- 1). Plant bamboo during the last two weeks of May in northwest Washington. This will allow the bamboo to get fully established during Washington's short growing season. Gradual cooling during the fall will help it harden off before winter, giving it the best chance of survival.
- 2). Plant the bamboo in an area that gets plenty of sun during the day, but is sheltered from cold winds in winter. The south or east side of a building, fence or windbreak is ideal.
- 3). Cultivate a planting area for bamboo to a depth of 2 feet, using a shovel. Remove rocks, stones and vegetation as you go. Amend soil with equal parts peat and sand if drainage is poor.
- 4). Plant running bamboo seedlings at a depth of 2 to 3 inches, 12 to 24 inches apart. Plant clumping bamboo to the depth of its root ball, 24 to 36 inches apart. Tamp the soil down around the roots with your foot to close air spaces, and water well after planting.
- 5). Spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch in the planting area. Mulch will suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature and hold moisture around the growing bamboo. Water twice a week during the growing season, and daily if conditions are hot and dry, especially during the bamboo's growth spurt, when it may grow up to 12 inches per day.
- 6). Fertilize bamboo with lawn fertilizer, which is high in nitrogen. Follow the packaging instructions for correct proportions to use for the size of your planting area.
- 7). Control the spread of running bamboo with landscape edging that will reach a depth of 30 inches. Pound the edging to the proper depth with a hammer, and keep soil compacted on the outside of the edging to discourage roots from growing under the edging. Clip off any roots that try to go up and over it with pruning shears.
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