How to Plant Bamboo in a Perforated Pot

Bamboo is a plant of the grass family and grows rapidly in certain outdoor locations. Short, curled bamboo is sold in small pots for placement indoors as lucky charms. Some people face problems when planting bamboo in perforated pots and moving the plant indoors. Knowing a few tips and tricks about what bamboo plants need to grow will make your experience less problematic and more successful.

Things You'll Need

• Perforated pots
• Potting soil
• High nitrogen fertilizer
• Bamboo seeds or seedlings
• Garden shovel
• Watering can
• Water tray
• Insulating foam or fabric

Instructions

1. Choose perforated pots that are at least 6-inches deep and 6-inches wide. The pots may be either square or round in shape, and you will need this larger size to allow for the size of the bamboo's roots. Additionally, choose a pot that can easily be removed for later transplanting of the bamboo plant if necessary; wood or plastic pots are best. Try to avoid metal pots.

2. Fill the pots with soil, leaving approximately an inch of space between the top of the soil and the top of the pot. Mix a high-nitrogen fertilizer into the soil inside the pot, as bamboo prefers nitrogen-rich, acidic soils.

3. Dig a hole in the center of the pot. If transplanting a bamboo seedling from a different container, dig a hole that measures the same depth and width as the container the bamboo seedling is currently in. For a bamboo seed, dig a hole approximately 3 inches deep and place the seed inside.

4. Cover the seed or push the potting soil in around the bamboo seedling. Lightly water the bamboo; caring for your planted bamboo will be your most difficult task, as the bamboo plant requires well-drained soil and special care during the summer and winter.

5. Sit your potted bamboo plant in an indoor location that protects the plant against excessive heat and cold. Avoid window placement, as the bamboo plant will receive too much sun in the summer and overheat, and leaky windows will cause the plant to become too cold in the winter.

Tips & Warnings

• Place a tray underneath the bamboo's pot to catch draining water and consider wrapping the potting container in an insulating material during winter months to protect the bamboo's root system. When wrapping in insulation, be sure not to block the perforations on the pot, or the soil in the container will not be able to drain properly and soggy soil will harm the bamboo's roots.

References

• Growing and Maintaining Bamboo
• Growing Bamboo Indoors

Resources

• Orchids Asia: How to Curl Bamboo Stalks or Stems
• Caring for Bamboo Plants