transplanting bamboo

Discussion in 'Poaceae' started by tool_man, Sep 21, 2006.

  1. tool_man

    tool_man Member

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    I have a bamboo plant that has outgrown its pot, it was a gift and it really is getting big and I would like to tranplant it to a larger pot. Do I need any special soil or process that I should be aware of.
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    The main problem with bamboos can be the way they stick to the walls of some containers. You may have to break the pot to get it out, if really full.
     
  3. petauridae

    petauridae Active Member

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    I recently planted 7 1-gal bamboos and I had to cut the pots with a carpet knife to get them out. As has been implicated by Ron B, they don't slide out easily like say a flowering plant.
     
  4. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    What kind of bamboo do you have?

    Pot bound bamboos will definitely give you a challenge because of the thick mat of fibrous roots and rhizomes. If the original container is well tapered, you might be able to coax it out using a mallet or hammer to knock the pot off. Failing that, sacrificing the container is inevitable. You should take the opportunity to reduce the size of the clump if you can. Paradoxically, reducing the size of the root ball to 1/3 or 1/2 of it's orginally, in my experience, seems to result in thicker (but fewer) culms - a highly desirable result. But trying to split the root ball can be challenging. If you have access to a electrical reciprocating saw like a Sawzall or TigerSaw, the job is a cinch. If not, use an old or well sharpened machette or square shovel - and I mean well sharpened. Going at it with smaller cutting impliments is just going to take too much sweat equity, let alone Advil for sore muscles.
     
  5. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    The soil must be moisture retentive and drain well. Other than that, the bamboo is usually not fussy. I use Sunshine #4 mix and add water absorbent polymer crystals. Make sure the container drains well. I put a 1 inch layer of lava rock (gravel or anything else hard and larger than the drainage holes of the pot would do - I use lava rock to save on the final weight.) in the bottom of the container, cover this with a porous material - landscape fabric - before putting in the growing mix.
     
  6. tool_man

    tool_man Member

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    not sure what type of Bamboo it is but this is a small pot. something that is about the size if a large coffe mug. I want to put it into a larger pot because it is growing to tall and it is getting thick.
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Skip drainage material in bottom of pot, except in large, wide tubs it actually impedes drainage by causing water to back up and not rush out until soil is flooded. This is due to difference in texture between drainage material and potting soil. Same reason liberal amending of small planting holes is not helpful to the plant, having zones of different textures adversely affects movement of water through root zone of newly planted specimen.
     

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