Our Farm’s Preferred Bamboo Planting Process
Ocoee Bamboo Farm carries more than 40 varieties of bamboo that all have different characteristics and needs. Our planting process is compatible with all types of bamboo. Additionally, it would only need minor tweaks to make it work with rare varietals.
Find and Prep the Planting Location
Each variety of bamboo has different traits that need to be considered when choosing a planting site. A bamboo’s growth pattern, average height, and rigidity must be taken to account to ensure it grows splendidly while performing the function you want.
As a rule of thumb, we recommend choosing a location with extra space for the bamboo to grow into. This allows the plant to grow naturally and promotes rapid growth. You can also hire our team to choose a location if you’re unsure where to plant your bamboo.
Find and Prep the Planting Location
Each variety of bamboo has different traits that need to be considered when choosing a planting site. A bamboo’s growth pattern, average height, and rigidity must be taken to account to ensure it grows splendidly while performing the function you want.
As a rule of thumb, we recommend choosing a location with extra space for the bamboo to grow into. This allows the plant to grow naturally and promotes rapid growth. You can also hire our team to choose a location if you’re unsure where to plant your bamboo.
Dig the Hole
Dig a hole twice the width and 4-6 in. deeper (or twice as deep if possible) than the pot that your plant came in. We also recommend loosening the soil around the hole. Doing both of these will allow the bamboo’s roots to easily spread and take hold of the soil.
Amend the Soil
The soil in Florida is very sandy and lacks the proper nutrients to make bamboos really thrive and grow quickly. Although bamboo can still grow and survive in Floridian soil, it won’t grow and thrive as much compared to when it's planted in amended soil.
Our team recommends enriching your soil with a 50/50 mix of soil booster and fertilizer before planting the bamboo. We give out both of these for free with every bamboo purchase at our farm.
Plant the Bamboo
Place a layer of the provided booster soil mix in the bottom of the hole and then sprinkle half of a handful of the quick shoot pellets in the bottom of the hole. Then, remove the bamboo plant from the pot and get it prepped for planting.
In many cases, our plants have massive root systems and the pots have to be cut off of the bamboo plants. There is no need to try to loosen or scar the roots before planting. Simply place the bamboo plant in the hole on top of the booster mix and fertilized bed.
Make sure that the top of the bamboo plant root system is level with the ground. Afterward, fill the hole with water to give the bamboo plant a good amount to drink.
Start mixing the existing dirt into the hole with the remaining booster mix and another half-handful of quick shoot fertilizer. Then, lightly stamp the dirt and booster mix down into the hole.
Compress the area around the bamboo plant, making sure not to damage any shoots that may be emerging from the root system. Finally, water the plant again and leave it to settle into its new home.
Mulch Your Bamboo
Mulching your newly planted bamboo plants can be very beneficial because it will help to retain moisture and provide nutrients. It can also prevent weeds from growing near your plant by creating an inhospitable environment for parasitic flora.
You can use mulch made from any type of natural material, whether its leaves or grass trimmings to compost. Just make sure to thickly apply the mulch in a mound-like style around the bamboo.
Add Structural Support
Since bamboos can get very tall even at an early age, moderate to strong winds can easily affect their growth or damage them. We recommend adding support to the bamboo by anchoring them to a stake using a strong thread, wire, or zip tie.
This is an optional step. However, it will ensure your bamboo will grow as straight as it can be while it is rooting. Unsupported canes can bend, but they can easily be trimmed and allowed to grow straight again.
How To Add Supports to Your Bamboo Plants
Supporting your bamboo plants can be done easily by placing a simple stake in the ground and zip tying the plant to the stake. Fasten the bamboo plant at about the 4–5 ft mark.
When supporting a row of bamboos, the following method is the easiest method we recommend. Simply place a stake in the ground and tie a string or twine to the top of it. Then, bring the string to the first plant and wrap the string around the largest cane.
Afterward, use the same string and wrap it around the next plant. Repeat for all of the remaining bamboo clumps.
If your plants are spaced at 3 ft, you can usually wrap five to eight plants before you need to use another support stake. Tie to the next support stake and then continue with the rest of the row.
How To Add Supports to Your Bamboo Plants
Supporting your bamboo plants can be done easily by placing a simple stake in the ground and zip tying the plant to the stake. Fasten the bamboo plant at about the 4–5 ft mark.
When supporting a row of bamboos, the following method is the easiest method we recommend. Simply place a stake in the ground and tie a string or twine to the top of it. Then, bring the string to the first plant and wrap the string around the largest cane.
Afterward, use the same string and wrap it around the next plant. Repeat for all of the remaining bamboo clumps.
If your plants are spaced at 3 ft, you can usually wrap five to eight plants before you need to use another support stake. Tie to the next support stake and then continue with the rest of the row.
How to Plant your new Bamboo plant
Learn More Bamboo Growing Pointers
Our bamboo experts have more tips and advice for both beginner and advanced bamboo plant owners that they’d like to share. You can learn these pointers by contacting our farm today.
How to Plant your new Bamboo plant
#1
How do I find the location for my new bamboo plant?.
