How to Start Another Bamboo Plant From Existing Plant

Overview

If you grow bamboo in your yard, or know someone who does, you can start another bamboo plant from an existing bamboo plant quite easily by cutting off part of a healthy rhizome. Bamboo comes in two forms, clumping and running, and some varieties are cold-hardy. While bamboo can be invasive when you do not keep it under control, it does add an exotic flare to any garden.

Step 1

Cut the bamboo canes back to 2 feet to make them easier to maneuver.

Step 2

Dig around the existing bamboo plant 4 to 5 feet in diameter and 2 feet in depth. Loosen the soil until you have a good view of the rhizomes.

Step 3

Choose a rhizome that is yellow with one or two culms attached to it. Cut off the rhizome from the mother plant at the neck using a sharp knife.

Step 4

Wrap the bamboo rhizome in a damp burlap sack. Plant it immediately in a well-drained pot filled with potting soil or in your yard. If planting in your yard, make sure the soil is drains well and the bamboo has access to full sun. Plant the bamboo as deep as the rhizome.

Step 5

Water the bamboo for five minutes and place mulch over the soil around the base of the plant. Keep the soil around the bamboo moist for one to two months until it is established.