How to Prune a Bamboo Plant
Bamboo is a very beautiful garden plant that can give depth and a sense of calmness in your garden. The problem is that bamboo can grow too tall or too dense for your backyard. If you have a grove of bamboo in your yard, or if you have bamboo at a corner of your garden, you need to prune them from time to time to keep the plants looking nice.
Why Prune Bamboo?
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. Bamboo can grow up to six inches a day, and the maximal growth rate of some bamboo plants can reach up to a full meter a day. While some people appreciate the sight of tall bamboo plants on groves, bamboo plants that are too tall can be quite distracting and uncomfortable to look at when they’re on gardens or yards.
Pruning is a method used in landscaping and gardening where parts of a plant are removed to make them look more attractive. Pruning bamboo can get a bit tricky especially if the plants are already tall, but ornamental garden bamboo is fairly easy to prune and trim.
Tools
Here are the tools you need to prune a bamboo plant:
Machete (if you’re working with thick bamboo; you can also use a hacksaw)
Garden shears
Gloves and goggles (particularly if you’re working with spiny bamboo)
Steps
pruning bamboo
Inspect the bamboo for any sign of pests, parasites, fungi, and other diseases. Bamboo plants grow close together, which provides an environment for pests to flourish, too.
Bamboo splinters can be pesky. Always wear gloves and goggles when you’re pruning bamboo plants. You may also want to wear long-sleeved work shirts if you don’t want splinters to lodge themselves on your arms. (How to Remove Splinters)
With a machete or a very sharp and sturdy pair of garden shears, cut the culm of bamboo a few centimeters above the node. Do not cut at the node, because you may risk drying out the node, leaving the plant to die and look very unsightly.
Once you’ve pruned the bamboo, trim off any excess and unwanted branches on the living part of the plant to keep the grove looking nice.
You should trim bamboo once a year to keep your garden looking balanced and refreshing, as well as encourage the plant to grow healthy tissue. Pruning a bamboo grove can also save you big money on monthly gardening bills.