How to Grow Bamboo Wood

Obtain 5-gallon bamboo plants, because plants of this size have an increased chance of survival. Bamboos known for their excellent timber quality include, Slender Crookstein and Red Margin. These bamboo varieties produce the straightest and hardest wood canes.

Place the young bamboos on a hard surface, and water with the garden hose. Keep the bamboo plants moist while preparing their planting holes.

Dig one hole per bamboo plant in full to partial sun, using a shovel. Space the holes for the bamboo plants 5 feet apart. Add equal parts untreated grass clippings and peat moss to each hole until half-full. Distribute the grass and peat moss mixture into the bottom, and as far up the sides of each hole as possible, using a hand-held garden fork.

Slice the wrapping surrounding the root mass of each bamboo plant with a utility knife. Cut slowly to avoid cutting the rhizomes.

Push the soil that you dug out of each hole back into the planting holes to surround and cover each bamboo root mass. Soak the ground surrounding each young bamboo plant with water. After the soil has settled further down, add more dirt if the water has uncovered part of the root mass.

Spread 4 inches of grass clippings around the stems of each bamboo plant. Grass clippings contain a high level of nitrogen, which aids in the rhizome development of the bamboo.

Fill a watering can with 1 gallon of water. Give this quantity of water to each bamboo plant.

Remove dying, dead or bamboo stems situated so closely together that they touch other bamboo stems, using a hacksaw. Bamboo left to grow and spread on its own may develop too close together, causing an increase in aphid infestations.

Spray the foliage of the bamboo plants with an all-purpose pesticide to control insect infestations.