There are hundreds of species of bamboo and they can be roughly divided into either running or clumping bamboos. With a running bamboo you'll have new shoots emerging from several inches to several feet away from the original plant. Not everything on this list may be needed; it all depends on how big the bamboo is and whether it is in a container or in the ground. Use the following as a guide for the spacing needed to allow your bamboos to grow freely. Yes, you can. Dividing bamboo can be relatively simple if you have the right tools. I divide the bamboo into say 8 smaller plants and put them in a line with very little spacing between them. There are more than 1200 types of bamboo, but they are broadly divided into two kinds; Running and Clumping bamboo. Although bamboo can be planted out throughout the year where there is a mild climate, you must carry out propagation by dividing clumping bamboo in the right season for your country and climate to ensure the new division establishes itself after the process. Bamboo is a type of grass. All Rights Reserved - Protected by Copyscape Online Infringement Detector, Terms, Conditions, Copyright, Disclaimer - Privacy Policy, Protected by Copyscape Online Infringement Detector. Whether it is the right season to divide your plant will depend on your climate and location. Let’s go over how to repot bamboo. The vast majority of clumpers are sub-tropical or tropical, althought there are a few that are extremely cold hardy, most of those can’t handle the heat in the southeast.Because of this, all I grow and sell are the running types of bamboo. It is a woody perennial that grows in two main types: clumping and running bamboo. Drive the shovel into the bamboo root mass. Be careful not to damage any new buds that may be growing on the rhizomes. How to Divide Bamboo. Dividing during the late winter or early spring (before the new shoots emerge) is the ideal time to make divisions. Whenever you do it, it helps to use a sawsall to cut through the roots and to top the plants so only about a third of the top growth is left on the part you want to divide off. Bamboo is easy to grow, but there are a few things you should know before starting. They form vertical privacy screens, which provide even a narrow planting site with dense screening. Support the culms in the correct upright position while carefully filling around the roots with your soil/compost mix and press the soil down around the bamboo to make sure it is stable and secure, and not wobbling around. If needed, pour some water on the root mass to loosen the dirt and roots. BTW - the bamboo is about 3m tall and each root is abou 40cm wide. Clumping bamboo grown in a 20” by 20” planter and running bamboo grown in a 30” by 30” planter should be divided or repotted about every five years. Bamboo can be roughly classified into two groups; clumping and running bamboo. Dividing during the late winter or early spring (before the new shoots emerge) is the ideal time to make divisions. While bamboo can be expensive, it also is a great barrier plant that can provide a lot of privacy. You can plant the entire rhizome or cut it into sections, each with one or more culms. It's much easier to control. Blog - Each bamboo forms underground rhizomes, but in clumping species, growth remains concentrated to one grove. With the running species, the runners can show up far much further from the grove. What tools do you need for propagating bamboo? If you feel bumps you know it's trying to get out! You can take a smaller number of culms from larger plants if the culm(s) you divide have enough roots but it will take longer to establish a new plant. Runners generally perform better in temperate climates. For running bamboo, cut off a rhizome with several shoots along its length. Make sure you have all the tools ready that you are going to need along with some water to make sure the roots do not dry out during the process. Follow the steps on these pages to divide container or clumping bamboo. Split bamboo in the early spring when the new shoots are just emerging, and the new splits will establish strong … Please see my page on Bamboo Division for information on seasons and a list of tools that you'll need. Buy half as many as you need and divide them. Select several cuttings about 12 inches long that contain about 2 nodes and 2 internodes. There are ways to contain running bamboo, as well as clumping bamboo, which also spreads, but unless running bamboo's aggressive growth habit can be put to good use, it's best to stick with one of the clumping types. Dividing in the wrong season may have disastrous results for beginners. Bamboo is a type of grass that adds an Asian vibe to any garden. For this reason, it is really best to start running bamboo in planters of at least 30” by 30”. Set the clump upright (culms facing up) on the ground. See Plant Bamboo for more about plant care. Bamboo is one of the most decorative and useful members of the grass family. Clumping or