How to cultivate bamboos according to their varieties?

These exotic, half-perennial, half-shrub plants fascinate gardeners with their robustness and the beauty of their erect stubble, bearing beautiful evergreen leaves. However, planting them in the garden should not be decided lightly, as many bamboos turn out to be formidable invaders. Good knowledge and a judicious choice are therefore strongly recommended.

Technical sheet

Type of plant: Perennial/shrub plant
Dimensions: from 0.30 to 20 m.
Flowering: rare, but it contributes to decimate populations and occurs at the same time all over the world for the same variety.
Harvest: stubble in winter.
Exposure: sun to partial shade
Soil: rich, supple, and cool
Hardiness: Mostly hardy, -18 ° C

Cultivation conditions

Bamboos develop particularly well when three factors are combined: summer heat, rich and flexible soil, and good freshness (soil and atmosphere). If the species turn out to be more or less adaptable, the results are all the more spectacular in a mild or even hot climate and in alluvial soil. Indeed, cool soil in summer, rich in humus and of flexible texture, well-drained in winter is ideal.

When and how to plant bamboo

Choose plants grown in large containers, not in pots or pots. First and foremost, it is important to know whether you are planting a sucker or cespitose species. In the first case, and if you lack space, you will have to contain its ardor. The planting can take place all year round thanks to the proposed plants in containers. However, avoid the middle of winter to prefer spring, when the ground becomes hot, to install the bamboos, ideally during the period when the stumps start again. Bring a lot of organic matter well decomposed in-depth and a basic organic fertilizer.
If your bamboo is a sucker variety, provide a physical barrier to contain its powerful rhizomes. To do this, dig a pit and line its edges with an effective anti-rhizome barrier in polypropylene (delivered in a roll) commercially installed, vertically and at a height of 70 cm. Lightly bury (3 cm) the clods by backfilling the pit. Draw a large watering bowl. Firm the earth and proceed to a copious watering. Protect young plants from drying winds.

How to water the bamboo?

Bring plenty of water (but not excess) until the stumps have completely recovered. In insufficiently cool soil in summer, watering/irrigations will be necessary to maintain good growth. Check that the leaves do not roll up during the heat wave, which indicates a lack of water.

Should bamboo be fertilized?

Bamboos are very sensitive to inputs of well decomposed manure and fertilizer. It is also important not to abuse it. Plan to add humus in September and possibly in February, then organic nitrogen fertilizer (type 10-5-5) or lawn fertilizer at the end of winter.

How to maintain bamboo?

Keep the soil weed-free after planting by being careful not to damage the rhizomes that run on the surface. Better to spread a mineral or organic mulch. With age, shady groves require little care.

Diseases and pests

They are rare. Sometimes aphids invade the foliage. An organic insecticide based on pyrethrum will be right. Mealybugs are more difficult to eradicate, as the insects are sometimes out of reach. Focus on biological control by releasing specific predators.

When and how to prune bamboo?

Remove the oldest stubble in winter to ventilate the whole and better appreciate the spectacle. Also collect the larger canes, aged 3 to 4 years, for decorative or utility use.
Cut the dwarf bamboos used as ground cover at the end of winter.

When and how to multiply bamboo?

The multiplication is carried out by division of the stumps, carried out in autumn or in spring for the compact forms, by sections of rhizome at the end of winter for the tracing species, by stubble cuttings in May or by layering with incision for the growing forms. in a tuft.

Species and varieties

Bamboos are divided into two categories. Forms with trailing rhizomes are generally invasive and intended to adorn large parks and forms in compact tuft called “cespitose” more suitable for cultivation in small gardens or even in containers.

Dwarf bamboo, ground cover

These tracing species quickly provide good coverage as well as the retention of unstable land and slopes. You can mow them every year (not too short) at the end of winter. Grind the stubble on site for a natural and ecological mulch.

• Pleioblastus pygmaeus and ‘Distichus’ with fine, matt green foliage, can be mowed before spring regrowth or else pruned in mottling during vegetation; height from 30 to 60 cm.
• Sasaella masamuneana , very sucker, with green foliage, it shows a steeper port and rises up to 1m.

Which varieties of bamboo to install in a hedge

Low hedges

• Indocalamus latifolius , sucker with large shiny leaves to form wide hedges; height 2 m.
• Indocalamus tesselatus with a weeping habit with a very tropical look; height 1.20 m.
• Fargesia murielae ‘Simba’ grows in a compact clump with fine, yellow culms and diffuse foliage; height 2 m.

High hurdles

• Semiarundinaria fastuosa , impressive, fast-growing plant with green culms and decorative sheaths; height 7 m.
• Phyllostachys aurea ‘Holochrysa’, it is the golden bamboo which grows in tight tuft, presenting golden culms; height 4.50 m.

Bamboos for use in isolation or in beds

• Fargesia nitida ‘Nymphenburg’, a variety with a very graceful habit and young shoots tinged with blue. For partial shade; height 4 m.
• Phyllostachys vivax aureocaulis , superb vigorous selection with golden yellow culms striped in green barcode style; height 8 m.
• Semiarundinaria fastuosa var. viridis , vigorous and impressive species with dark green culms, united and large pearly sheaths; height 7 m.
• Thamnocalamus crassinodus ‘Kew Beauty’. With its yellow stems of steel blue then green, this plant is remarkable for its light habit; height4 m.

Bamboos for gardener, pan or pot

• Chimonobambusa marmorea ‘Variegata’ or marbled bamboo is stocky, with large narrow variegated leaves, tiger stubble; height 1.50 m.
• Indocalamus tesselatus
• Phyllostachys nigra  or black bamboo with elegant stubble, inky black; height 6 m.
• Phyllostachys aureosulcata , exhibits green culms, growing in a zigzag fashion; height 6 m.

The genus Pleioblastus  offers many low varieties with elegant, variegated foliage, such as

• P. chino ‘Elegantissimus’ with thin leaves, highlighted with cream; height 1.50 m
• P. viridistriatus is distinguished by its stocky habit and its leaves broadly streaked with golden yellow; height 1.40 m.
• Semiarundinaria yashadake ‘Kimmei’ with golden culms lined with green is of exemplary grace; height 3 m.

Dwarf varieties are also grown in planters or pots.

Bamboo potted indoors

Some species adapt very well to our interiors, being too sensitive to the cold. This is the case with the famous stocky Bambusa ventricosa with swollen nodes or the graceful Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’ with yellow stubble highlighted in green.
Full light and a humid atmosphere thanks to a humidifier placed nearby will contribute to the growth and good health of your plant.

Edible bamboos

If you have optimal growing conditions (summer heat, rich soil, draining, but cool in summer) you can cultivate for example Arundinartia hindsii or Phyllostachys heterocycla , ‘Henonis’. Take the spears in the manner of asparagus, during spring regrowth, burrowing to their base.