How to Grow Edible Bamboo in Your Garden

‍How to Grow Edible Bamboo in Your Garden

The best way to grow edible bamboo in your garden is to select the correct type for your climate and soil. There are several issues to consider before planting edible bamboo in your garden, these will help you to decide which is the best edible bamboo species for your location. 

First, determine if you have an arid or a humid climate. Bamboos are either tropical or subtropical, not temperate. Tropical bamboos prefer humid climates, where subtroparies are found in temperate areas. Next, find out what type of soil your area has. You might want to look for edible bamboos native to your region. 

Note that the bamboos listed below are the only ones suitable for warm temperate areas like the United States.

Select an Edible Bamboo

To find the right edible bamboo for your garden, you will have to search the internet extensively. You can also visit various bamboo nurseries and bamboo growers’ associations. These places have lists of edible bamboos suitable for specific regions.  

The most important point to consider when choosing an edible bamboo is its resistance to pests and diseases. However, let us first find out what are the edible bamboos suitable for your region. 

You can also find out the nutritional value of the bamboo shoots. This will help you to decide the best type of bamboo for your garden. You can also choose from the wide range of ornamental and flowering bamboos.

How to Grow Edible Bamboo From Seed

Seeds are the best way to grow edible bamboo in your garden. You will need to sow the seeds one month before the last spring frost. The seeds should be planted three-to-four inches apart in pots filled with potting soil. Place the pots in a sunny location that gets at least six hours of sunlight daily. 

Keep the pots away from strong winds and water the soil lightly twice a day. Allow the pots to drain and air dry by keeping them away from any rain or snow. When the seeds sprout, water them twice a day. Keep the pots moist until the bamboo seeds sprout. 

Once the seedlings are a few inches tall, you can transplant them into their permanent position in your garden. If you are growing edible bamboos for their shoots, you should harvest them about eight to 12 weeks after the seeds sprout.

How to Grow Edible Bamboo From Cuttings

If you do not want to grow from seeds, you can also take cuttings of edible bamboos. You will have to take cuttings from 1 to 3-year-old shoots which have three year-old nodes. You can use stem cuttings or soft stem cuttings. 

When you are choosing which edible bamboo to use as a cutting, you should select one that is easily propagated. You can propagate edible bamboos using balled sticks, cuttings and air layering. To propagate edible bamboos using cuttings, follow the steps given below:

• Place a few cuttings in a plastic bag and seal it. 
• Place the cuttings in a place where they get sufficient light and air. 
• Keep the bag in a place that receives minimal or no moisture. You can place the bag on a table or bench. 
• When the cuttings sprout roots, transfer them to their permanent positions in your garden.

Planting Bamboo Shoots

If you are growing edible bamboos from seeds, it is important to plant their seeds in containers filled with potting soil. This will ensure that their seeds get enough oxygen and moisture to survive. 

Some edible bamboos do not require exposure to sunlight to grow, so you can grow them in pots indoors. These bamboos include Thai bamboos, Japanese bamboos and banana bamboos. To propagate edible bamboos using bamboo shoots, follow the steps given below:

• Select healthy, mature shoots of the desired edible bamboo. Remove the leaves from the shoots. 
• Make sure that the cane is no longer growing from the base of the plant. 
• If the plant has more than one kind of shoot, you can choose the one that is most mature. The shoot that is the right height and color for the edible bamboo will grow fastest.

Care for Newly Planted Bamboos

It is important to water newly planted bamboos frequently if the soil is dry, and lessen watering if it is too wet. You should also provide them with plenty of sunlight, good air circulation and well-balanced fertilization. You should also avoid digging in the soil around edible bamboos as this can damage their roots. 

You can ensure that your edible bamboos are healthy and happy by following these steps:

• Whenever you water your edible bamboos, aim for their base where their roots are growing. This will prevent your bamboos from drowning. 
• You can also mulch around your bamboos with compost, which will help retain moisture in the soil. 
• You should also water your edible bamboos immediately after you finish gardening, when the water is still cool and not yet heated by the sun. 
• You should also avoid letting your spigot run until the water is lukewarm. Bamboos are particularly susceptible to waterlogging.

Harvesting for Edible Bamboo

All edible bamboos are considered to be perennial plants. This means that they will grow back after they are cut down. However, the best edible bamboos are those that have multiple shoots that have several years of growth left in them.

The newest shoots of edible bamboos are usually harvested first but the older, larger shoots are usually tastier. All edible bamboos should be harvested when the leaves are still green, before the plant has a chance to dry out and lose flavor. You should cut the bamboo shoots when they are still relatively plump and not dry out.  

After harvesting edible bamboos, you should promptly compost them. Bamboo should not be left to dry out or it will begin to decompose. The quickest way to compost your bamboo is to stack it on top of other yard waste such as leaves or branches. Bamboo will decompose faster if you keep it wet and out in the open.  

If you do not have time to wait for your compost to finish, you can put your bamboo in a sealed garbage can. You should also be sure to put a weed barrier in the trash can between your bamboos and the surrounding yard waste to prevent your bamboos from spreading into the surrounding soil.

Conclusion

Bamboo is a fast growing, sustainable plant and it can be a great addition to your landscape. Bamboo is relatively pest and disease free, provides an abundance of organic matter to your soil, and produces fruit that is delicious when harvested from the correct varieties.  

Edible bamboos are so tasty in fact that you may be tempted to keep growing more for personal consumption. While bamboo is easy to grow and can support an impressive array of wildlife, the plant is also invasive since it is fast growing and long-lasting. 

However, edible bamboos will not be considered invasive if managed and cultivated correctly. Edible bamboos can be grown almost anywhere in your garden especially during the cooler months of spring to autumn. Bamboo is a great addition to your garden and helps to improve the health of your soil by providing organic matter.

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