Bamboo is an amazing plant! It has so many benefits to offer on so many levels. Not only does bamboo produce oxygen, which helps to clean the area where you grow your plants, but many varieties are edible! And above all, gardening is just great for your health in general.
不幸的是，种植竹子经常被认为是一项乏味的任务，因为它可能会入侵。好消息是，有几种物种是不会入侵的，你只需要知道你在寻找什么，以及如何以正确的方式种植它们。
Bamboo (Bambusoideae poaceae) is commonly mistaken to be a tree. However, bamboo is actually a subfamily of tall, tree-like grasses. There are currently 115 genera and over 1,400 species of bamboo. These fast-growing perennials can grow up to one foot a day in the right conditions.
5 Fun Facts About Bamboo
如果你正在考虑种植竹子，但还没有下定决心，这里有5个事实可能会引起你的兴趣!
- Many bamboo species areedible, some just taste better than others. The young bamboo shoots can be harvested and added to some of your favorite dishes. Bamboo shoots are a good source of healthy fiber, and they contain very little fat or calories.
- Bamboo fibers contain naturalantibacterial properties. These same fibers are used to make clothing, diapers, bandages, towels, and dressings.
- A bamboo grove produces over35% more oxygenthan hardwood trees.
- It’sSO versatile! It can be used to make everything from bikes, bunk beds, houses, boats, clothing, medicine, food, oxygen, fuel, toothbrushes, natural fence lines, and so much more.
- It holdsgreater strength than steel! I know … I was surprised too. Bamboo can actually withstand being smashed better than concrete can.
Locations And Growing Zones
竹子是一种相对低维护的植物，对初学者来说非常好!竹子很容易照料，通常也能照顾好自己。除了浇水，几乎不需要什么工作。美国的增长区域主要在太平洋和南部各州。这是因为竹子原产于热带和亚热带地区，但也有一些品种现在可以在温和的温带地区生长。
Hardy bamboo is the best choice when growing in USDA Zones 8 and 9 while tropical bamboo needs to be grown in Zones 9 and 10. Some species of bamboo can handle a few days of below-freezing temperatures, yet the tropical species have to be where the temperatures don’t drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bamboo Soil Conditions
When looking for the perfect spot to have your beautiful bamboo growing, keep in mind that they love full to partial sun. The plants naturally grow faster in full sunlight, but the younger plants will need a little protection during the summer months.
A majority of the bamboo species can grow in most types of soil as long as it is well-draining. The right kind of soil will help encourage healthier root systems, increase growth, and produce healthier, more attractive plants. Here are the three keys to creating the proper soil content for bamboo:
- The soil must have good drainage, but at the same time, retain moisture.
- Bamboo likes aerated soil that is light in structure. So basically, it needs fluffy dirt.
- The soil has to be rich in organic nutrients, so go ahead and mix in some of your compost and organic matter to feed the soil.
If the soil in your area is too heavy, add some sand or another type of organic, grainy, granular material. If it’s too sandy or light, adding more organic matter such as compost will help solve that problem.
You will definitely want to avoid soggy, waterlogged areas. An inch of water daily is enough water for bamboo, and any more than that can cause the roots to suffocate or suffer from root rot and die.
Placing, Spacing, And Planting
If you’re trying to form a natural fence or screen, it’s best to space the bamboo about 3-5 feet apart. This will allow the bamboo to have the necessary space to thrive without overcrowding or the roots suffocating each other out.
Work compost, manure, or both into the soil where you plan to plant the bamboo. Make sure the hole you dig for the root system is deep enough and wide enough so that the root ball or root mass is level with the top of the surrounding soil.
竹子的“家”应该是根部的1.5到2倍宽，以确保根部有足够的空间生长。一旦你的竹子被放置在新家，在根部覆盖约3英寸的堆肥或堆肥/土壤混合物，并彻底浇水。现在，剩下要做的就是定期给它们浇水，看着它们生长!
Knowing The Difference
There are so many varieties and species of bamboo plants. When choosing to grow bamboo there’s an important question to ask yourself, do you want a non-invasive species or not?
Invasive species will take over your yard and any surrounding land rather quickly unless you have the time and the know-how to keep them under control. The main difference you’re looking for has to do with the roots, root systems, and how they grow. There are two different types of roots systems: clumping and running.
奔跑的竹子蔓延和入侵。当然，有些物种会比其他物种更具侵略性。根，又名根状茎，水平蔓延，并创造新的芽不断产卵。
Clumping bamboo doesn’t have rhizome roots to shoot out. Instead of the roots spreading out feet at a time they grow a few inches wider. The bamboo plant itself has a faster growth rate because it grows taller rather than wider.
If, by chance, you prefer running bamboo for their looks or whatever it may be, there are a few solutions if you don’t want it to invade.
- Try container growing and keep the plants indoors. You can still make a privacy fence by lining up the planters in a row.
- Take some time to mow over any new and undesired shoots to help keep them at bay.
- Dig a small trench around the bamboo plants about 10 inches deep. As the roots begin to grow outward in the trench, trim up the roots when necessary.
Edible, Ornamental, And Colorful
Bamboo comes in different thicknesses, heights, colors, and can be trained to be grown into awesome shapes like spirals. I love the color varieties!
There’s black, purple, red, green, yellow, and more. While some bamboo is only for decoration, there is a whole slew of edible bamboo. The young culms, or new shoots, are the edible parts, and they’re rather tasty, too.
Bamboo Products
Bamboo products are growing in number and variety. You can find just about anything made out of bamboo. Here are just a few items:
种植竹子是容易的，令人愉快的，而且当竹子被充分利用时，它的资源非常丰富。我建议你研究一下你喜欢的竹子的具体细节，然后在泥土里挖个坑。
Some friends planted bamboo to obtain the shoots for eating. It turned out to be the invasive kind. It quickly grew fifteen feet tall and started spreading in every direction. To control it they dug a 16 inch deep trench all around the bamboo. Then they cut and buried vinyl siding panels vertically with overlapping joints in the trench. The siding formed a root barrier 16 inches deep in the ground and 6 inches above the ground to block the spreading roots.
Sorry for the extremely late response @TNflash, for some reason I am just now seeing this. That is definitely one good way to keep them from spreading. It happens quick and seemingly overnight. It is an amazing and beautiful plant it just has boundary issues, LoL!