Benefits and limitations of growing bamboo plants in pots

Growing bamboo in pots is the best way to stop them from spreading. It makes it easier to move them around and can be used as screens indoors and outdoors. 

Despite the benefits, there are also limitations to growing bamboo in pots.

Check out best ways to grow healthy bamboo in pots, or see our sales page where you can find the renowned UK Home & Garden retailers for bamboo plants and supplies.

Benefits of growing bamboo in pot planter boxes

There are two groups of bamboo plants to grow in pot and container planters - the running bamboo and the clumping bamboo. 

The former has horizontal stems called ‘rhizomes’ that can grow up to a metre away from the parent plant in just one growing season. 

The latter forms a tight base around the parent bamboo, forming dense clusters of canes (culms) and tend to expand in time.

Growing bamboo in pots and containers is an effective way to stop the invasion and or expansion of the running and clumping bamboo plants. 

They provide a  formidable barrier, restricting the rhizomes from spreading.

Limitations of growing bamboo in pot and container planter boxes

Most bamboo plants are tolerant of pests and diseases and thrive in variable outdoor conditions. 

This group of plants are, in fact, tough and hardy but are limited to the size and conditions present in the pot and container planters where they are growing.

Here are likely limitations for growing bamboo plants in pots, containers and planters.

• Bamboo plants will succumb to environmental stress in containers.
• Tall bamboo in pots will sway and fall in breezy conditions.
• Bamboo roots and rhizomes are exposed to cold and heat above the ground.
• Running and clumping bamboo will outgrow the planters in 2 – 5 years.
• The plants will not grow to the maximum height and will not attain the maximum spread.

To grow bamboo in pot and container planters, you should create (and maintain) the best possible conditions for the plants in the confined space. 

We produce this article to help our visitors who are growing bamboo plants in pots and planter boxes.

 

Move heavy bamboo pots and containers

The pots contain soil and water. They are practically immovable. 

You can move the smaller bamboo pots by using old cardboard boxes to slide them across the floor.

 If you need help moving the heavier bamboo pot and container boxes, the Hand Truck will make the heavy work easier.

With some help, you can arrange (and rearrange) the bamboo pots and container boxes neatly to suit your design and liking. 

In some cases, you may have to move the bamboo in pots to a site where there is enough sun. The bamboo varieties prefer sun to shade or part shade. By doing this, you can get the best out of your plant.

In other cases, your bamboo may not grow well in the planters. These bamboo plants will need to be removed. 

In fact, growing bamboo in pot and container planters is a great way to provide privacy screening for a small space, home, office or rented place.

10 Examples of Using Bamboo Plants and Bamboo Canes

Garden bamboo plants have special properties and structural compositions that are beneficial to gardeners and homeowners. 

Find out about the 10 examples to Use Bamboo Plants and Bamboo Canes in the Garden.

Uses of bamboo plants and bamboo canes

The bamboos are evergreen, hardy and tolerant to pests and diseases, and come in different sizes, colours and shapes. 

Their leaves, culms and roots have been used as home remedies, stimulants, home décor and garden sticks. 

 The benefits and uses are unlimited! Here are 10 examples of using Bamboo Plants and Bamboo Canes.

1. Greenery all year round

Bamboos are evergreen. 

This is probably the most common benefit of bamboo plants, especially for garden hedges and natural privacy screens. 

The fact that they stay green all year round and are fast-growing makes them the best natural screens. 

Bamboo foliage does not fall off in Autumn, even in very cold weather conditions. 

Some plants will remain green even at minus 20 degrees Celsius. 

They are the best natural plants for screening unsightly features.

Bamboos you can grow for green cover all year round, hardy and tolerate very cold weather: Tall bamboo plants for garden hedging and privacy (multiple plants)

2. Stop topsoil erosion

There are two types of bamboo plants – running and clumping. 

Both bamboo plants have strong rooting systems composed of rhizomes, base buds and root hairs. 

The network of underground roots is firm and can stabilise loose soil, stopping it from being washed away by running rain (or drain) water.

Bamboos you can grow for stopping topsoil erosion: Clumping bamboo plants (multiple)  

3. Provide thick natural fence walls

Bamboo culms tend to grow in clusters, especially those of the clumping bamboos. 

They form thick walls and are good natural fences when planted close together. 

Note that the clumping bamboos do not spread like their running cousins. 

Grow the clumping bamboo along the boundary for the natural wall fence.

Here is a comparison of running vs clumping bamboo for natural wall fences.

4. Edible bamboo shoots

Only a few bamboos are edible. You can grow them and enjoy the new shoots. 

Here are some edible bamboo plants that you can actually grow, harvest and eat.

Edible bamboos: Bamboo Phyllostachys Sulphurea Viridis  and Phyllostachys flexuosa Sinuate Bamboo and Phyllostachys atrovaginata Incense Bamboo

5. Use bamboo leaves mulch

The leaves are a great source of Silica which is beneficial to plants. 

The mulch from the bamboo leaves can protect the plants from frost in Winter and preserve moisture in Summer. 

