# How to Grow Bamboo in Michigan
Things You'll Need
- Garden compost or other organic matter
- Aged chicken manure or lawn fertilizer
- Composted leaves
- Root barrier
- Pruning shears
Instructions
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Grow bamboo in full sun or partial shade sites in most soil types except for heavy, waterlogged clay. Water plants regularly in their first year, never allowing the soil to dry out. Established plants tolerate drought but grow better in moist soil. Spread a 3-inch layer of mulch, such as garden compost, to help prevent plants from drying out.
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Fertilize bamboo for fast-growing, tall plants. Spread a half-and-half mixture of aged chicken manure and composted leaves 1/8 inch deep around plants in spring and repeat at midsummer. Alternatively, sprinkle lawn turf builder very lightly every six to eight weeks from spring through summer, or according to manufacturer's instructions.
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Confine running bamboos by inserting a root barrier vertically into the soil around plants. Running bamboos spread until they reach a barrier. Dig a 3-foot trench at the final plant width required, entirely around the plant. Insert the root barrier to the bottom of the trench and allow 2 inches to protrude from the ground. Check plants yearly for rhizomes growing over the barrier, and cut them off with pruning shears.
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Check plants during heavy snowfall and brush off excessive amounts of snow, which can damage and break stems.
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