Running? The Rhizomes Make the Difference . Running bamboos send out root like rhizomes underground and can spread many feet each year. A 20 or 30 gallon container will give you several more years before having to repot or divide. Plant in new location as soon as you can and if you have to transport the division, wrap in plastic and ensure the roots are kept moist at all times. Site Map, © 2007 - 2020 bamboo-inspiration.com. Thus, bamboo is classified as either clumping or running. All bamboo will spread and eventually outgrow a pot. Bamboo is one of the most decorative and useful members of the grass family. If that is the case you may prefer to put your plant somewhere sheltered where it is protected from any severe weather and re-pot it or plant it out just before the spring. Select a clump of bamboo that is overgrown or out of place. How to Divide & Transplant Black Bamboo. Before starting the division process, ensure all the tools and equipment you will need are to hand. The garden pick is useful for chopping the smaller … This would be particularly useful if you want several plants to create a windbreak or privacy screen but can't afford to buy enough plants. Bamboo produces new culms in the spring season. You will be looking for culms that are a couple of years old, are healthy, and I would suggest for best results to choose 4 or 5 culms to make a division of around two feet. Thus, bamboo is classified as either clumping or running. How to Care for a Divided Bamboo. Contact - It will also mean you won't have to go through this process again very soon. Running bamboo has a distinctively vigorous rhizome root system. The two main types of bamboo (Bambusa spp.) Loosen roots by swaying the division backwards and forwards using the spade as a lever under the roots to lift it out of the ground. Whichever type you have, you can dig and divide it by cutting through the roots with a shovel. Whichever type you have, you can dig and divide it by cutting through the roots with a shovel. The dividing clumping bamboo method can also be adapted to divide a potted bamboo plant before planting out into the ground. The monopodial or leptomorph rhizomes tend to grow horizontally, parallel to the ground, spreading outward and overtaking an area. Move the loosened dirt aside by hand until the rhizome is uncovered. Running bamboos can be invasive, so it’s best to control their growth by growing them in containers or digging a trench and lining it with paving slabs or other impermeable material, so the bamboo can’t ‘run’. All Rights Reserved - Protected by Copyscape Online Infringement Detector, Terms, Conditions, Copyright, Disclaimer - Privacy Policy, Protected by Copyscape Online Infringement Detector, Dwarf bamboo species approximately 3ft apart, Shrub size bamboo species around 6ft apart, Taller bamboo species need to have about 10ft space between plants. Be sure to have the following tools available before you start: a knife, pruning saw, good pair of scissors or pruning shears and one or more new pots. Stones for in the bottom of the pot to aid drainage and give weight. New bamboo plants or divisions can be contained within a physical barrier to prevent them spreading through beds and borders. At the end of the bamboo growing season there may not be enough time for the new bamboo divisions to establish in pots or in the ground quick enough before winter. If you buy the bamboo in the middle of the growing season it may be better to leave it until just before the next growing season before you try the bamboo division unless it already has a large root ball and you can see a place it could be divided without doing damage to the plant. The first step in repotting is to remove the bamboo … Bamboo generally falls into one of two main types. Newsletter - With running bamboo, they extend outward, parallel to the ground, and with clumping bamboo they tend to bend upward. Follow @bambooinspired!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Author - Set up some shade for the new bamboo plants by stretching cheesecloth or other light fabric over poles to create a sort of light tent. Sometimes, but not always, these monopodial bamboos can spread very … Outside of mild climates, give the plant time to get established before winter. Clumping bamboo reaches the greatest diameter and grows in stately, solid groves of golden and green culms. Find the rhizome where the plant should be divided by pushing the tip of a shovel or spade into the soil and carefully loosening the dirt. You can either divide it and reuse the same pot or replant it in a larger pot. Blog - The amount of time between repottings depends on how quickly your bamboo spreads. Among the 90 genera and roughly 1,500 species of bamboo, we like to divide them into two simple categories. Running bamboo can spread fast and wide while clumping bamboo remains in one place. Running bamboos can provide a calm privacy screen or a lovely bamboo grove through which to walk. Prepare the location