The decomposing leaves are a source of fertiliser for the plants. The three bamboo plants below have broad and elongated leaves which can be pruned.

Best bamboo for mulch: Fargesia Robusta Wolong Broad Leaf Bamboo, Fargesia murielae Ivory Ibis clumping bamboo and Fargesia murielae Blue Lizard.

 

6. Bamboo Canes for garden and pot plants

One of the best things about growing bamboo is that you can use bamboo canes for staking plants, garden frames and trellis to support creeping plants like the runner beans.

We covered the home and garden uses of bamboo canes extensively in this article – take a look: Bamboo plants for sticks.

7. Use bamboo sheaths, branches and sticks for arts and crafts

Bamboo sheaths, branches and sticks are great for DIY arts and crafts because they are thin, tough and bendable. You can create any shape with them. 

 The uses are limitless, it depends on your creativity. 

For example, the bamboo sheaths can be cut to make windmills and the sticks used for making mini rafts (Below is a video of mini rafts we built out of bamboo canes and had lots of fun with). 

Adult supervision will be required when cutting the bamboo sheaths and sticks.

Bamboos you can grow for sheaths and sticks: Fargesia Blue Dragon Papyrifera Borinda and Fargesia Borinda Angustissima Frosty Bamboo

 

 

8. Used for making drinking water cups, mugs and storage tubes

The timber bamboo plants have a lot of uses, including some of the large varieties of Phyllostachys bamboo. 

The thick and hollow bamboo segments are perfect for making water storage like bamboo cups, mugs, and pencils storage.

Large timber bamboos: Timber Bamboo Phyllostachys Bambusoides and Moso Timber bamboo

9. Make musical wind instruments

Bamboo instruments have been used for thousands of years in ancient China and parts of the South Pacific region. 

They are great wind instruments and can be easily made from common bamboo that is common in the UK. 

 The bamboo flutes, bamboo harps and wind chimes are some examples. 

Our YouTube video shows the use of a bamboo harp in traditional storytelling in the Pacific.

Long internode and hollow culm bamboos: Phyllostachys Bissettii and Phyllostachys Vivax

10. Use bamboo to make grow pots and seed-trays

Bamboo pots and trays are eco-friendly substitutes for plastic seed pots and grow trays. They are reusable, you can use them for many years.

 Bamboo products are biodegradable and will break down within 3 – 5 years and turn into soil. 

Here is a step-by-step guide for making your own bamboo seed propagators. 

Giant timber bamboo plants for seed propagator pots and trays: Timber Bamboo Phyllostachys Bambusoides and Moso Timber bamboo

Benefits of bamboo plants: pros and cons

Apart from the 10 uses of bamboo, they have been used extensively to make tea, wine, beers, vinegar and many natural home remedies. 

However, there are special bamboos that are fit for these purposes, and not all bamboo plants are useful. 

Some bamboos have little hairy spikes on the sheaths that can make skin itch. 

Many have tough culms that are razor sharp. Others are invasive. 

And not all bamboos are edible. 

Therefore, though there are many benefits of bamboo plants, you have to know what kind of bamboo you should grow. 

Selecting the right bamboo plant to grow is the first thing to think about.

Common Phyllostachys and Fargesia bamboos

Here at GardenBambooPlants.com, we featured over 70 bamboo plants that thrive in the UK weather. The suggestions above will help you to find the right plant. 

At gardenbambooplants.com, we feature these bamboos because they can grow in the warmer parts of the UK. 

We also know that bamboo seeds and cuttings are often hard to get. One suggestion is to contact the plant's nurseries, garden centres or online retailers and ask for the particular plants that you are looking for. 

You can also leave a message below to let us know about your requirements and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. 

Check out these renowned UK home and garden retailers to get bamboo and bamboo supplies.

What do you think about the 10 examples of using Bamboo Plants and Bamboo Canes?

The 10 benefits of bamboos are a guide to the uses of these unique plants. 

There are many uses and benefits of these plants. 

We compiled this list based on our work with bamboos. 

We hope that it will inspire you to be creative as you unravel the many benefits of these fantastic plants.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

How bamboo plants grow

Bamboo plants will give out new shoots every year in spring. These new shoots will be bigger in size and longer than the previous year’s shoots.

The size of new bamboo shoots remains the same as it matures into a culm.

 

How do bamboo plants grow?

The growth behaviour of running and clumping bamboo plants, generally, determines how long they live. 

Whether in the garden or in pots they will grow in the same way, nonetheless. 

Bamboo plants will give out new shoots every year in spring. These new shoots grow longer than the previous year’s shoots.

Note that the bamboo shoots will get bigger as they grow year after year, but a new shoot will remain the same size as it matures into a full-grown bamboo. Read about How long bamboo plants last.

You’ll have a bigger and longer bamboo plant, and the bamboo grove will also increase in size. In retrospect, the bamboo shoots do not expand in size as the trees and shrubs do. 

The size of the new shoot remains the same until it thins out at the top at maximum height. 

