Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben Griffin
Hi everyone i was thinking of getting some bamboo for
my garden but some of the more unique varieties get
quite expensive. I was thinking of getting one or two
stems then air layering them off. Is this done the
same way you would air layer a woody plant? Do any
of you have any tips? Is it much more difficult then
rooting or air layering a bush or tree?
Thanks
Ben Griffin
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Hi Ben,
Some of these people that say you can't air layer bamboo are wrong. You can air layer bamboo, I have done it. I put a small pot filled with sunshine mix on a culm of Phyllostachys aureosulcata and put some sod/grass starter fertilizer (about 1 tbsp 20-28-3) and roots grew like crazy from the node. Although bamboos are often divided, they can be propagated by other ways. For instance some bamboo specific nurseries are propagating bamboos by tissue culture.
As for the invasive nature of bamboo, don't let that scare you off. But just remember, bamboo is not a plant and forget landscaping plant. The best way to keep bamboo under control is by frequent rhizome pruning. Planting it on a berm or mound (~18" high) is effective and then you can prune off the rhizomes as they emerge from the soil. Before you plant bamboo, research it. Bamboo forests are nice in Japan, but do you want one in your backyard (I actually do but that's another story :P ).