and leave the greenery you want on the potted bamboos, and they’ll keep producing new shoots year on year. 

That is why they are great natural privacy plants.

• Protection

Bamboo plants are hardy and can withstand cold and frosts. 

Though they are generally tolerant to insects and bugs, the new shoots are susceptible to slug attacks. 

So, growing them in pots and elevating them above the ground is the best protection.

• Root barriers

The red running and clumping bamboos are either invasive or will expand at the base. 

Either use the large heavy pots or root barrier to stop them from spreading.

• Indoor and patio plants

Bamboos in pots can be used as natural screens for balconies, patios, porches, and verandas. 

They also provide a calm and relaxing atmosphere for the outdoor sitting areas and are good conversation starters when friends and family visit you. 

You can grow the red bamboo in the garden and use root barriers to stop them from spreading. 

Alternatively, you can use the pots to grow these bamboos. 

Either way, the red bamboos will give your garden and home a different but natural appearance.

Why Phyllostachys aurea called Fish-pole Golden Bamboo Plant?

Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plant is one of my favourite bamboos. Its stems are small, tall, bendable and strong. The stems are perfect fishing poles. In the UK, they are ideal garden sticks.

Phyllostachys aurea

Fish-pole Golden Bamboo

The Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plants have thick inner stem walls which means the stems are strong but flexible. 

The stems have been used as fishing poles in China and other parts of Asia and the Pacific regions for centuries. That is why the Phyllostachys aurea bamboo has been called the Fish-pole Golden Bamboo. 

Today many gardeners are using the tough Fish-pole Golden bamboo canes as sticks for staking plants in the garden and pots. 

Their tough and flexible canes are ideal for making climbing frames and sticks for pot plants and other garden plants that needed support. 

The sticks are not too big like the Bamboo Vivax poles or too small like some clumping bamboos seen in the UK. They are just the right bamboo for garden and pots & containers.

We created a list of some top UK bamboo sellers online. Check them out on our website.

Phyllostachys aurea in UK Garden

Video of fish-pole bamboo in our garden

Uses of Phyllostachys aurea called Fish-pole Golden Bamboo Plant

Here are some ways in which we used the Phyllostachys aurea Fish-pole Golden Bamboo Plant in the garden - visit our YouTube channel for more videos on the uses of bamboo sticks in the garden.

Tomato plants trellis frame

Garden Fruit Netting

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.

Its stems are great garden sticks. 

Bendable, you can make any shape with it. 

Re-usable, you can use a stick for many years.

Here is more to learn about this bamboo plant:

• Why is Phyllostachys aurea called Fish-pole Golden Bamboo Plant?
• Common Cultivars of Phyllostachys aurea bamboo plants
• How to maintain Phyllosyachys Aurea in the UK

How to grow bamboo from rhizomes

Bamboo plants grow well from rhizome cuttings - use the steps for growing healthy bamboo plants.

This propagation method works for the running bamboo because they have elongated rhizomes. Note that the rhizomes are in fact underground stems with nodes and internodes. 

Cut carefully along the nodes as new bamboo plants germinate at the node.

You can use the 5 steps to propagate both clumping and running bamboo for their rhizomes.

Careful at the nodes

Step 1: Separate the rhizomes from the parent bamboo plants. 

Careful not to break the rhizome tips and new shoots or buds growing at the rhizome’s nodes.

Preserve new shoots

Step 2: Cut the rhizomes 4 - 6 buds using pair of secateurs. 

The best tip is to preserve new shoots at the nodes as they have a high chance of germinating when propagated into pots.

If you are taking cuttings from the main clump, leave 2 – 3 small culms on it. 

You can also use the rhizome tips/shoots as new cuttings.

 Water immediately

Step 3: Water both the new cuttings and the parent bamboo plant thoroughly. 

Place the new cuttings straight into a bucket of water so that they don’t dry out.

You can dip the bamboo into growth hormone to boost root growth.

Plant cuttings in good soil

Step 4: Fill a large 20 – 30 cm pot or container with potting mix or loam soil (mixture of equal parts sand, silt and clay).

If you need more information about soil prep, check out this article.

Step 5: Make several holes in the soil and plant the rhizome cuttings with the shoots and rhizome buds facing up. Water the newly planted rhizomes cuttings thoroughly.

Depending on the size of the cuttings, you may need more than one pot. Place the pot in a shaded area, away from direct sun.

The Rhizomes will take about four to six weeks to grow. So, water consistently but do not overwater.

Here is an in-depth article on how to grow bamboo plants from rhizome cuttings.

This page contains articles on how to propagate healthy bamboo plants 

- check out the archive for more info.