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Unruly Bamboo - how to dig up clump forming bamboo?

#1 · 19th February 2022, 7:48 am

Hello from Fife,

im looking for some advice about taking out a bamboo from my border and putting it in a pot. The bamboo is clump forming so I’m not bothered with runners but the roots are solid. Do you have any tips to help. My main reason for doing this is to try and control growth and also it was planted in the wrong place when it was tiny at the front of a border but in 5 years is now about 1.5m wide and tall. Thanks in advance and I’m sure I’ll have lots more questions as I try to redesign my garden this year.
Carrie

#2 · 19th February 2022, 10:21 pm

Hi Carrie,

No easy way I'm afraid it's a digging job ? I would suggest making the soil around your bamboo nice and moist, damp soil is easier to dig, and you can do it in stages, moisten the soil, dig, moisten, dig.

Dig all the way around your bamboo and using a trowel or fork loosen all the soil at the very bottom of the plant, you said that the roots are solid, so your going to need some help lifting the plant from the hole if you require it out in one piece.

A couple of things to consider, if you are only going to use a small part of your 1.5 metre wide bamboo, you can whilst it is still in its planting hole make the roots really wet, then using a good shovel or spade cut through the root, to your required size, bamboos are tough characters.

Another way to consider, get some help lifting your plant out, then with a wood saw just cut through the roots, either way being careful you could end up with three or four plants, for potting or planting.

Hope it goes well.

Bob