A bamboo plant will reach its matured height anytime between 5 and 10 years depending on the variety. 

The common bamboos in the UK often reach their maximum heights (and produce full-size shoots) within 5 years. 

The bamboo grove can live 30 - 50 years. They have a regenerative growth pattern where new shoots will grow again and again.

So, every year you’ll have a longer plant and bigger shoots as your bamboo grove takes shape.

Bamboo plants vs bamboo grove

How long bamboo plants last depend on the growth of the individual plants and the regenerative behaviour of the plants in the grove. 

Some bamboo plants will live in the soil until the condition is right before they put out new shoots. Others will spread pretty quickly. 

Generally, the common bamboo plants that grow in the UK, US and other cooler regions will last for 30 – 50 years. And, they will continue to grow as long as the condition is right.

Japanese Bamboo Garden in United Kingdom, Kew, London

Bamboos are stunning garden plants, their gentle movements, rustling sounds of the leaves, evergreen foliage and colourful stems are some reasons they are popular. 

One place to see the bamboo in all its beauty is the Japanese Bamboo Garden at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London. 

The Bamboo Garden has an amazing collection of Chinese and Japanese bamboo. The garden holds over 130 different types of bamboo plants. In addition, the Tropical Glass House has three tropical giants.

Important: All the images are copyright materials covered under our Content Protection Notice. Contact us for more information. 

Chinese and Japanese bamboo gardens

Check out the images and videos of the 13 amazing bamboo plants we’ve recorded over the years. 

Let’s begin with the three giant timber bamboos that are currently growing in Kew Tropical Glass House.

Giant Timber Bamboo (Gigantochloa verticillate)

The giant bamboo is one of the largest bamboo plants you can find in the UK. 

It grows 25-30 metres in the wild, as tall as a tree. 

This bamboo is native to Southeast Asia and New Guinea. 

In the UK, this bamboo reaches over 20 metres.

• Video on YouTube

Gigantochloa verticillate Giant Bamboo - Kew Royal Botanic Garden (Photo: GBP - Inside Glass House)

Buddha's Belly Bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa)

Buddha belly bamboo, also known as Bambusa ventricosa, is a type of bamboo species that is known for its distinctive swollen stem, which gives it its name. Here are some reasons why:

• Water Conservation: Buddha belly bamboo is an excellent plant for water conservation because it has a high water-holding capacity. Its swollen stem allows it to store water for long periods, which helps the plant survive during periods of drought. This makes it an ideal plant for areas that receive low rainfall or have limited water resources.

• Nutrient Conservation: The swollen stem of Buddha belly bamboo also plays an important role in nutrient conservation. The stem stores nutrients, which are used by the plant when it needs them. This helps the plant to survive in nutrient-poor soils and reduces the need for fertilizer applications.

• Soil Conservation: The extensive root system of Buddha's belly bamboo helps to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. The plant's roots can reach up to several meters deep, which helps to anchor the soil and prevent it from washing away during heavy rainfall or flooding.

The culms are deep dark green smooth and glossy with multiple branches growing at each node.

• Video on YouTube

Buddha's Belly Bamboo (Bambusa ventricosa)

Bambusa vulgaris

The giant tropical bamboo, Bambusa vulgaris or Common Bamboo, grows in Kew Tropical Glass House. 

It’s an amazing bamboo with glossy green culms, large brown sheaths and hairy rims around the nodes. 

This giant timber bamboo is predominantly used in building and construction or as stakes for large garden plants in rural China.

Bambusa vulgaris

Phyllostachys nigra ‘Henonis’ Black bamboo

This is a tall running bamboo with bright green stems that turn olive green. 

It is one of the Black Bamboo cultivars. 

Be careful not to confuse them with Phyllostachys bissettii. 

They both have glossy green leaves, bright green stems and evergreen arching foliage. 

However, looking closely at the matured stems, the Phyllostachys nigra f. henonis will show signs of olive-yellow canes whereas the Green Bamboo Phyllostachys bissettii canes are obviously dark green, with yellow indentations or stripes.

• Video on YouTube

Phyllostachys nigra ‘Henonis’ Black bamboo

Phyllostachys bambusoides var. subvariegata

Phyllostachys bambusoides has several cultivars. 

The var. subvariegata cultivar, as seen in this image, has upright and dark glossy green culms and zigzagged internodes at the base. 

Phyllostachys bambusoides are commonly called the Japanese Timber Bamboo.

Phyllostachys bambusoides var. subvariegata

Phyllostachys nidularia

Phyllostachys nidularia or Broom Bamboo is a stunning bamboo with erect canes. 

It is known as Broom Bamboo because branches and culms are great bamboo brooms. This running bamboo can grow to 4 metres. 

As a precaution, use the root barrier when growing this bamboo, it is one of the invasive species.

Phyllostachys nidularia

Phyllostachys sulphuria var. viridis

Bamboo Phyllostachys sulphurea viridis is a running bamboo also known as the Ougon-kou Chiku or Kou-Chiku bamboo. 

