Can you have a potted bamboo?

Image – Wikimedia/Neo

Can you have a potted bamboo? And of course I’m talking about real bamboosand not of those other plants which, without having any relation to them, are also known by this name, as is the case of bamboo or areca (Dypsis lutescens), or Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena braunii).

So, focusing only on bamboo, it should be noted that it is a rhizomatous plant, which means that new stems can sprout from the same roots. This is their way of colonizing a territory. SO, it is at least interesting to wonder whether or not its root system might be able to break a pot if our intention is to grow one in a container.

Is it viable to have a potted bamboo all its life?

Image – Wikimedia/Matt Lavin // raddia brasiliensis

To answer this question correctly, you must first know that there are about a thousand different species classified in about 120 botanical genera. roughly a distinction is made between woody bamboos, such as Phyllostachys or Dendrocalamus, and herbaceous ones such as Raddia or Pariana.

Having said that, It is important to say that woody bamboos cannot be kept in a pot, as they are plants that can reach several meters in height, develop very thick stems (some up to 30 centimeters wide) and also have a strong root system. That’s not to say they can’t be grown in pots for a while, as long as they’re young and ‘tender’, but we wouldn’t recommend it as they need a lot of room to grow, so having them in pots slows down their growth. grows a lot.

Another different topic would be herbaceous bamboos. These don’t have such strong roots, and since they don’t grow so tall either (many don’t exceed a meter in height), they can be grown in containers.

How to maintain a potted bamboo?

For this, you have to take into account several things, such as choosing a good pot and a good substrate, and of course, the place where it is going to be placed so that the plant can grow well. So let’s take a step-by-step look at everything you need to know and do if your intention is to keep a potted bamboo for a while:

Choose a suitable pot

We said above that the roots of these plants are strong, especially those of woody bamboos, therefore, we recommend planting it in a clay pot. And it is that the plastic ones can soon break.

In addition to that, it is important that there is at least one hole in the base through which the water can escape, although it is better to have several so that the drainage is perfect. And as for the size, it should be about four inches wider and taller than the container you currently have.

Put a quality substrate

Yes, bamboo is a very resilient plant, but if you put poor quality soil on it, sooner or later its health will suffer.

For him, it is strongly advised to opt for universal or specific substrates for green plants of certain popular brands, such as Flower or Fertiberia. This way you will ensure that your bamboo is healthy and therefore beautiful.

water it

Potted bamboo should be watered to prevent the roots from drying out. But how often should you do it? In general, It should be watered as the soil dries out.. During the summer, this will be done more often than the rest of the year, as climatic conditions accelerate the loss of moisture from the soil.

Thus, you will have to water your bamboo more or less three times a week during the summer period, as long as it does not rain and you see for yourself that the soil really dries out and therefore needs water. In autumn and winter, the frequency of irrigation will be lower.

Feed him as he grows

Potted bamboo should be fertilized from time to time. This will be done during the growing months, i.e. from spring until late summer. For that, you must use fertilizer for green plantsfollowing the instructions on the container label.

Transplant it if necessary

Whatever type of bamboo you have, whether woody or herbaceous, you will need to plant it in an increasingly larger pot as it grows. SO do not hesitate to see if the roots come out through the holes of this one every 2 or 3 yearsand if so, plant it in a taller one in the spring.

Protect it from the cold

Many bamboos – especially herbaceous ones – are very sensitive to cold, this is the case of those I mentioned earlier such as Pariana or Raddia. For him, You must protect them from low temperatures. In this article you will see which bamboos resist the cold:

Related article:

types of bamboo

I hope he has the form.