What is the best method for planting bamboo?
Planting bamboo is a broad topic that can be performed in countless ways depending on who you talk to.
We recommend the following regimen because I feel it stimulates very rapid growth and vigorous plants.
Planting Recommendations:
You will need the following five basic nutrients that can be purchased from United Agriculture Products.
(located in Kahului on Papa Rd behind Down to Earth).
1. Bone Meal consists of both phosphorous and calcium.
It is extremely important to add because Hawaii’s soil lacks both of these minerals.
2. Feather Meal provides nitrogen to the bamboo keeping the plant green and healthy.
3. Azomite is necessary to add important trace minerals to the soil.
4. Gypsum is made up of calcium and sulphur (also lacking in HI’s soil) which is needed for optimal plant growth.
5. Humic Acid is a form of carbon that aids in the uptake of nutrients.
Worm Castings:
We always recommend using worm castings because they are of so much benefit to the life of the soil.
Worm castings consist of beneficial fungus and bacteria. By adding worm castings to your soil you are inoculating and diversifying the microbial life already in your soil thus creating a lively soil environment, which protects your plants from diseases.
Yellow Seed Bamboo is about to become Maui's only source for real worm castings. Call us for more information.
Mulching:
We like to mulch the ground surrounding the bamboo with large amounts of wood chips. The wood chips provide food and shelter for the microbes living in your soil and the microbial life in the worm castings.
Mulch is also beneficial because it gives back to the soil when it decomposes adding organic matter to the soil, which replaces what the plants take out as they feed.
Check with your local tree trimmers for availability and pricing.
Irrigation:
Additionally, you may need to install a basic irrigation system depending on how dry of a climate in which you are planting.
Overview of Steps to Planting Bamboo:
Step 1: Using a pick or shovel dig a hole. (We recommend using a back hoe if one is available and for very large jobs.)
Larger holes provide young bamboo with an easier environment to root in.
We recommend a hole size of a minimum of 3 feet wide by 2 feet deep.
Once the hole is dug take the plants out of the pots and place in the holes.
Fill with the soil from the hole.
Step 2: Mix about 2 cups of each of the five basic nutrients per plant in a bucket or wheelbarrow.
Now that the bamboos are tucked into their holes spread the minerals around the plant covering about an eight-foot circle on the soil's surface.
Once the minerals are all spread cover the same eight foot space with a nice layer of worm castings.
The castings cannot be over done. I recommend a minimum of 2 large handfuls per plant.
Next, cover the same eight-foot circle with a layer of wood chips optimally eighteen inches deep.
If you are planting more than one plant at a time be sure to spread the wood chips immediately after spreading the worm castings because the worm castings are living organisms which will be harmed by exposure to the sun.
Step 3: Soak each plant thoroughly and water each day for the first 3 weeks.
Set up irrigation for dry climates.
Step 4: Stand back and watch them grow.
