Bamboo is a fast-growing perennial plant that grows in the wild in the tropical and subtropical zones of Asian countries. It is wrong to call a plant a tree; it is a representative of the cereal family. In conditions of temperate latitudes it is grown in winter gardens, apartments.
In the southern latitudes it is cultivated in open ground. Due to active growth, the ability to form a strong trunk, ordinary bamboo has become a symbol of endurance, fortitude.
Bamboo description
The stems of the plant are correctly called straws. They quickly lignify, branch only in the upper part. Under natural conditions, shoots grow up to 50 meters. The leaves are long, lanceolate. Spikelet shoots are located singly in some species; in others, they grow in groups. Bamboo rarely blooms after 10 or more years. After ripening, the grains die off completely, only under favorable conditions does the living root remain. A distinctive feature of the plant is the simultaneous flowering of most shrubs in one territory.
Bamboo has long been used as a building material. A hollow light stem (straw) is appreciated for its decorativeness, it is often used to create original interiors.
Types and varieties of bamboo
Among the numerous species, the most popular are several:
- Saza is grown in Japanese gardens, there are dwarf and long-growing varieties, the height of the stems from 25 cm to 2.5 meters. Leaves of a Kuril saza up to 13 cm long reach 25 mm wide. Saza Nebulosa resembles a palm tree; the Vichy variety has a golden hue.
- Fargesia or Chinese bamboo is a group of medium-sized plants. The length of the sheet plates is up to 10 cm wide and up to 15 mm
Sectioned up to 40 types of fargesia for home cultivation, winter gardens:
- Shiny tolerates frosts well, painlessly hibernates in open ground, stems with lignification acquire a pleasant dark brown color;
- New collection is appreciated for the exterior: a dark cherry trunk with a purple tint contrasts juicy greens;
- McClue grows up to 3.5 meters high, the variety is used for linear planting, masking fences, trellises;
- Eisenach, Great Wall - varieties of bamboo with small thin dark green leaves, these varieties are used to create hedges;
- Simba, Jumbo, Bimbo - low-growing varieties for home growing.
Phyllostachis is a tall species of bamboo with short internodes, flattened or fluted colored stems:
- black (trunks begin to darken after two years of growth);
- with golden grooves and purple thickening;
- light blue, exotic coloring begins to show when the shoot is numb in the second year of life, this heat-loving variety is used in landscape design;
- green, not all varieties of bamboo change the color of the stem during growth;
- tan, this contrast traditional for bamboo is often combined with a different shade of internodes.
Pleioblastus - dwarf species, among which there are variegated. Shrub suitable for home growing.
Features of growing bamboo in the open field
Cold-resistant species of bamboo grow in mid-latitudes, tolerate frosts down to -20 ° С. For a plant on the site, well-lit areas protected from the wind are chosen. In winter, the snow should linger on the landings; if the wind blows it, the bamboo will freeze.
The plant is transplanted from April to June, in the phase of active root growth. The soil is needed loose, light. On clay, heavy, scarce soils, bamboo does not take root, begins to wither, and quickly perishes. Soil is required with a neutral reaction or slightly acidic. It is advisable to use nutritious soil with a high content of humus.
Outdoor bamboo planting
It is recommended to prepare pits for spring planting in the fall. They are made deep, up to 40 cm. The soil extracted from the pit is mixed with humus in a 1: 1 ratio. In winter, the landing pit is filled only at 1/3 of the depth, making a small tubercle. The rest of the soil is laid next to the hole. If it is not possible to prepare a place for planting in the fall, before planting the bamboo, a hole is shed well, left for 3-4 days, and the ground is allowed to settle.
Before planting, bamboo is specially prepared: an earthen lump is well saturated with water, completely immersing the pot in water. Leave for at least 2 hours. After that, the plant is carefully removed in an inclined position so as not to damage the roots. The latter is straightened, planted bamboo, covered with soil. Then shed with water. The soil after planting must be compacted, crushed with their feet so that there are no voids, only the top 5 cm is left loose.
Outdoor bamboo care
Agricultural technology of growing bamboo comes down to regular watering, top dressing, thinning, so that the shoots do not interfere with each other. Each item should be said in more detail.
Watering
After planting, the cuttings need abundant watering for the first few weeks. Only with frequent rainfall does the soil not additionally moisten. To preserve moisture, the soil around the young seedlings is sprinkled with dried humus, the earth warms up better. If it is not possible to often water young plants, the soil around them is pulled in with a dark film, when it is heated, water begins to rise from a depth, goes to the roots. In summer with abundant dew, during rains watering is reduced. Adult plants moisturize no more than 2 times a week (taking into account rainfall). With a close occurrence of groundwater, it is necessary to individually approach the irrigation regime. When water stagnates, the leaves will turn yellow. Between watering it is advisable to regularly loosen the soil to a depth of 5 cm.
Pruning
Sanitary spring pruning is to remove damaged, twisted, frozen stems. Thick plantings thin out so that the sun penetrates into the depths. When cutting, the stem is removed at ground level without leaving a stump, or in a knot. The stalk cut off above the internode begins to grow, it will have to be cut again. In autumn, no more than ¼ shoots are removed, cut stems are usually left to winter on plantings, and they are used to create winter shelters that protect from frost.
