Bamboo (Bambusoideae) is one of the plants that tolerate cutting. This has the advantage that even beginners can get along well with the sweet grass. However, it is important to choose the right time.
Time
Although the bamboo tolerates cutting very well, the timing of cutting back is important. The stalks will only grow in height again in the same year if they are cut before new growth. That's why cutting bamboo plants falls in the frost-free spring according to the calendar:
- in mild regions in March
- in rough locations in April / May
If you have missed the right time, you should avoid pruning. If you cut back stalks that have already sprouted and started to grow, they will remain at the cut height for this season, but will develop even more leaves and side shoots.
Cutting tool
You don't need any special tools to cut off the stalks. So are
- Garden scissors
- Pruning Shears
- Hand hedge trimmer and
- Hedge trimmer
perfectly sufficient. It is important that the scissors are sharp. You should also clean and disinfect the tool before cutting so that no pathogens are transmitted.
General cutting measures
Annual pruning has several advantages in terms of the he alth and appearance of bamboo plants:
- denser growth
- more compact shape
- more light inside the plant
- don't grow old
- less susceptible to disease
Note:
You should not prune the young plants in the first few years. They first have to grow into strong bamboo plants and need time to produce enough leaves for photosynthesis.
Blending
Regardless of whether you have planted a bamboo as a hedge, solitary plant or ground cover, you can
- dead,
- too thin,
- disturbing or
- weak stalks
cut off without hesitation. It is best to make the cut close to the ground. This way you can completely remove the stalk. In addition, more light penetrates into the interior of the plant, which further promotes sprouting.
Note:
This radical approach only applies to the appearance of the stalks. If the foliage dries up in spring, you don't have to worry. The bamboo sprouts fresh, new leaves.
Radical pruning
A radical pruning of the entire plant is not necessary. However, radical cutting may become necessary if the sweet grass has become too large or a very cold winter has affected it too much. If you decide to cut back the garden bamboo radically, all stalks - dried or not - are cut off close to the ground.
Note:
You don't have to worry about new growth after radical pruning. Bamboo stalks grow from “zero to maximum growth height” within a short period of time.
Cutting after planting / growth
Bamboo has different types of growth and planting and therefore there are different things to consider when cutting:
Cut back solitary plant
Many types of bamboo show their most beautiful appearance when there are only 10 to 15 stalks per square meter. It is therefore advisable to thin out the bamboo annually. To do this, cut
- the four to five year old stalks
- close to the ground (radical).
In the varieties of flat-tube bamboo that have colored or striped stalks, the color is most pronounced on three- to four-year-old shoots. Since they become paler with age, you should primarily radically cut back the older stalks of this species.
Cutting back umbrella bamboo
The umbrella bamboo requires pruning if it threatens to fall apart. The causes for this are usually a snowy winter and heavy downpours in spring. Since stalks that lean and protrude out of shape can no longer be integrated, they are cut back by half or a third.
Since the bamboo stalks “damaged by snow pressure” have to carry much less weight after being cut, they straighten up again. They won't make up for the height they've lost, but they will develop heavily leafy side shoots that give the umbrella bamboo a seamless appearance.
Cutting back bamboo hedge
So that a bamboo hedge doesn't grow over your head, but still offers optimal privacy, it is cut back in the form of a step cut. In doing so, you cut
- the stalks in the middle to the desired height of the hedge
- the side bamboo stalks are slightly shorter
- the flanks to a uniform length
Tip:
The step cut on a bamboo hedge has the advantage that the side stalks in the lower area have good leaves and the hedge shows green leaves all around.
Pruning dwarf bamboo
In this country, many ground-covering bamboo species are referred to as dwarf bamboo. You also cut this back in the spring. You can take a radical approach with peace of mind, as the dwarf bamboo will reliably sprout again and even more beautifully.
Cutting potted plants
Bamboo that is kept in a pot, like its planted counterparts, should not grow without cutting. That's why
- Lighting and
- Cut back
also in pot culture about the care measures for the plants. If smaller areas are completely dry, you can cut them off as well as dead plant parts from spring to autumn.