It’s a stunning ornamental plant due to its appearance. 

At 4m average height, this bamboo is a great addition to woodland forests, large gardens and dense garden hedges. It is edible bamboo.

Phyllostachys sulphuria var. viridis

Phyllostachys vivax aureosulcata

Golden Yellow Chinese Timber Bamboo Vivax Golden or Golden Yellow Cane Bamboo is a Tall and thick running bamboo, best for tall hedges and screens. 

The golden stems have spectacular bright green stripes running vertically along the internode. 

Bamboo vivax is an RHS Merit Award-winning bamboo, that grows well in a mild temperate climate.

• Video on YouTube.

Phyllostachys vivax aureosulcata Golden Yellow Chinese Timber Bamboo

Kew's Japanese Bamboo Garden London

Kew’s Bamboo Garden is the best place to see magnificent bamboo plants. 

As mentioned, there are over 130 running and clumping bamboo plants. The giant timber bamboo is about 20 metres tall, reaching the top ceiling of the glasshouse. 

When you’re in Kew Gardens, this is definitely a must-see. These 13 bamboos are our top picks. We hope you like the images and videos. 

Please share on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. We share bamboo gardening ideas, images and videos on YouTube. Join Us.

Why do my lucky bamboo leaves turn yellow - fix

Is your lucky bamboo turning yellow? You can potentially lose it if you do not take immediate actions to save it.

Lucky bamboo plants are not related in any way to the running or clumping bamboos, but rather one of the 40 cultivated species of the Dracaena group of plants. They are native to the Pacific Islands, especially Papua New Guinea, South East Asia and parts of Africa.

How to revive lucky bamboo turning yellow?

Lucky bamboo plants are tropical plants. 

Generally, they are resilient to high temperatures, humidity and pests in the wild. But, several factors can affect their growth indoors. 

We discuss the five common ones towards the end of this article. First, here is how to revive a lucky bamboo plant in 3 steps if it turns yellow.

You will need:

• Candle wax
• Aloe vera
• Pair of secateurs
• Fresh/distilled water
• Plants rooting powder

Image credit: @Twitter

Step 1 – Prepping lucky bamboo stalks

Separate the dying yellow lucky bamboo. Use the pair of secateurs to tidy up the stalks and yellow leaves. 

Then, dip both the top & bottom ends of the cut lucky bamboo stalks in candle wax to prevent rotting. Then, place 3 to 5 stalks in the ‘growing medium’.

Step 2 – Making growth mixture

After that, create a growth-boosting mixture by mixing equal amounts of aloe vera gel and plant rooting powder. 

Add the mixture into the ‘growing medium’. 

Then, add water. (Aloe vera gel and plant rooting powder are ideal for reviving dying plants. They are rich in nutrients the new plants need to grow)

Buy rooting powder at YouGarden

Step 3 – Reviving lucky bamboo turning yellow

The potted plants are in the medium are ready. 

Finally, put them in a shaded area. The plants should show signs of new healthy plants after the first week.

Best way to revive a lucky bamboo turning yellow

Image: @Twitter

Use either fresh rainwater or distilled water when replanting lucky bamboo, and when replenishing water in the pots. 

Do not use tap water as it contains chlorine which tends to disturb the growth of new roots and shoots. 

Prep the stalks neatly, and use rooting hormone and aloe vera to promote growth. Also, use a candle to stop the stems from rotting. 

The chance of lucky bamboo plants surviving is slim if the stalks have turned golden yellow, and become squishy and wrinkling. This is the point of no return. 

Separate the plant, and take action as soon as the leaves and stems turn yellow, and before the stalks turn from green to yellow.

How long before lucky bamboo plants recover?

As mentioned, the running bamboo will regenerate after 7, some quicker. But all in all, signs of new growth are eminent within the two weeks. 

After that, you can re-pot the plant or leave them to grow in the ‘growing medium’.

In a case where you do not see any activity, the best thing to do is to give the plants time to grow. Check the water and any signs of rotting in the stems.

Read about the best practices for growing lucky bamboo plants in water, soil and gravel.

Why is lucky bamboo turning yellow?

There are several reasons why lucky bamboo leaves and stalks turn yellow. Below are the 5 common reasons why the yellowing of leaves happens.

Lucky bamboo leaves often turn yellow due to the lack of one (or more of) these plants’ growth needs. 

They are important for the lucky bamboo to grow.

1. Freshwater

Use rainwater or distilled water. Lucky bamboo does not like warm water. Ensure that the water temperature remains consistent at room temperature, 20 - 25 degrees Celcius is ideal.

2. Sun

Place your lucky bamboo where it receives a good dose of filtered sunlight to regulate photosynthesis. They are tolerant to shade, but not to direct sunlight.

3. Improve humidity

Indoor air is often dry, it lacks good water content. In fact, lucky bamboo loves high humidity in the highs of 50%. 

Let fresh air indoors. This will improve transpiration which is vital for the plant's natural colours.

