How to divide and multiply your bamboos?
discover all our tips for successful division
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Bamboos are robust plants that bring an exotic and refreshing touch to the garden with their long stems, known as culms. Perfect for creating a natural screen, they offer elegant verticality and unique graphic appeal, whether planted in the ground or in pots on a terrace. Some running bamboo varieties spread quickly, while others, like Fargesia, grow in clumps without becoming invasive.
If your bamboos start taking up too much space after a few years, dividing them is an excellent solution to keep them under control while producing new plants to replant or give away. In pots, they can become overcrowded and root-bound: division gives them more space and encourages healthier growth. Discover in this article how to divide and propagate your bamboos step by step!
When to divide bamboo?
Divide your bamboos preferably in early spring or autumn. Proceed when the soil is sufficiently moist to make extracting bamboo clumps easier. Avoid dividing them when the shoots (the new buds emerging from the ground from the rhizome) are in full development.
Read also
Bamboos: Planting, Pruning, and Care
How to divide bamboo plants?
For bamboos grown in open ground:
- If the soil is dry, water before working to make division easier.
- Using a spade or fork, prepare planting holes 25 cm deep in the intended location for your young shoots, loosening the soil and incorporating compost and possibly some fertiliser. Note that the aerating fork gives excellent results with less effort.
- For running varieties, install a rhizome barrier, tilting it slightly outward at the top: when rhizomes reach it, they will be directed toward the surface rather than growing deeper.
- Identify culms furthest from the main clump, then dig them up, separating them from the mother plant using a sharp spade or saw. Take a sufficiently large root ball to preserve as many roots as possible around the clump.
- You may shorten the culms, keeping a few nodes and leaves on each to balance the volume between rhizomes and above-ground growth.
- Replant the divided clumps, backfill with soil, and firm down.
- Water thoroughly.
Continue to water frequently in the following weeks.
For pot-grown bamboos:
- Start by watering a few hours before working: bamboos are easier to divide when the soil is moist.
- Remove the root ball from its pot and place it horizontally on the ground or a table.
- Divide it into two or three sections using a saw, prioritising culms furthest from the main clump.
- We recommend trimming roots at the base of the root ball with secateurs to encourage new root growth.
- Place your new clumps in pots with potting compost and nitrogen-rich fertiliser. Firm well to avoid air pockets.
- Water generously.
Place your plant out of direct sunlight and continue to water regularly to ensure successful establishment.
Aftercare for divided bamboos
After division, bamboos typically take a few weeks to several months to fully resume their growth, depending on planting and watering conditions. During this period, it is essential to maintain cool, moist soil, while monitoring for new shoots, a sign of successful establishment.
After division, proper care of young plants is crucial to encourage recovery. An organic mulch of straw, bark, or dead leaves is highly recommended to retain soil moisture and protect the still-fragile roots from temperature fluctuations.
Watering should be frequent, around 2 to 3 times per week during the first month, then gradually reduced depending on weather and soil moisture.
If division was carried out in autumn, the new shoots should be protected from frost by applying a thicker mulch or installing winter fleece if temperatures drop significantly.
Regarding exposure, it is best to keep bamboos in partial shade immediately after division to avoid excessive stress, especially during intense heat. Once well-established, they can gradually adapt to a sunnier position.
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