How To Plant a Bamboo Screen

Bamboo grows healthy and lush rapidly, making it a desirable choice for a natural privacy barrier in your yard. This guide will walk you through planting a bamboo screen, from choosing a suitable variety for your climate to caring for your plants properly. In the video above, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook works with a pair of Las Vegas, Nevada homeowners to plant this exotic feature in their backyard.

Choose the Right Bamboo

There are many factors to account for when picking the best bamboo for your project, including:

• Climate suitability
• Growth rate
• Maximum height
• How much the variety spreads:
  • Clumping bamboo has a non-invasive rhizome structure, and as the name suggests, its roots form clumps that stay close together. If your property shares a border with your neighbor, you may want to choose a type of clumping bamboo.
  • Running bamboo spreads much more rapidly and can be very effective for a privacy screen, as it will fill in the space between the plants. However, if your property borders your neighbor’s, you will need to install a barrier underground to prevent the plant from spreading where you don’t want it to.

For the project in the video, Cook chose giant timber bamboo, which can grow up to 8 to 10 feet tall in just a few years. This variety is great for creating a dense, tall privacy screen in a short amount of time.

Prepare the Bamboo Planting Site

Before planting, make sure your site is prepped and ready to give your tree screen the best start.

1. Measure and mark the area where you plan to plant the bamboo screen.
2. Clear the area of any existing vegetation or debris.
3. Test the soil pH and adjust it if necessary to achieve a slightly acidic to neutral range (6. 0-7. 0).
4. Improve soil drainage if needed by adding organic matter or creating raised beds.

Clearing the Area

Remove any existing plants and debris from the area so that the bamboo does not have to compete with other shrubs and weeds for resources.

Soil Testing and Amending

Slightly acidic to neutral pH levels are ideal for most bamboo varieties. You can use organic compost or specific soil pH modifiers to change the acidity as needed. Check out this guide for more information on how to make planting soil that meets your needs.

Dealing with Heavy Soil: When assessing your planting site, pinch a handful of soil together to check its texture. If it barely breaks apart, you’re dealing with heavy clay — a common problem that can impede bamboo root growth. In one This Old House project, Roger found that the top three or four inches contained the best soil, while beneath it was dense clay riddled with roots. His approach: skim off and save that top layer of good soil, then remove an additional three or four inches of the heavy subsoil and replace it with amended material before replanting.

Steps for Planting the Bamboo Screen

In a recent This Old House project, the team selected giant timber bamboo in 15-gallon containers — plants that were already 4 to 5 years old and 8 to 10 feet tall. By spacing them 5 to 6 feet apart in a staggered line, the crew ensured the bamboo would grow into each other quickly while maintaining a natural, non-uniform appearance.

Here’s how to plant your bamboo screen:

1. Space bamboo plants 5 to 6 feet apart in a staggered row. This gives them enough space to grow while creating a more natural appearance. It also helps them blend together faster as they begin to spread.
2. Dig holes two to three times wider than the plant container and as deep as the container’s height for each plant so the roots can spread.
3. Flood each hole with water and wet the surrounding soil to settle the soil and help the plants establish roots.
4. Mix the excavated soil with planter’s mix (compost and organic fertilizer) at a ratio of two wheelbarrows of mix per hole to make a nutrient-rich environment for the plants.
5. Moisten the mixed soil before backfilling to reduce transplant shock.
6. Remove each plant from its container and place it in the hole.
7. Backfill around the root ball with the moistened, mixed soil.
8. Water the area around each plant thoroughly.

Install an Irrigation System For Bamboo

Installing an irrigation system will keep your bamboo screen healthy and thriving, especially in hot and dry climates such as Las Vegas, while reducing the need for maintenance.

1. Locate the existing irrigation line.
2. Use a hole-punch tool to create openings in the main line for emitters. Keep the punches consistent so the water emitters can be properly placed.
3. Insert 2-gallon-per-hour emitters into the punched holes.
4. Attach irrigation tubing to each emitter to direct water flow to the base of the bamboo plants. 
5. Put four emitters around each plant: one in the center and three evenly spaced around the top.
6. Cover the irrigation tubing with mulch to protect it from damage and keep the soil moist.

Pro Tip: Scott Fay, a lawn irrigation contractor who installed a drip system on a This Old House project in West Palm Beach, Florida, explains: “Drip irrigation is a great conservation tool because water is applied directly to the root zone, leaving little opportunity for evaporation, overwatering, runoff, or water loss due to wind.” These same benefits apply to bamboo screens, which need consistent, deep watering to establish dense growth.

Mulch and Finishing Bamboo Screen Touches

Mulching helps retain moisture and suppress weeds, keeping your bamboo screen thick and beautiful.

1. Apply a 2-inch layer of cedar bark mulch around each plant. This acts as a protective barrier against weeds and helps retain soil moisture. 
2. Evenly cover the entire planting area with mulch, being careful not to pile it against the bamboo stems to avoid rot.
3. Cover the irrigation tubing completely with the mulch.

Caring for Your Bamboo Screen

Follow these care tips to keep your bamboo screen full and green and to maintain your privacy.

• Water deeply and regularly, especially during the first growing season.
• Fertilize annually in the spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer for robust growth.
• Prune any dead or yellowing culms (stems) at ground level to prompt new growth.
• Control spread and keep the screen the size and shape you want it by installing root barriers or regularly trimming runners.
• Monitor for pests and diseases, treating them immediately if any issues arise.

Natural Screens for Different Climates

The video demonstrates planting bamboo in a hot, dry climate, but factors such as temperature, humidity, and soil type impact bamboo growth in different regions.

Cold Climates

In colder areas, bamboo needs extra care to survive harsh winters. 

• Choose cold-hardy bamboo varieties such as Fargesia or certain Phyllostachys species.
• Use mulch and burlap wraps for extra insulation and protection from cold winter temperatures during the first few years. 
• Plant in spring to give the bamboo time to establish before winter sets in.

Humid Climates

High humidity can affect bamboo’s growth and health.

• Make sure your plants and soil have good air circulation to prevent fungal infections.
• Space plants slightly farther apart to accommodate higher humidity levels.
• Monitor soil moisture carefully to avoid overwatering. Waterlogging can damage the roots and kill the plants.

Coastal Areas

Bamboo in coastal areas faces unique challenges, such as salt and wind erosion.

• Select salt-tolerant bamboo varieties if planting near the ocean.
• Consider wind protection for young plants until they’re well-established.
• Use additional organic matter in sandy soils to improve water retention.

Bamboo Alternatives

If bamboo won’t work for your climate, soil, or look preferences, check out these alternatives. Each option has its own benefits, growth rate, and maintenance needs, so research them carefully before making a decision.

• Privet: Rapid growth rate and tolerates heavy pruning; also attracts pollinators
• Arborvitae: Fast growing and provides year-round privacy; low maintenance and drought tolerant
• Boxwood: Dense, evergreen foliage that can be easily shaped and taken care of 
• Holly: Natural barrier due to its prickly leaves and pest resistance
• Leyland cypress: Extremely fast growing and adapts well to different soil types and climate conditions

Privet “grows up more than out,” and this natural tendency, combined with the plant’s dense foliage, will produce an opaque screen within a few years, according to This Old House Magazine. California privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is hardy to about zero degrees Fahrenheit, while Amur privet (L. amurense) is even more cold-hardy — both are deciduous varieties whose shiny, dark-green leaves can remain on branches well into early winter.

Materials

• Garden hose
• Wheelbarrow
• Shovel

Tools