4. Check the indoor room temperature

Indoor temperature is higher where there are electrical appliances. Like in 3 (humidity), the indoor temperature is vital for the houseplants. 

The heat emitted by electrical appliances can affect the lucky bamboo plants. Check the indoor temperature if your plants show signs of distress.

5. Prevent rotting bamboo stalks

The lucky bamboo stalks will rot (where they are cut) when dipped in water. This is often the main cause of yellow leaves in lucky bamboo plants. 

To avoid this problem, seal the freshly cut stalks with candle wax. 

If a stalk turns yellow, it shows that it is not rooting. This is a dead plant and it should be removed and attended to immediately before it affects the other plants. 

Use the 5 tips to keep your lucky bamboo happy and stop the leaves from turning yellow. Prevention is better that cure.

Grow lucky bamboo plants

In a case where your bamboo has turned yellow, revive it by using the three steps we discussed in ‘How to revive lucky bamboo turning yellow?’ 

In an ideal situation, prevention is better than cure. Be sure to replenish the water so that it remains clear all the time. 

The bamboos are tropical plants. They will thrive in variable conditions. Attend to them immediately if you see any signs of distress in your plants.

Conclusion (Revive lucky bamboo turning yellow)

All in all, lucky bamboo plants are great indoor house plants. 

As a gardener, you need to provide them with the right condition for them to thrive. Knowing the 5 growth requirements is key to sustaining them. 

Use the 3 steps to revive lucky bamboo if the leaves turn yellow. You may like to know about the 10 facts about lucky bamboo plants. 

We hope this simple guide and best practices help you to revive your dying lucky bamboo plants.

How to grow lucky bamboo indoor plants

How to grow lucky bamboo indoor plants: Lucky bamboo symbolises the beauty of life. Traditionally, it is a symbol of hope. Today, they are one of the great house plants you can grow.

This article gives insight into the best practices on how to grow lucky bamboo plants in water, soil and gravel.

10 Bamboo Facts You Should Know (CLICK HERE).

How to grow healthy lucky bamboo from cuttings?

Lucky bamboo plants are visually appealing in glass vases, cover pots and containers. Traditionally, the stalks are cultivated in groups of 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 21. 

Each group symbolises hope and well-being. It is bad luck if the stalks are not planted in these symbolic groups. Here are the three ways to grow healthy lucky bamboo plants.

1. Can lucky bamboo grow in water?

Reassuringly, lucky bamboo plants thrive in water and it’s clear to see why they are popular vase plants. Follow these steps to grow or re-pot the bamboo plants.

• Firstly, separate the stalks carefully, and avoid ripping the roots and leaves.
• Place the stalks in a clear glass vase. Space them out evenly.
• Then, add distilled water and plant food. Add plant rooting powder if available to promote root growth.
• Place the glass vase away from direct sunlight until fresh roots and leaves appear.
• Move the plants to the ideal site when they’ve shown signs of growth. Now, enjoy your plants.

Top tip: Use a clear glass vase to plant lucky bamboo in water and enjoy the roots as they emerge and find their way around it. Replace the water when it becomes saturated (unclear). Use less tap water because of the presence of chlorine which can kill your plant. Feed the lucky bamboo with plant food occasionally, at least twice a year.

2. Can lucky bamboo grow in soil?

Lucky bamboo grows pretty well in well-drained soil. So, use well-drained potting soil. This is probably the best medium for growing healthy lucky bamboo when re-potting the old plants or propagating new ones. 

Use pots that can hold the lucky bamboo with good spacing in between the stalks. 

Water regularly because potting soils are well-aerated and tend to lose water very quickly.

• Firstly, get some regular cover pots that have holes at the bottom, and fill them with well-drained potting soil.
• Separate the lucky bamboo plants neatly.
• Put 2, 3 or 5 in pots. Space them out evenly so that they stand upright.
• Then, add distilled water. Do not overwater.
• Place the potted plants in a shaded location, away from direct sunlight, until the plants have shown signs of growth.
• Finally, move them to a designated site indoors. Do not move the plants around regularly as the movements can damage the plants.

Top tip: Lucky bamboo plants are not fussy plants. But they dislike waterlogged soil. So, when growing lucky bamboo in soil, use well-drained potting soil and water regularly.

3. Can lucky bamboo grow in gravel?

Absolutely, lucky bamboo also thrives in gravels, pebbles and rock chips.

• Firstly, find a clear glass vase, and fill it with enough gravel so that it can completely cover the roots.
• Put 2, 3 or 5 lucky bamboo stalks in the vase, and space them out evenly so that they stand upright. Then, add distilled water until it reaches the top of the gravel.
• Then, place the glass vase in a shaded site until the roots are well established. (Avoid placing the new plants in direct sunlight)
• Finally, move the bamboo plants to the desired location after signs of growth are visible.

Top tip: Wash the gravel thoroughly before using it. You can also use plant rooting powder to promote root and leaf growth. Generally, lucky bamboo plants do occasionally require plants feed, not more than twice a year. They are undemanding and will thrive in indoor conditions.

