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There are plenty of bamboo to choose from that are suitable for container growing, from low growers of few inches to tall varieties of 3m (10 foot) or more. So if you don’t have a lot of space in your garden for growing bamboo then bamboo grown in containers is your answer. Even a large garden with plenty of growing space will benefit from bamboo grown in containers. You can move them around to the best positions to get the best effect, and placed thoughtfully they will enhance any setting in your garden. And different sizes and varieties of bamboo grown in containers and grouped together will give you a real dramatic display. Choosing the right container for your bamboo is important and the best ones are terracotta or glazed ceramic.
You could use galvanised, zinc coated or enamelled metal ones as well. Plastic pots are not recommended, especially for tall varieties, as they are not heavy enough and will blow over in the slightest breeze. Container size is important too. The minimum size for even the smallest bamboo should be 45cm (18inches) in diameter and depth. But the bigger the bamboo the bigger the container needs to be. Ceramic and terracotta containers come in all shapes and sizes, round, square, oblong and different dimensions and in a riot colours. Bamboo look best in plain, glazed, pale coloured, pastel shade, containers. Go for a colour that complements both the bamboo and the area you will stand it in. Good drainage is essential so make sure whatever container you choose it has enough drainage holes to prevent your bamboo getting waterlogged. You will also need a decent growing medium to plant your bamboo in, a medium that will retain water, but is free draining and is also on the heavy side is best. And the best growing medium for bamboo grown in containers is a John Innes number 3 type, mixed with horticultural grit. The horticultural grit will help with drainage but more importantly it will add weight to the container which will help prevent your bamboo from blowing over. Bamboo grown in containers will need a good supply of food so add a slow release fertiliser to the mix to help get them growing.
Its also beneficial to add a couple of handfuls of bark chippings to the mix which will help keep the compost open and will help stop the root and rhizome system from becoming too compact as the bamboo grows. Well that’s the container and growing mix sorted. So what bamboo can you grow in containers? Well here’s a good selection that will perform well and are quite hardy so they should do well in temperate climates like the UK. Chimonobambusa marmorea Chimonobambusa marmoreal Variegata Fargesia dracocephala Fargesia figida Fargesia Murielle Simba Fargesia nitida Fargesia rufa Indocalamus hamadae Indocalamus latifolius Indocalamus tessellates Phyllostachys bambusoides Marliacea Phyllostachys aereosulcata Phyllostachys humilis Pleioblastus auricomus Pleioblastus chino Pleioblastus variegates Phyllostachys fortunei Phyllostachys pygmaeus Phyllostachys shibuyanus Tsuboi Phyllostachys viridistriatus Pseudosasa japonica Pseudosasa owatarii Sasa kurilensis Sasa nipponica Sasa pygmaea Sasa Tsuboiana Sasa veitchii Sasaella masamuneana Sasaella ramose Shibataea kumasasa After planting your bamboo in its container mulch the surface with a 5cm (2inch) layer of bark chippings or grit. Keep the mulch topped up at all times.
Give your bamboo a good watering and leave it in the shade and out of any cold, breeze for a couple of weeks so it can get established. Spray the leaves and stems daily with tepid water, but don’t do this in full sun or it will scorch the leaves. Make sure the compost never dries out, but don’t waterlog it either. Every two weeks during the growing season give a good feed with a balanced liquid or soluble fertilizer diluted in water. You will need to re-pot your bamboo every two years or so as the roots and rhizomes will become compacted as they grow. This is more important with terracotta containers as the growing rhizomes will eventually crack or break the terracotta. When re-potting only go up to a pot one size larger or your bamboo may struggle to re-establish itself. While re-potting you should remove any old dead or damaged roots and rhizomes, in fact it’s a good idea to remove some of the rhizomes anyway especially those that are growing over each other. Instead of re-potting your bamboo you can remove it from its pot and cut away about a third of its roots and rhizomes and then replant it in new fresh compost in the same pot. Just remember, bamboo grown in containers will never grow as big or as well as they do in open ground, but they will still be attractive and majestic decorative container plants.
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