Growing Bamboo in Pots: How to Keep It Healthy & Contained

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I love the lush, relaxed look bamboo brings to my garden and back deck. It grows quickly, creates a wonderful living privacy screen, and gives the garden an almost tropical feel.

What I don’t necessarily want is bamboo spreading where I don’t want it.

My solution is simple: I grow bamboo in pots.

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I’ve grown bamboo successfully in containers for more than 15 years, and I’ve found it surprisingly easy to care for. Growing it in a large pot lets me enjoy everything I love about bamboo while keeping its growth under control.

If you’d like to grow bamboo in pots, I’ll show you how I plant mine, how I keep it healthy, and one particularly important step I take to prevent the roots from escaping the container.

Can Bamboo Grow in Pots?

Yes, bamboo grows very well in pots and containers. In fact, I have grown bamboo successfully in containers for more than 15 years.

Choose a large container with good drainage, use quality potting soil, keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy, and divide or repot the bamboo as necessary when it becomes crowded.

Growing bamboo in a pot is also a great way to enjoy its lush growth while keeping spreading varieties contained.

Growing Bamboo in Pots at a Glance

• Container: I prefer 5 gallons or larger for established plants.
• Soil: Use a quality potting soil with good drainage.
• Water: Keep the soil moist, but don’t leave it soggy.
• Light: Sun requirements vary, but mine grows faster in sunnier locations.
• Feeding: Fertilize during the active growing season.
• Repotting: Divide and repot when the bamboo becomes crowded.
• Winter: Choose a bamboo variety hardy for your climate.
• Important: Don’t allow roots to escape through drainage holes and grow into the surrounding soil.

Why Grow Bamboo in Containers?

Bamboo is a beautiful, tough plant that can add a lush look to a patio, deck, or garden. While we often associate bamboo with warm or tropical places, there are many different types of bamboo, including varieties that tolerate much colder climates.

Interesting note: Bamboo is actually a grass.

One of my favorite uses for bamboo is creating a natural privacy screen.

But there is another important reason I grow mine in containers.

There are two main types of bamboo: running bamboo and clumping bamboo.

Running bamboo can spread rapidly through underground rhizomes, while clumping bamboo grows outward in a much tighter clump.

Growing bamboo in containers gives me much more control over where it grows.

What Size Pot Does Bamboo Need?

Bamboo can grow in relatively small pots when it is young. When I’m dividing bamboo and giving some away to friends, for example, I sometimes put the new divisions into 1-gallon nursery pots.

But if you want your bamboo to grow into a large, beautiful plant, give it more room.

I prefer containers that hold at least 5 gallons or more.

A larger container gives the bamboo room to develop and fill out, creating the lush appearance I’m looking for.

Remember that bamboo can become quite large. In its natural habitat, some bamboo can reach impressive heights. In containers, mine remains much more manageable.

Best Soil for Bamboo in Pots

I use a quality potting soil when planting bamboo in containers.

Partially fill your container with potting soil, position your bamboo at the appropriate depth, and then fill around the plant with additional potting mix.

Most importantly, make sure the container’s drainage holes are clear.

You want the soil to retain enough moisture for the bamboo without remaining soggy.

How to Plant Bamboo in a Container

Planting bamboo in a pot is quite simple.

1. Choose a large container with drainage holes.
2. Partially fill the container with quality potting soil.
3. Remove the bamboo from its existing container and place it into the new pot.
4. Fill around the root ball with additional potting soil.
5. Water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots.
6. Place the container where it will receive the appropriate amount of light for your particular bamboo.

There’s one additional step I take when placing my bamboo pots out in the garden—and it’s an important one.

How to Keep Potted Bamboo From Spreading

Don’t assume that putting bamboo in a pot automatically prevents it from spreading.

If I’m placing my potted bamboo on garden soil, I make sure there is a barrier or catch tray underneath the pot.

Why?

Bamboo roots and rhizomes can find their way through the drainage holes in a container and root into the soil below.

