Find Your Ask the Expert: Can I move and re-plant a bamboo plant
My friend is getting rid of her bamboo plant and I said I’d love to have it but I’m unsure if its safe to dig up and move the bamboo plant and re-plant it somewhere else. Do you have any tips to ensure it survives? The soil I will be planting it in is hard and has shade in places and sun in others. I look forward to your response.
I am the Queen of moving plants. I move the plants around in my yard the way other people move the furniture in their house. However, a few things must be taken into consideration before you transplant any plant. Is the plant happy where it is at; in other words does it like the soil, the light and the moist level of the area in which it resides. Also think about the time of year it is, will the weather help or hinder in the transplantation of this plant. What part of the growth cycle is the plant in and what will transplanting do to this phase of the plant.
If you are transplanting a plant that likes the spot in which it resides, you need to move it to a spot with similar environmental conditions. So if your friends plant likes where it is at you need to create the same conditions in your yard. Place it in the same amount of light with the same moisture level and with soil that is similar to its original soil. You might have to amend your soil to accomplish this. If you are moving a plant because it doesn’t like it’s living conditions place it in more suitable light, water and soil conditions.
Transplanting in the heat of the summer can be difficult and so can the dead of winter for some areas. I like to transplant plants when the temperature is under 80degrees. For me this only applies to plants that have been established in the ground for more than a year — not plants that have been container grown. The difference is that the roots have been cut or destroyed on the establish plant but not on the container grown plant.
When I transplant a plant that has been established, I also cut the foliage back some to keep the roots from stressing. With less foliage to support the roots will have time to heal and take off. I usually remove about a third of the foliage. However, this depends on what phase of growth the plant is in; if it is dormant I may or may not cut back the plant. If it is a plant that has already set its buds for the next season I might not cut it back. But whenever I an transplanting I water the plant in with a Vitamin b1 or root stimulator solution followed with clear water. This will ease the transplant shock that all plants go through when transplanted.
Now on to your specific transplanting. I’m not sure if you are transplanting lucky bamboo or true bamboo. It could make a difference when you trim back the foliage. I would not cut back the foliage on a lucky bamboo. When you dig the plant up, take the shovel and go out from the plant at least 3/4 of its height. This should help you get as much of the root ball as possible. Find a place that has the same light level as its original home. Amend you soil with some humus to soften it and plant the root ball at the same level as it was before and cut back one third of the foliage (that is if it is true bamboo). Then water it in with some vitamin b1 or root stimulator and keep the area moist but not soggy for a few weeks and then water it as you do all of your other plants. Good Luck.