Maintaining bamboos
Bamboos can look dramatic and sound pleasing with the wind rustling their foliage, but without some basic maintenance they can become crowded, untidy and unappealing. This applies to plants in containers as well as those planted out.
Maintaining clumps
In spring remove any weak, dead, damaged or spindly canes from the base of the plant with loppers or secateurs. Bamboos are tough plants and can easily inflict scratches and cuts so wear thick gloves. The aim is to cut out the oldest canes, letting light and air through the clump. This enables young canes to grow unchecked and will result in a more attractive effect Avoid partially shortening canes as this can look unsightly. Then, without damaging new shoots, clear away debris at the base to relieve congestion further.
Creative thinning
Bamboos are often seen in large clumps but with creative thinning different effects can be achieved. They can be underplanted with ferns, ivies or bergenias, or grown as a graceful lawn specimen. using cultivars with different cane colours can provide contrast or highlight areas of the garden.
Division
Bamboos generally have much tougher rhizomes than other grasses. Division is best undertaken in mid-spring as the weather is warming. Plants growing in the ground can be divided using a mattock or even an axe. Container-grown bamboos can be removed from the pot and the rootball cut through using an old saw. This method can also be used with lifted clumps but never let the roots dry out.
Sarah Durrant