Can I Grow Yellow Groove Bamboo in a Pot?

History

• Yellow groove bamboo is native to China and became available in the United States in the mid-1800s. It was one of the species collected by Philipp von Siebold, a plant hunter and physician, and classified by botanist Joseph Zuccarini in Munich. Because of its hardiness, a well-established stand of yellow groove graces the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Potting

• Choose a straight-sided, thick-walled container with no lip or indentations, because you will need to remove the bamboo from the pot and root-prune it every few years. Because of yellow groove's height, even though it will be shorter in a container, you need a pot deep enough to weight with rocks so it won't blow over in high wind. Minimum size is 4 feet wide by 2 feet of soil depth for the roots over the rocks. The container must have drainage holes. Use a high-quality commercial potting soil.

Culture

• Plant yellow groove bamboo in full sun to part shade. Soak it thoroughly once a week to establish. Watering depends on the size of the container and the age of the plant; be sure your plant gets ample water, especially in summer. You may need to water it every day in hot weather. Fertilize yellow groove bamboo monthly during the spring and summer with a water-soluble fertilizer with high nitrogen content. Pull the bamboo out of the container every three years in spring and prune off roots that have circled around in the pot. Put fresh potting soil in the pot and replace the bamboo.

Protection

• Any bamboo grown in a pot is not as hardy as it would be if grown in the ground. In cold climates, line the container with 2 inches of block foam to protect the roots from freezing. This will also help protect the roots from too much heat in the summer. Spray the leaves of bamboo with an anti-dessicant each month from December through February.