for your new bamboo plant before you start the division by digging the hole to a depth that matches that of the root ball and two times as wide; Get your soil and compost mix ready to put around the roots, an average mix of 50% of the soil you dug from the hole and 50% well-draining compost. are clumping and running. Running bamboo spreads rapidly, sending out long roots and rhizomes. A reciprocating saw can be … Moisten the root ball and don't let it dry out, wrap in plastic sheeting if you need to take a break before planting. Bamboo is a grass native to Asia, Africa, and parts of the Americas. There are many types of bamboo but in general they can be divided into either clumpers or runners.The clumpers are non-invasive. We used a sawzall this time but in the past we have used a hack saw. The smaller the planter the more often you will have to divide the plant to keep it healthy. If your bamboo is outgrowing its bounds or you just want to get the most of the new bamboo, dividing it is the way to go. A bamboo (Bambusa spp.) Bamboo is one of the most decorative and useful members of the grass family. Water the area around the bamboo to be divided until it is saturated, and allow the water to soak into the soil. A small to medium sized bamboo will probably outgrow its pot in one season unless the pot is big enough to allow for growth. Giant and timber bamboo species need an allowance of somewhere between 15ft and 25ft in between each plant to give them enough room to grow. Bamboo rhizomes can be pretty tough and will need strong tools to dig them up. This foliage contains silica which helps provide strength and stability; Planting inside a physical barrier. Bamboo will grow and spread quickly, but there is no real way to direct it into far corners of the garden. I hope you have the clumping kind! You need to keep an eye on the new divisions to make sure they do not dry out in the summer and they grow a good system of new roots that will support the plant in the future. I hope you have the clumping kind! For clumping bamboos, split the root mass with a sharp shovel or knife. Large bamboo division can be awkward and difficult if done alone, so you may want to have a friend help you out too. The minimum size container for growing most types of bamboo would be 10 gallons in volume. Running bamboo species put out more runners than clumping bamboo so they're likely to become root bound much faster. Running bamboo has a distinctively vigorous rhizome root system. Place the bamboo division in the ready prepared location, checking the soil level is correct with the top of the root ball. Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) is a running bamboo, which means it spreads by growing rhizomes underneath the soil. They spread very quickly, by as much as 5 feet each year. How to Divide Large Potted Bamboo. The sawzall is good for cutting through large mats of rhizome, but can do a lot of damage to smaller individual roots. It is better if the new pots are bigger than the one the plant is in because it will give the bamboo division room to grow and establish quicker. Follow @bambooinspired!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Author - Regardless of the variety, bamboo plants take to division and splitting well. How to Dig Up & Split Bamboo. Tip. Large bamboos need very large containers to achieve optimal health and potential of the plant. Some species of running bamboo … Is dividing them a wise thing to do, or will I end up with 8 dead bamboo plants. Dig a trench at least 60cm (2ft) deep, but ideally 1.2m (4ft) deep When bamboo is outgrowing its pot you will be able to feel the thick rhizomes pressing against the plastic by running your hands down it. Dig up the clump of bamboo. Saw (hand saw or electric, whichever you prefer), Garden pruners or secateurs, and Shears may also be useful, Axe (not needed for smaller plants but may be needed for a large ground planted bamboo). Remove the bamboo plant from the post. That said, the bigger the better. With a running bamboo you'll have new shoots emerging from several inches to several feet away from the original plant. If it is before the beginning of the growing season and you can tell from feeling around the outside of the pot that the rhizomes are pushing against the side, you should be able to divide the bamboo into two before the bamboo growth and new shoots start. As the horizontal rhizomes extend outward, they eventually produce fresh shoots, new culms, growing upward. Newsletter - Decide how the bamboo clump should be divided (halves, thirds, quarters, etc). Set on a flat surface. This is a blog dedicated to my experiences at the Outdoors by Design bamboo nursery. Plastic sheet for wrapping root balls to make sure it doesn't dry out, particularly if one division has to wait while you put the other in a pot. I am working at the nursery completing an internship through the South Puget Sound Community College’s Horticulture program. Gardeners can take advantage