Each bamboo variety is different. To better serve our customers needs our bamboo farm has over 40 varieties ( not all are advertised) to help achieve what ever goal you are trying to accomplish. Some bamboo plants do not grow tall however some bamboos grow very tall. Some bamboo plants have thin canes and some have very large canes. Out of the above mentioned variations there are other characteristics that need to be taken into consideration when placing your bamboo. Some short or tall bamboos remain very straight while others tend to hang over and form a mushroom effect. Some bamboo plants can be trimmed at any height whereas others cannot without damaging the plant. All of these factors are what make it very crucial that you make your bamboo purchase from a reputable bamboo expert. In many circumstances with a medium size straight growing bamboo 2-3ft from a fence is plenty of room to allow adequate growth in the future however many customers plant them with in a foot of the fence. I say as a rule of thumb if you have the room give the bamboo plant a little extra room. In tight areas with the right bamboo placing them closer to the fence the bamboo will still thrive. For correct spacing please take the recommendation of our passionate bamboo experts to make sure you are achieving the goal you are trying to achieve. Usually if you are reading this we have already determined the correct bamboo spacing required so we have already determined the right number of bamboo plants for the job.
#2
Digging the hole
Dig a hole twice the size of the pot that your plant came in. (If your pot is 8” in diameter then you dig a 16” in diameter wide hole) Dig the hole at least 4-6 inches deeper than the pot or twice as deep if possible. The more you loosen up the soil around the hole the better.
#3
Amending the soil Florida Sand ( Don’t worry it’s FREE at our farm)
In Florida our ground is very sandy and lacks proper nutrients to make bamboos really thrive and grow quickly. Will your bamboo grow without amending the soil? In most cases yes they will but you may be looking at them for a while wondering are they ever going to grow. The Ocoee Bamboo Farm is currently giving a free bag of our special super booster mix and our special blend of quick shoot 180 day fertilizer with every bamboo purchase. The amount given is enough to do a 50/50 soil amendment for each plant. I have made the decision to provide these special ingredients to my customers so that each of my customers can enjoy the same results as we have on the farm..
Place a layer of the provide booster soil mix in the bottom of the hole and then sprinkle a half of a handful of the quick shoot pellets in the bottom of the hole. Remove the bamboo plant from the pot. In many cases our plants have massive root systems and the pots have to be cut off of the bamboo plants. There is no need to try to loosen or scar the roots before planting. Simply place the bamboo plant in the hole on top of the new booster mix and fertilized bed. Make sure that the top of the bamboo plant root system is level with the ground. Fill the hole with water all the way to the top to give the bamboo plant a good drink. Start mixing the existing dirt into the hole with the remaining booster mix and another half a hand full of quick shoot fertilizer. ( larger pots may be supplied with more fertilizer) lightly stomp the dirt and booster mix down into the hole and compress around the bamboo plant making sure not to damage any ne shoots that may be emerging from the root system. When complete .water the plant again.
#4
Mulching your bamboo
Mulching your newly planted bamboo plants can prove to be very beneficial because it will help to retain moister and as the mulch breaks down it will provide nutrients to the bamboo plants. The mulch can be from your local tree cutting service or from the store. The mulch can be pine, oak, or any other readily available mulches you may be able to get your hands on. You can also use leaves or compost, all should be applied in a mound like style thickly around the bamboo plant to help prevent the germination of weeds. Once the plant is mature there will be less and less weeds that will develop below the plant because the seeds will be shaded from germination and the bamboos produce there own leafy barrier.
#5
Supporting your bamboo
Many of our bamboo plants come very tall and Florida gets some very high winds. I usually recommend any plant over 5 feet to be supported. This is not required but it ensures that the original canes will remain straight as the plant is rooting. If the canes are not supported and the canes lean do not worry all of the new shoots will be rooted and grow straight and the old canes can be cut.
Supporting your bamboo plants can be done very easily by placing a simple stake in the ground and zip tying the plant to the stake. I usually like to see the bamboo plant fastened at about a 4ft- 5ft height. When supporting a row of bamboos this is my favorite because it is so easy to do. Simply place a stake in the ground and tie a string or twine to the top of it. Bring the string to the first plant, simply wrap the string around the largest cane of the plant ( not all of them) then go to the next plant and do the same thing. If your plants are spaced at 3 ft you can usually wrap 5 to 8 plants before you need to use another support stake. Tie to the next support stake and then continue on to with the rest of the row.
#6
Watering your bamboo
After you plant your new bamboo plant in the ground it is very important to keep the soil very moist for the first month or two. This ensures the survival of the bamboo plant and promotes new growth including new shoots. For one or two plants this can be done by simply dragging a hose to the bamboo plant and set the hose to drip onto the newly planted bamboo. For a row of bamboo plants I recommend a $28 digital hose timer from Walmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Orbit-LCD-Single-Port-Hose-Faucet-Timer/16332345.
You can then add a poly line from lowes or homedepot with a drip emitter as seen in the video below
Bamboo after the first month or two will usually survive with out being irrigated however if you are really trying to grow them fast you should keep them irrigated. Bamboo likes well drained soils so as long as they are not sitting in standing water for more than a day or two you can water them heavy to promote growth. Some varieties you do not want to water as heavy so make sure to ask your bamboo expert for each specific bamboo variety.