Top dressing
In the spring, organics are added to stimulate active growth. In addition to nitrogen fertilizers use mineral, the optimal ratio of phosphates, nitrogen, potassium 3: 4: 2. In the fall, increase the volume of phosphorus (4: 4: 2). The earth is loosened, dry granules are closed into the soil to a depth of 3 cm, top dressing is applied at the rate of 1 tablespoon (standard box) per 1 square meter.
Wintering
To preserve the roots in frosts in areas with little snow, the trunk circle is covered with a mulch layer from 5 to 10 cm. For this purpose, dried wood shavings, hay or dry grass are used. Some gardeners cover bamboo with dry leaves. In this case, it is advisable to first treat them with insecticides. For snow protection, dry branches are used, they are stuck in the ground around the landings.
It is important that bamboo survive the first winter, it is the most difficult for the plant. The trunk of heat-loving varieties dies at -17 ° C; for the root system, a temperature below -8 ° C is not recommended. With a 15-centimeter layer of snow, frosts are not afraid of landings.
Home indoor bamboo care
Growing indoor bamboo is in many ways similar to cultivating it in open ground. For convenience, the care algorithm is tabulated.
| Factor | Description |
| Location and Light | Florists recommend placing bamboo on windows facing east or west, diffused light will provide a mesh curtain. With a lack of sun, the plant will drop leaves. |
| Temperature | The optimal mode for growth is from +18 to 25 ° С, the shrub tolerates high temperature in summer days without stress, a sharp difference between night and day temperature is undesirable. |
| Priming | Bamboo is not whimsical; soil for any flowers, gourds, tomatoes, universal soil is suitable for it. At the bottom when landing, drainage is laid. |
| Capacity | It is advisable to choose a clay pot so that it breathes. It is important to immediately choose a deep and wide capacity, the plant needs room. |
| Watering | The earthen lump should not dry out; it is moistened as it dries. Young shoots are watered abundantly only in the first month of growth. In winter, it is important to prevent stagnation of water. |
| Humidity | It is advisable to wipe bamboo leaves weekly so that dust does not accumulate on them. Wet sprayings are carried out infrequently, only in the evenings after hot days the plant is allowed to rest from the heat. |
| Top dressing | The whole complex of minerals and organic matter is needed. It is advisable to choose top dressing for dracaenas, if they are not, it is permissible to use the universal agricola for indoor plants. |
Mr. Summer resident informs: ways to grow bamboo at home
At home, the plant develops well in water. It is enough to change it once a week. Indoor varieties are unpretentious, they quickly gain weight, give layering. It is allowed to add growth stimulants and fertilizers to the water (1/3 of the recommended amount so that there is no stress for the sprout). In indoor conditions or a winter garden with soil cultivation, bamboo stems reach a height of 2 meters. For a short time, flower growers create real tropical thickets. It is important to feed the culture in a timely manner, not to let the water stagnate.
Plastic is not recommended for cultivation, it is better to choose glass or stainless steel containers of large volume, it is permissible to use high jugs. Vessels are placed near a window or light source. The plant gives a good growth under the phytolamp. Water for bamboo shoots is preliminarily stand in an open container so that chlorine evaporates.
Filtered or tap water is not suitable for the plant. The plant responds very well to melt water.
Bamboo propagation
Indoor bamboo seeds practically do not propagate, it is too difficult and long to grow seedlings in this way.
A more productive method of propagation is considered to be cuttings. For these purposes, young shoots are used, they are cut in the spring from the main stem of a mature plant. The cuttings are separated without damaging, planted in moist soil for rooting.
The composition of the soil is described above. At the bottom of the landing tank lay drainage. In order not to engage in plant transplantation after 1-2 years, place a seedling in a large pot. The size of the cuttings does not matter.
Cuttings are carried out together with transplanting the plants into a new container, 3-5 cm larger in diameter and depth than the previous one. It is better to do this in the spring. Cuttings adapt well, take root with proper care. Drying of a wet coma should not be allowed.
Diseases and pests of bamboo
Many species of plants are resistant to disease, are not affected by pests. Only some are attacked by spider mites, they are attracted to succulent greens. For the treatment of affected stems and leaves, any acaricides are used, they are bred according to the instructions. Spraying is carried out in the evening, in calm weather, using personal protective equipment.
Worms sometimes appear, these small insects are afraid of plant or chemical insecticides.
Of the fungal diseases, spotted “rust” of leaves is characteristic of bamboo; it actively develops in cool, damp weather. For preventive purposes, the soil is treated with dry phytosporin. When stains appear, fungicides are used.
Yellowing leaves in the autumn is not considered a disease, the plant drops 25 to 50% of the foliage for wintering. In the summer, yellowing occurs from chlorosis, leaf blades become transparent, brittle due to lack of nutrients, with an excess of chlorine in the soil (salinity of the soil). After top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers, yellowness disappears.