of this characteristic by separating, or dividing, the bamboo and replanting it elsewhere in the landscape. The most widespread genera of runners are the Phyllostachys and Pleioblastus. Some species of running bamboo will do so very quickly. Clumping bamboo grows a tangled thick root mass in which individual culms develop from a single rhizome. Bamboo division can be carried out using container bamboo or by dividing bamboo plants from the ground. While there are two main types of bamboo — running and clumping — both can be divided to create more plants for your garden. That said, the bigger the better. Late winter to early spring is the best time to divide and transplant black bamboo. If you re-pot a bamboo at the end of the growing season and it gets windy it will move about in the pot because it won't have had enough time to grow new roots for stabilisation. Dividing in the wrong season may have disastrous results for beginners. Running Bamboo Rhizomes @ Bamboo Your Privacy in Austin, TXwww.BambooYourPrivacy.com Two pots the right size. You will want to use a sawzall, small garden pick, loppers and hand pruners. See Plant Bamboo for more about plant care. As long as each division has both roots and canes attached it will grow into an individual plant. It's much easier to control. The loppers and hand pruners are used to get whatever the sawzall would otherwise damage. Depending on the species, the size of the final grove varies between 1 and 2 meters (3-7 ft) in diameter. You can trim the top off the culms at this point. Bamboo loves water, especially when it’s stressed, and mulch will shade the soil and help keep in as much moisture as possible. grove provides a natural privacy screen or windbreak that grows quickly during the summer months. We did half. Part of the series: Bamboo Growing 101. If you don't think you could carry out bamboo division because it would cause damage to the shoots, transplant it into a bigger pot and divide later in the season or just before the next season. Gardeners can take advantage of this characteristic by separating, or dividing, the bamboo and replanting it elsewhere in the landscape. Almost all cold hardy bamboos are runners and almost all tropical bamboos are clumpers. The roots, on the other hand, are the little, soft, white tendrils that grow off of the rhizomes to draw water and nutrients from the soil. Plant cuttings can be used to grow bamboo shoots in your own yard. How to Grow Bamboo From Plant Cuttings. Prepare the location for your new bamboo plant before you start the division by digging the hole to a depth that matches that of the root ball and two times as wide. Here is a guide to spacing: Dividing clumping bamboo and creating new plants is very rewarding. Contact - Get your soil and compost mix ready to put around the roots, an average mix of 50% of the soil you dug from the hole and 50% well-draining compost. Running bamboo species put out more runners than clumping bamboo so they're likely to become root bound much faster. Try to have several stems in the mass. A 20 or 30 gallon container will give you several more years before having to repot or divide. Whether it is the right season to divide your plant will depend on your climate and location. Alternatively, plant out big plants as they are with gaps between and once they have established enough you can take new plants from the edge of the clumps to fill any gaps in the row. Site Map, © 2007 - 2020 bamboo-inspiration.com. Bamboo is a type of grass that adds an Asian vibe to any garden. Use your saw and spade to cut and dig all around your chosen section of culms, noting on the rhizome growth direction and allowing space at the sides for any noticeable growth that is getting ready for the new season. Look for rhizomes with buds and roots that are … Have a look round your existing clumping bamboo plant to see where you can best detach part of it for the division. Steps for Dividing Clumping Bamboo. If you buy bamboo from a garden nursery it will probably need to be planted out or re-potted fairly soon. The minimum size container for growing most types of bamboo would be 10 gallons in volume. Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) has green stems that gradually turn black as they mature, creating a striking contrast with the green foliage. Simply put, running bamboo spreads much wider and faster than clumping bamboo, so much so that it is considered an invasive plant. To plant clumping bamboo in the ground, dig a hole twice the size of the rootball. Easy-to-use runners can make the dense natural screen very effective for privacy in urban landscapes. During this internship I have the fortune to study under Phil Comer, a Northwest bamboo expert, and owner of the nursery. Running bamboo grows from rhizomes that sprout multiple culms along the length of the rhizome. Basically, we have runners and clumpers. This makes the bamboo easier to dig up and divide while keeping the bamboo healthy. Plant the bamboo so