Buy lucky bamboo plants for sale

Get quality plants from UK retailers online. 

Yellowing of leaves and stalks is a sign that the lucky bamboo plant is under stress because of one (or more) of the following limitations. 

The five limitations are the common causes of stress in lucky bamboo plants.

• 1. Lack of freshwater
• 2. Direct sunlight
• 3. Low indoor humidity
• 4. High indoor temperature
• 5. Rotting stalks

Your plants will be happy if you can identify (and improve) the five limitations that inhabit the growth of lucky bamboos. 

Check the linked article, we cover the best conditions for thriving bamboo plants, so that you can minimise the yellowing of leaves and stalks. 

Grow lucky bamboo indoor plants

All in all, lucky bamboo plants are not fussy about where they grow or what medium they grow in. They are undemanding plants and will happily thrive in water, soil or gravel. 

To help the bamboo plants enjoy a stress-free environment, create a conducive indoor atmosphere. 

We hope this article helps you to grow your lucky bamboo. 

If you have any questions, leave a comment below. We’ll be happy to help.

How to build a deer, bird and insect netting for garden

You can use bamboo sticks to make garden hoops for netting. If the squirrels and pigeons get the garden berries before you, you might want to build a protective netting around the berries. 

The bamboo garden hoops are perfect for protecting the berries in the garden. 

Hope it gives you some ideas about how to build a simple, but practical, garden netting to stop deer, bird and insect netting from getting to you plants.

How to build a deer, bird and insect netting for garden

You will need x3 long bamboo sticks to go from one end of the netting to the other. This will set the length and width of the garden netting, so choose them carefully. 

Alternatively, you can tie the bamboo together to give you a longer length. Then, bend the bamboo stick into an arch shape, forming the bamboo garden hoops or loopers. 

These will now be the hoops for the garden netting. 

 You can put the bamboo hoops straight into the soil or build an elevated top cover, and throw the net over it, like in this YouTube video.

Check out the fruit cage for sale.

This video shows how to build netting cheaply by using the materials listed in this article. All done in one day. 

After completing the hoops for the garden netting, spread the net over the top and use ropes to tie them in.

No need to use nails or cable ties, garden ropes will do. 

The idea is simple, but it works every time. Here are some practical garden uses of bamboo sticks.

Bamboo best natural garden hoops

The bamboo sticks are fantastic materials for making garden hoops for netting, incredibly flexible. They can fit into the spaces making it easy to create formidable nettings for small gardens. 

They are also best for arch-shaped netting. 

You can use them to make almost anything from building netting like this to using them as support for runner beans, sweet peas or any garden plant. 

Hope this article and the video guide give you an idea about how you can use bamboo to build garden hoops for your netting project, too. 

Here are the uses of bamboo sticks in the garden including DIY projects.

How to make garden bamboo hoops for netting?

The freshly cut bamboo sticks from the bamboo grove are easy to bend to shape. In fact, they are so flexible that you can make a nice arch shape and use them as hoops for netting. 

If you are using large bamboo stems, apply gentle heat to the stem and see the magic, the bamboo will bend easily.

Also, bamboo culms/stems will bend nicely from the bamboo grove. So, train them early on into a hoop while they are still young. For example, this big bamboo arch/hoop was trained into a hoop formed in the bamboo grove. Perfect for use in arching projects like this tomato frame.

What bamboo plants are best for garden hoops?

There are many bamboo plants that produce long and narrow culms. The best bamboo plants for garden sticks are the Phyllostachys aurea and Phyllostachys bissettii. 

These two bamboos grow well in the UK, their culms are slender, tall and very strong. They produce better, bendable, bamboo sticks which make great garden hoops for netting. 

Other tall bamboos like the Phyllostachys vivax are also good, but they have large stems/culms, which are often hard to bend to shape.

Materials for bamboo garden netting

In this project, the main material is bamboo, others include old rubber hose and mesh wire. It is a simple idea, but it works out perfectly every time. 

Firstly, use bamboo sticks/hoops to build the mainframe. Then, put the netting over it. 

Materials:

• Garden net
• Mesh wire
• Garden rope
• Bamboo sticks
• Point Crowbar
• Old water hose

Note: Freshly cut bamboo sticks are best for making garden hoops for netting because they will bend easily without breaking. 

You can substitute the materials for others you have in the garden, but the substitute for bamboo sticks can be hard to find.

List of materials, tools and garden essentials

Here is a list of tools, materials and garden essentials and where to buy them.

Materials/tools (Buy at B&Q)

• Garden net
• Garden hoops
• Bamboo sticks
• Chisel & Point Crowbar

Fruits and seeds (Buy at YouGarden)

• Strawberries
• Raspberries and Blackberries
• Black current and Gooseberries

Gardening essentials (Buy at YouGarden)

• Composts
• Fertilizers
• Slug pallets
• Pots and planters
• Gloves

Potted bamboo plants (Buy at Crocus UK)

• Phyllostachys aurea
• Phyllostachys bissetti

Hope it gives you some ideas about how to build a simple, but practical, garden netting to stop the deer, bird and insect netting from getting to you plants.

