This bamboo won’t overtake your garden. It’s called clumping bamboo, which means it has a short root structure and forms clumps instead of spreading underground like running bamboo.
We currently have clumping Alphonse Karr Hedge, Fernleaf, and Slender Weaver in stock. All three are fast-growing, range in height, and make great privacy screens.
Here are three care tips to get bamboo established in your garden:
1. When planting, make sure to follow the spacing — too far apart can result in them never touching, while too close can cause slow growth and make them leggy. Bamboo does best in acidic soil; amend our native sandy soil with something like the Black Gold® Natural and Organic Garden Compost.
2. Bamboo should never sit in water or soggy soil, as they’re susceptible to rot. They still need a routine watering schedule to get established; once they are, they’re drought tolerant.
3. Bamboo is a heavy feeder. Use a mix higher in nitrogen, the first number in the formula, to promote new growth and green leaves.