How to Plant Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo is an introduced plant to the United States; it is not native. With the ability to escape cultivation and get invasive, you need to keep a careful eye on this popular plant, or grow it indoors. For outdoor growth, planting bamboo shoots is relatively simple.

Items You’ll Need

• Shoots from the bamboo


• Shovel


• Watering can full of water or garden hose


• Potting soil mix

1. Gather the materials you’ll need and begin to dig a small hole with the shovel. The hole should not be deeper than that depth of the shoot's soil line. It should be twice as wide as the shoot’s base.


2. Put the shoot into the hole. Make sure the shoot is pointed up and fan out any roots into the hole.


3. Add potting soil around the shoot up to the ground level. Lightly tap soil downward to plant into the ground.


4. Water the plant with the watering can or gently with a hose. It should be very gentle to not disturb it or erode the soil away from the bamboo shoot. Let the water soak in. Do not water more than a gallon or two on first watering.


5. After watering, ensure that there are no soil air pockets and that the soil has been watered to the depth of the hole.


6. Keep the soil moist until the first growth begins. You may need to keep an eye on it to make sure that early growth is not damaged. However, after it has established itself, it should be much sturdier and less prone to damage.