Evergreen shade-loving plants like bamboo

There are many evergreen plants for shade, some are deciduous and others are evergreen. Only a few grow best in deep to light-shaded areas.

In this article, you will find out about the 5 popular evergreen, shade-living plants that thrive in pots and in the garden.

5 shade-loving popular plants in the UK and US plants 

How to grow evergreen shade plants – pots or garden?

Some shade-loving plants like the bamboo plants will thrive in pots and in the garden. However, not all the shrubs that grow well in shade will thrive in pots. 

The flowering shrubs have taproots that grow deep into the soil. This means that they do not like to be contained within pots and containers. 

Unless, of course, they grow in large planters and containers where there is plenty of rooting space. 

Evergreen plants for shade like bamboos

To put this article in perspective, here are some uses of the 5 shade-loving plants and suggestions for growing them.

The 5 Best Evergreen Shade Plants:

• Bamboo plants,
• Sarcococca,
• Buddleia,
• Viburnum tinus and
• Ceanothus.

Read about the 5 plants and their features: 5 shade-loving popular plants

Shade-loving plants for pots

The shade-loving shrubs, unfortunately, will not do well in pots. They have taproots and like to root freely.

They will not do well in contained spaces like the pot, planters and containers. 

If you want to grow a plant in a pot and put it in a deeply shaded area, bamboo is a fantastic option.

Shaded hedge plants

There are many hedge plants, some are deciduous whereas others are evergreen like the 5 plants featured in this article.

The 3 best plants for hedging a shaded area are:

•  Bamboo,
• Viburnum tinus and
• Ceanothus.

Hardy plants/shrubs for shade

Most evergreen plants are hardy, which means that they can tolerate frost and ice during the winter.

The 5 hardiest evergreen plants are:

• Bamboo,
• Sarcococca,
• Buddleia,
• Viburnum tinus and
• Ceanothus.

Note that some buddleia cultivars are semi-evergreen or deciduous.

Check the plant description carefully when buying online or in-store.

Best garden plants for ground cover plants

The evergreen shrubs may not be the best ground cover, but they will require pruning to keep them in shape. These shrubs are beautiful ground covers when they are in full bloom.

The small Chinese Dwarf bamboos and variegated bamboos are best for evergreen ground covers. You can mix and match them to great effect. 

The 3 best ground cover plants are:

• Bamboo plants (Sasa nopponica),
• Sarcococca and
• Viburnum tinus.

Where to buy the evergreen plants for shade?

The 5 shade-loving plants in this article thrive under the covers of trees and buildings, where other plants tend to struggle to grow. 

They are also fantastic ground covers. You can buy these plants online from YouGarden or Crocus.

Shade-loving evergreen hedging plants

In addition to the 5 shade-loving plants for pots and gardens listed in this article, here are the top 6 hedging plants that thrive in shade. They have tightly packed leaves that last all year round. 

The groundcover, shade-login plants mentioned in this article, bamboo is the only grass variety among the fast-growing evergreen hedging plant. 

Also, the beech tree is deciduous. Read more about the 6 common hedging plants we covered in an earlier article here.

The 5 evergreen shade-loving plants for pots and gardens are Bamboo, Sarcococca, Buddleia, Viburnum tinus and Ceanothus.

Bamboo is well-known for being the fastest growing plant. And, the shrubs are popular for their scented flowers and contrasting colours, best for attracting bees and butterflies. 

We hope this article gives you some ideas about the evergreen plants for shade. Check out our website (GardenBambooPlants.Com) for more information in the common bamboo plants that grow in the in UK.

5 evergreen garden plants for shade

Most plants require light to grow, that is why they may not do well in heavily shaded areas. But, there are some exceptional plants that thrive in shaded sites. 

The 5 plants we cover in this article are popular shade-loving plants because they tend to adapt exceptionally well to different shaded sites. They are evergreen and long-lasting. 

If you are looking for evergreen shade plants to grow in pots or in the garden, you’ll love these 5 plants.

Bamboo plants for shade

There are different cultivars of bamboo plants, grouped into running and clumping varieties. They are hardy and extremely tolerant to shade. This is because most bamboos are native to subtropical and tropical Asia and the Pacific. 

Bamboo plants usually grow under the forest canopy where there is little or no light.

Many garden bamboo cultivars in the UK and the US display this feature prominently, which makes bamboo one of the top shape-loving plants. 

Also, the small bamboo cultivars are best planted as ground covers. 

Here are some suggestions of bamboo that thrive in shaded areas, and small variegated bamboos to use as ground covers. 

Caution: The running bamboos will spread. Always use a bamboo barrier when growing them in the garden. Alternatively, grow them in pots or containers.

 

Sarcococca (Christmas box)

Sarcococca, also known as the Christmas box, is a dense evergreen shrub.

It bears sweet-scented white flowers in winter. 

