How to Grow Bamboo in New York

Choose a bamboo that grows in your area of New York. The Empire State straddles United States Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 5a to 7a, so cold hardiness may vary by your location.

Dig a hole for your bamboo plant that's twice as wide and deep as the plant's root ball. For best growth, select a full sun location. To offer natural protection from the cold, plant on the south side of your house where temperatures tend to be warmer.

Remove your bamboo from its container and place it in the prepared hole. Fill in the hole with soil to finish planting, then add 2 inches of mulch to cover the bamboo. The mulch will nourish the bamboo as it breaks down.

Water the site thoroughly, to saturate the soil. Thereafter, water the bamboo twice weekly with enough water to saturate the soil.

Fertilize your bamboo with a nitrogen fertilizer twice a year, in the early spring and early fall. Base your fertilizer dose on the size of your plant, according to the label.

Bend the bamboo stalks in half in the late fall, before heavy frosts set in, then tie them with twine. Cover the tied-over bamboo with autumn leaves, straw or another form of natural mulch, but don't pack the mulch so tightly around the plant that no air circulates. Leave this in place until the last heavy frost occurs, late in winter or early in spring. This is especially important in northern New York, where temperatures dip as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit.