Lol53
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Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:40 am

Bamboo too big for pot

Hi - I've got a bamboo (Pseudosasa) growing in a pot on my patio but it's now too big for the container and needs re-potting. Can I divide the plant into two new pots and how do I do this without harming the root system which has wound itself right around the root ball? :?

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uniquegardenplants
Full Member
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 8:36 pm
Location: North Carolina

yes, bamboo can be divided easily, especially running bamboo like Sasa. Best to do it in late winter/early spring but can be done now if you watch your watering carefully. The root mass can be sliced into large portions with the quick thrust of a sharp shovel. Preserve as much small fibrous roots as possible in each section. Rough up and seperate any large, tight binding roots and transplant sections to seperate containers. Water in well and make sure the bamboo isn't allowed to dry out. Bamboo is notorious for just sitting and not growing after being divided and transplanted to containers, so be patient. It may not seem like much is going on above ground...but below, new shoots are rejuvinating and before long...they will pop up to be your new stems.

May want to top dress with a bit of slow release fertilizer like Osmocote that will feed the plant throughout the season.

Good luck!



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