The contrasting white flowers with dark green leaves are adorable. The flowers attract bees and butterflies.

This flowering shrub is extremely shade-loving and drought tolerant, a fantastic undercover plant.

Buddleia (Butterfly bush)

Buddleia, also known as the Butterfly bush. 

This beautiful sweet-scented shrub has cultivars that are evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous. They adapt extremely well to shade and dry soils. 

You can trim the branches to give a lush bush. Buddleia is a popular flowering plant for attracting bees and butterflies to your garden.

On Sale at YouGarden.

Viburnum tinus

Viburnum tinus is a dense, evergreen shrub that also grows well in shade. It has dark, glossy leaves. 

The leaves contrast beautifully with the clusters of small pinkish-white flowers. 

They appear throughout the winter and spring. It is a popular flowering shrub because it is easy to grow and adds greenery to the garden throughout the year. 

You can use this beautiful plant for ground cover or hedging.

Ceanothus (Californian Lilac)

Ceanothus, also called Californian Lilac, is an evergreen flowering shrub. 

This beautiful plant has scented flowers that appear late in spring through to summer. 

It can grow in shade to part shade, adaptable and hardy – a fantastic shade hedging plant.

Apart from bamboo, which is grass, the other shade-loving plants are shrubs with beautifully scented flowers. In fact, they are bees and butterfly ‘magnets’.

All in all, if you want to grow a shade-loving plant, these 5 plants will not disappoint.

Tall bamboo sticks for plants

There are different types of bamboo plants that grow in the UK. Some are running and others are clumping bamboo plants. 

Find out about the bamboo plants that you can grow to get tall bamboo sticks for garden plants.

What matters the most is the thickness of the inter-cellular walls.

Thicker walls produce thick canes which are strong and reusable. Also, choose bamboo plants that have small stems and long internodes. 

In this article, you’ll find out about the 5 bamboo plants that have long and slender internodes, and thick cane walls.

 

Best bamboo plants for garden bamboo canes

Here are some possible places to get bamboo sticks for plants online or in shops.

• B&Q 
• Cherry Lane

The bamboo canes are excellent stakes for garden plants. They come in different sizes and are often used for supporting vines, shoots and many other garden plants. The bamboo stems have different thicknesses. 

The best canes have long internodes with thick inter-cellular walls. (Diagrams of parts of running and clumping bamboo plants).

Grow the bamboo plants below. They have strong stem walls because the stem walls are thick, and ideal for use in the garden.

1. Phyllostachys aurea (Fishpole bamboo) - Running bamboo 

2. Fargesia murielae Standing Stone - Clumping bamboo 

3. Black Bamboo Plants Phyllostachys Nigra - Running bamboo 

4. Fargesia murielae Blue Lizard - Clumping bamboo 

5. Fargesia Blue Dragon Papyrifera Borinda - Clumping bamboo

Take a look at how some of these tall bamboo plants are grown inside root barriers and wall barriers - 25 different ways of growing invasive bamboo.

Uses of bamboo canes in the garden

You may have seen bamboo canes used in the garden. In fact, there are countless uses. You can use them as the support for runner beans, sweet peas, and flowers or as hoops for netting in the garden. 

As mentioned, the best bamboos to grow are the plants with thick canes. You will have endless supplies to use in the garden.

  Bamboo sticks for plants in pots and gardens.

Here are some garden projects where we use bamboo canes. The canes come from the bamboo plants that we grow in pots and along with the garden hedge and as privacy screens.

Follow the links for the details of each project. 

1. Large garden planter boxes 

2. Things you can make out of bamboo 

3. What are the benefits of bamboo plants? 

4. Bamboo bamboo hoops for garden netting 

5. Make Garden Trellis Panels from Bamboos Canes

What makes a good bamboo cane?

Many garden bamboo plants in the UK are too big to use as bamboo canes or have thin stem walls.  The bamboos are great for the privacy screen and tall hedges, but not ideal for use as bamboo sticks. 

So, if you want to grow bamboo and use its canes, choose one of the 5 bamboo plants. The plants will produce an endless supply of canes. 

You can also use them for fencing, hoops and stakes for indoor plants. The uses are limitless. 

See how we use bamboo on our YouTube channel. This playlist has all the bamboo DIY ideas. 

The bamboo sticks are tall, slender, rounded, tough and strong. They are the perfect support for new plants, vines, beans and garden and pot plants that need stem support. 

 Bamboo sticks will last for many years. You can use and re-use the sticks, they are tough, firm and strong. They are also flexible, you can bend them to your liking and create amazing shapes and designs.

Do you have a useful plant in the garden?

Bamboo stems are fantastic alternatives to timber and plastic garden stakes. 

Grow the 5 bamboo plants for unlimited supplies of tall bamboo sticks for garden plants.

We would love to hear from you. Do you have a plant in the garden that you often use the stems like the bamboo stems? 

Let us know in the comments below. Here is another useful garden plant, Cordyline australis. Its leaves are fantastic garden ropes.