Bamboo is one of the most versatile
Plants in the world. The wood from bamboo is extremely light, strong, and durable, yet it grows far faster than even much softer woods. For all of its marvelous strength as a building material, it can also be processed to create some of the softest fabric available today. All of this is in a
Plant that is also very disease-resistant, easy to grow, and quite beautiful. For these reasons and more, it is quickly becoming a popular choice as a
Landscape Plant. Big bamboo is especially popular as a privacy
Plant for it's extraordinarily quick growth. With a little care, it can be an excellent addition to your garden or
Landscape.
Choosing the Right Bamboo Plant for You
The main considerations when choosing your bamboo should be hardiness. This is a pretty simple thing to factor in, as any reputable nursery or Plant source will be able to tell you the hardiness by zone of any bamboo they sell. When choosing your bamboo, keep in mind the eventual height and potential for invasiveness. Many types of bamboo spread rapidly, and this can become a problem in coming years. To reduce this, either choose a bamboo that is of a non-running or clumping type or install a spread barrier. A spread barrier can be just a sheet of thick plastic (about 40 mil) creating an underground border defining the edge of the area in which you want your bamboo to be spread. Bury your plastic from the surface to around three feet deep to block the rhizomes from spreading the Plant underground. The height to which some big bamboo varieties grow can also surprise many new growers. Most common varieties can be trimmed fairly easily to a wide range of heights, but trimming the top ten feet off of a thirty-five foot tall Plant can be somewhat difficult. Thus, it is sometimes best to keep upward growth limitations in mind when choosing your bamboo if you won't be willing or able to trim it down.
Planting Bamboo
Choose a spot for your bamboo that gets a fair amount of sun; either full sun for part of the day or filtered sun all day. Most bamboo types do well near water, but don't thrive with wet roots, especially when young. For most bamboos, Plant in a moderately acidic, loamy soil. In very heavy soil, digging organic material into the dirt where you are Planting can make a big difference, as can heavy mulching (which will attract earthworms, who will loosen the soil for you). Depth and hole size will vary depending on the type of bamboo you're Planting, so following the instructions of your Plant source is best. Generally, though, you'll dig a hole to about the same depth as the root ball and break up the soil around it to allow the roots room to grow out. Water thoroughly once you've filled in around the root ball, and keep the Plant watered for the first several weeks, taking care not to overwater (the ground should be moist but not wet a few minutes after watering). Too little water is better than too much water for newly transPlanted bamboo, but keep in mind that new bamboo in hot or windy weather will need more water. The best time to Plant bamboo varies by area, but spring is usually best, as it will give the bamboo Plant lots of time to establish itself before winter comes. However, in mild climates most of the year works well, and even in cooler climates nearly any warm part of the year will work, so long as there is time for your bamboo to get established for winter.
Bamboo Plant Care
Bamboo is a pretty versatile, adapting Plant, and if you've chosen the right type for your area and Planted it in a good spot, it should do well with very little care once established. However, if you want to maximize growth, there are three important parts of bamboo care to keep in mind: mulching, fertilizing, and watering. A thick mulch can do a great deal to protect the roots of your bamboo, especially if you are growing bamboo that is only borderline hardy to your area or if Planting later in the year, and it can also provide nutrients and help the soil to stay moist. Just about any organic mulch will work. The leaves that fall from your bamboo throughout the year, and especially in spring, are best left on the ground where they can act as part of the mulch and recycle nutrients back into the soil. Grass is the best mulch for bamboo, but hay and wood chippings are also great choices. For quickest growth, fertilize in the Spring after the Plant is well established. A general chemical fertilizer is OK, but a light layer of cow manure (or any other cool manure) will work better (as well as being cheaper and better for the environment). Bamboo does pretty well without too much water, but if you want your Plants to thrive throughout the dry seasons, you'll need to water them regularly, letting the ground dry out between waterings.
Bamboo is an extremely tough Plant, capable of surviving many types of mistreatment. It is also a beautiful Plant with unique characteristics that make it a perfect Plant for privacy, sound dampening, or just as an accent for almost any property or garden. 
