Bamboos are stunning when grown in containers and pots of any size. Potted bamboo is wonderful for incorporating into gardens with a Japanese theme or for just adding structure and movement to planter displays.
Potted bamboo is the perfect solution for balconies or patios that are limited in space. It is possible to create a towering vertical privacy screen to protect your courtyard with it, or it may be used to create a delicate ornamental element that will make everyone who comes to your home green with envy. Find your way with the help of these pointers.
Why Potted Bamboo is a Great Option for You?
Potted bamboo allows for an almost infinite number of design possibilities in terms of the shapes, textures, and colors that can be paired with it. In addition, since the container serves as a barrier, you won’t have to worry about the plants taking over your garden.
Growing potted bamboo also gives you the ability to move it about to adjust its location based on the available light or to hide it completely if it appears to be struggling. Despite the fact that they will require a bit more care and attention than other plants, bamboos are ideal for these locations.
Picking the Right Container
Select a container that is robust and well-built so that it can serve as an impenetrable barrier for the bamboo’s roots. Because the roots of running bamboos in particular are capable of breaking through virtually anything, the only viable alternative for planting running kinds is to use either a metal or a sturdy wooden planter. There is no way around the fact that plastic containers for potted bamboo are not an option.
It is also necessary to have a container with good drainage. In the event that you have something that is otherwise perfect, you should consider drilling drainage holes into the base. When you are finished planting, you will want to place your container on top of the pot feet so that the soil does not lay directly on the roots. This will prevent the roots from being rotted. If you have the option, go with glazed clay pots rather than terracotta ones for potted bamboo.
It’s also crucial to avoid unstable and top heavy containers that are liable to tip over. This is of utmost importance in the event that you decide to go with a higher growing variety for your potted bamboo that has the potential to catch the wind. Pick something that’s not too high up and is generally stable; low rectangular tubs are a good option for this. When your potted bamboo needs to be raised and divided in a few years, you should avoid using pots with a neck that is smaller than the body of the pot since this will make it impossible for you to remove the root ball that is linked to the pot without breaking it.
When cultivating a bamboo plant of a variety that isn’t totally hardy, it is important to choose a container that provides some degree of insulation for the plant’s root system. An example of such a container would be one that has solid, thick wooden sides.
Picking the Right Place
Before you begin potting up your bamboo, transport the container to the location in the garden where you want your potted bamboo to be before you finish preparing the container (this will save you having to move a far heavier container once planted).
If you want to keep the leaves from getting charred, you should try to situate your potted bamboo in a spot that offers it some protection from the chilly, drying winds that blow in the area. The majority of bamboo species are also sun lovers, and as a general rule, the darker the color of the bamboo stems, the more sun they receive.
Bedding: Steps to Follow
Even though bamboo is not a fussy plant, growing it in a container gives you greater control over its environment; take advantage of this! When you provide your bamboo with optimal growing circumstances, it will expand both rapidly and healthily.
Step 1
To begin, fill the bottom of the container with rocks or gravel about two to three inches deep. This will improve drainage and make the container more bottom heavy, which will help keep your plant from being blown over. After that, you should begin piling the potting compost into your container.
Step 2
We suggest using either a mixture of multi-purpose peat-free potting compost and soil improver in the ratio of 50/50, or multi-purpose compost on its own. As a result, your potted bamboo plants will receive the additional nutrients they require for growth, and their ability to retain water will also be improved.
Step 3
Remove the bamboo plant from its container so that you may examine the roots. Because bamboo often has a deep root system, it has to have its roots loosened up before being planted. To encourage the growth of new roots once the bamboo has been planted, work your thumb into the base of the plant if possible and gently pull on the roots.
Step 4
Before you plant the seedling, give the rootball a thorough soaking by submerging it in a large bucket of water for at least twenty minutes. This will allow the water to penetrate the rootball all the way to its core.
Step 5
When you are ready, place the plant inside the container and adjust the depth of the soil so that 2-3 centimeters (about 1 inch) will cover the top surface of the plant. Backfill the container with the remaining potting mix and pack it down firmly to get rid of any air pockets.
Step 6
Mulch the area surrounding the foundation with a layer of bark to help retain water.
Providing Proper Watering and Fertilizing
Because there is less room for the roots in a contained environment, potted bamboo plants require more frequent watering than those cultivated in the ground.
In the height of summer, water the plant every other day; in the fall, reduce the frequency of watering to once per week; and during the summer, apply a balanced liquid feed once per month.
Do not be shocked if plants grown in containers end up being shorter and having canes that are more thin than the same variety planted in the border. The size of the canes is supported by the size of the rootball, and the growth potential of the canes is also limited because the growing area of the roots is restricted in a container.
Protecting Potted Bamboo against the Frost
Because of the strain caused by the confined growing environment, any particular variety of potted bamboo would be less resistant to disease and pests than it would be if it were grown in the border. Additionally, potted bamboo does not benefit from the insulating effect of the soil that surrounds the roots during the winter, which results in the plant being inherently more exposed.
When frost is expected, cover the canes and the container with several layers of horticultural fleece, bubble wrap, or burlap and wrap them loosely over the container and canes. This will protect the canes and the roots from the frost and the ice. You may, as an alternative, put your plants inside until the danger of frost has gone.
How to Repot Bamboo?
Potted bamboos eventually get root bound and need to be plucked, divided, and replanted into new containers, just like any other plant. Before the beginning of the main growth season, you will need to perform this task every two to five years in the spring. If you lift and divide your potted bamboo throughout the summer, you run the danger of killing it; thus, you should wait until the fall to perform these tasks if the spring that follows seems too far away.
Potted bamboos will undoubtedly suffer if they are confined to a pot for an excessive amount of time because there will be fewer and fewer nutrients available to feed a growing plant. If you observe that the leaves are becoming brown and that the foliage cover is getting less dense, it is most likely time to repot your plants and provide them with some new compost to give them a boost.
It is best to give your plants a good soaking of water the night before you lift and divide them to reduce the transplant shock. When you are ready to remove and divide the plant, carefully pry it apart from its container, taking care not to cause any damage to the root system in the process.
Examine the areas that naturally divide themselves. In most cases, we advise breaking containerized rhizomes into two or three pieces, at which time you should be on the lookout for and remove any sections of the root system that are diseased, damaged, or rotting.
If you would want to get rid of the surplus rhizome pieces, you should first let them dry up and die before throwing them in the compost pile. If you don’t do this, the extra rhizome sections may take root in the nutrient-rich environment of your compost heap.