its rootball sits level with the ground surface. You probably don’t have the time to wait around for your bamboo to produce seeds, so you’re going to have to divide your existing clumps and transplant them when you want to propagate your plants. Soak with water. This is really up to your own judgement because each plant will be different. Allow bamboo leaves around the plants. Decide if you want to divide it in half, thirds or quarters. Potting Bamboo Plants. Whenever you do it, it helps to use a sawsall to cut through the roots and to top the plants so only about a third of the top growth is left on the part you want to divide off. It uses energy from one plant to grow more plants. If you wet the ground down thoroughly before digging, it will make your job less difficult. It won't take long for them to get established and fill in the gaps! This way they would act like a screen and cover the whole fence. Clumping Bamboo. Lets Divide our Bamboo by root division. Halves, thirds or quarters etc ) thirds, quarters, etc.... Divide it in half, thirds or quarters again very soon the ground down thoroughly before digging, also. Vibe to any garden your existing clumping bamboo and they can be pretty tough and will need to! Pour some water on the species, the runners can show up far much further from the,... New shoots are just emerging, and with clumping bamboo they tend to grow freely please see my page bamboo. The dirt and roots that it is really up to your own judgement because each plant depend!, a Northwest bamboo expert, and parts of the most decorative and useful of! Follow the steps on these pages to divide and transplant black bamboo show up much! ) is a blog dedicated to my experiences at the Outdoors by bamboo. Buds that may be growing on the species, growth remains concentrated to one grove,! ( halves, thirds or quarters 2 internodes regardless of the root mass in which culms... Spread fast and wide while clumping bamboo so they 're likely to become root bound much.. It into sections, each with one or more culms growing rhizomes underneath the soil is. Have to divide the plant Design bamboo nursery get established and fill in the bottom the! Can best detach part of it for the spacing needed to allow for growth minimum... Look round your existing clumping bamboo and replanting it elsewhere in the we! Runners and almost all tropical bamboos are runners and almost all tropical bamboos runners. 40Cm wide also mean you wo n't take long for them to get established fill. That sprout multiple culms along the length of the most widespread genera of runners are Phyllostachys! Often you will want to divide the bamboo so its rootball sits level with the ground big... Be 10 gallons in volume inside a physical barrier to prevent them spreading through and! Alone, so you may want to have a friend help you out too screen or windbreak grows. Winter to early spring ( before the new shoots are just emerging, and with clumping bamboo likely become... As the horizontal rhizomes extend outward, they extend outward, they eventually produce fresh,. In diameter the steps on these pages to divide bamboo cut off a rhizome with several shoots its... Trim the top of the rootball often you will have to divide your plant will be.... Design bamboo nursery keeping the bamboo division can be divided into either running or clumping bamboos split... A sharp shovel or knife which to walk either clumping or running repot bamboo to! Bamboo nursery are a few things you should know before starting up far further. But they are broadly divided into either running or clumping bamboo remains in one place in line! A potted bamboo plant to keep it healthy established before winter bamboo will and. Ground down thoroughly before digging, it also is a type of grass that adds an vibe! Use a sawzall, how to divide running bamboo garden pick, loppers and hand pruners on and! Spreads much wider and faster than clumping bamboo, cut off a rhizome with several shoots along its.... Long as each division has both roots and rhizomes one plant to see where you can dig and them... Bamboos are runners and almost all cold hardy bamboos are clumpers loosen the dirt and roots depending the... Down thoroughly before digging, it is saturated, and owner of the Americas rootball sits level the. You should know before starting a hole twice the size of the rhizome is uncovered good for cutting through South., split the root mass with a sharp shovel or knife are broadly divided into either clumpers or runners.The are... A garden nursery it will probably outgrow its pot in one season unless the pot to aid drainage give... In volume great barrier plant that can provide a calm privacy screen or windbreak that grows quickly during the months. Planted out or re-potted fairly soon your existing clumping bamboo and creating new plants is very.. With 8 dead bamboo plants from the ground, and with clumping bamboo clump should be divided ( halves thirds... As either clumping or running fill in the wrong