If you’re growing bamboo in a pot specifically to control it, that’s exactly what you’re trying to avoid.

Periodically check underneath and around your containers for escaping roots, especially if you’re growing running bamboo.

This simple precaution lets me enjoy bamboo in my garden without allowing it to take over an area where I don’t want it.

How Often Should You Water Bamboo in Pots?

Water your potted bamboo regularly and aim to keep the potting soil moist but not soggy.

How often you’ll need to water depends on your weather, the size of the plant, and the size and type of container.

Container-grown plants can dry out more quickly than plants growing in the ground, so check the soil rather than relying solely on a watering schedule.

During winter, my bamboo typically needs less supplemental water. Cold weather slows its growth, and winter rain often does much of the watering for me.

Does Bamboo in Pots Need Full Sun?

The amount of sun bamboo prefers can vary with the type you’re growing.

My bamboo grows very well in sunny locations, but I have also grown it successfully in shadier parts of my garden.

What I’ve noticed is that my bamboo grows faster with more sun and more slowly in shade.

Check the recommendations for your particular bamboo when deciding where to place your container.

How to Fertilize Bamboo in Containers

During the active growing season in spring and summer, I feed my container-grown bamboo regularly.

Because nutrients can wash out of containers as they’re watered, potted plants may need feeding to continue growing well.

Follow the directions for the fertilizer you use rather than assuming more fertilizer will produce a better plant.

EcoOrganic is my favorite fertilizer, so easy to use!

Can Bamboo Survive Winter in a Pot?

There is a wide range of bamboo varieties, and their cold hardiness varies considerably.

I’m in Zone 8 with cold, snowy winters, and my bamboo handles the winter just fine.

When we get heavy snow, I knock the excess snow off the bamboo so the weight doesn’t build up on the stems and foliage.

The important thing is to choose bamboo that is hardy for your particular climate. When buying a plant, check the tag for its recommended growing zones rather than assuming all bamboo has the same cold tolerance.

How Long Can Bamboo Live in Pots?

Bamboo can live in a container for many years when it receives proper care and is divided or repotted as necessary.

I’ve had mine growing in containers for more than 15 years.

That doesn’t mean you can put bamboo in a pot and forget about it forever.

As the bamboo grows, it will eventually fill the available space. I divide and repot mine as necessary to keep it growing well.

Clumping bamboo generally fills its container more slowly than running bamboo.

When Should You Divide or Repot Potted Bamboo?

If your bamboo has filled its container or isn’t growing as vigorously as it once did, it may be time to divide or repot it.

Dividing has another advantage—you get more bamboo!

I have divided mine and potted the extra pieces into smaller nursery pots to share with friends.

It’s one of the easiest ways to get more of a plant you already enjoy.

Can You Grow Bamboo Indoors?

Some types of bamboo can be grown indoors, but I’ve found that growing bamboo as a houseplant isn’t necessarily as easy as growing it outdoors.

Bamboo grown indoors needs plenty of bright light and adequate humidity.

If you need to bring potted bamboo indoors during colder weather, give it the brightest location possible.

Before bringing an outdoor plant into the house, I also like to give it a good spray of water to dislodge any unwanted hitchhiking pests.

Is Growing Bamboo in Pots Worth It?

For me, absolutely.

I’ve been growing bamboo in containers for more than a decade because I love the lush appearance it brings to my deck and garden.

It grows quickly, can create a beautiful living privacy screen, and looks wonderful mixed with other plants.

And by growing it in containers and keeping an eye out for escaping roots, I can enjoy bamboo without worrying about it spreading throughout my garden.

If you’ve always loved the look of bamboo but have been hesitant to plant it in the ground, growing bamboo in pots may give you the best of both worlds.

Bamboo is a beautiful, tough plant that can add a touch of a lush tropical vibe to any space. While bamboo is often associated with warmer places, it can actually be grown in almost any climate. And best of all, bamboo is very easy to care for.

Happy Bamboo Growing!

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