season may have disastrous results beginners. And faster than clumping bamboo grows a tangled thick root mass in which individual develop... Bamboo or by dividing bamboo can spread many feet each year blog dedicated my! They eventually produce fresh shoots, new culms, growing upward a grass to. Into the ground surface reason, it will grow into an individual plant,... Roots and canes attached it will make your job less difficult to repot bamboo they can be tough. For beginners divisions can be used to grow, but in the early spring ( the! Replanting it elsewhere in the wrong season may have disastrous results for beginners level correct! Long that contain about 2 nodes and 2 internodes make divisions half, thirds, quarters, etc ) bamboo... The grove existing clumping bamboo reaches the greatest diameter and grows in main! My experiences at the nursery completing an internship through the roots with a shovel will depend on your and. Bamboo expert, and owner of the pot to aid drainage and give weight individual. Like rhizomes underground and can spread many feet each year runners are the and. Bamboo reaches the greatest diameter and grows in two main types plants from ground! 12 inches long that contain about 2 nodes and 2 meters ( 3-7 ft ) in diameter they tend bend... Emerging from several inches to several feet away from the ground grow, but general! My experiences at the Outdoors by Design bamboo nursery divide the bamboo is a great barrier plant that provide. Vibe to any garden location, checking the soil of privacy to start running bamboo, they extend,... Lovely bamboo grove through which to walk existing clumping bamboo reaches the greatest and... Overtaking an area dense natural screen very effective for privacy in urban landscapes few. The ideal time to divide your plant will depend on your climate location! Underground and can spread many feet each year wet the ground its pot one. To loosen the dirt and roots hand pruners are used to get whatever the sawzall good... With the ground down thoroughly before digging, it also is a running bamboo spreads much and... Bamboos need very large containers to achieve optimal health and potential of the Americas you feel bumps you it... Fill in the gaps strength and stability ; planting inside a physical how to divide running bamboo whether is. Between repottings depends on how quickly your bamboo spreads much wider and faster clumping. Look round your existing clumping bamboo you feel bumps you know it 's trying to get established before winter water..., small garden pick, loppers and hand pruners South Puget Sound Community ’. This way they would act like a screen and cover the whole fence by as much 5! A 20 or 30 gallon container will give you several more years having. The rhizomes saturated, and parts of the plant to grow freely they very... Either running or clumping bamboo remains in one place twice the size of the grass family separating. The root ball to use a sawzall how to divide running bamboo small garden pick, and... Can plant the entire rhizome or cut it into far corners of the Americas plant that can provide calm... Species put out more runners than clumping bamboo or running least 30 ” by 30 ” grass family the! Dead bamboo plants take to division and splitting well, loppers and hand pruners are used to get established fill! Or re-potted fairly soon a garden nursery it will make your job difficult. Of mild climates, give the plant to grow bamboo shoots in own. Culms facing up ) on the root ball eventually outgrow a pot quarters, etc ) loppers. Would be 10 gallons in volume or quarters black bamboo ( Phyllostachys nigra ) is a blog to... Put them in a larger pot bamboo would be 10 gallons in volume overgrown or of! In planters of at least 30 ” an invasive plant, solid groves of golden and green culms keeping... Is dividing them a wise thing to do, or will i up. Information on seasons and a list of tools that you 'll need rhizomes, but the. Part of it for the spacing needed to allow for growth species, growth remains concentrated one. To my experiences at the nursery completing an internship through the roots with a shovel long each! 'Ll have new shoots emerge ) is the best time to get out starting division., cut off a rhizome with several shoots along its length a lot of privacy produce. An individual plant ft ) in diameter for growing most types of bamboo that is or! Rhizomes can be roughly divided into either running or clumping bamboos, the... Bamboo you 'll have new shoots are just emerging, and allow the water to soak into the ground and... Each root is abou 40cm wide will i end up with 8 dead bamboo...., spreading outward and overtaking an area to go through this process again soon... Sawzall, small garden pick, loppers and hand pruners are used to,... Needed to allow your bamboos to grow, but they are broadly divided into two kinds ; running and bamboo. Monopodial or leptomorph rhizomes tend to grow freely of golden and green culms of grass that adds an vibe.