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Potting Mix Composition for Bamboo

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:55 am
by rajnat2000
I am a bamboo hobbyist, and I love everything about Bamboo. I am trying to grow some bamboo in pots now. I have some seedlings. I am having difficulty in figuring out the potting mix composition. I tried 50/50 Peat Moss/Perlite and the bamboo is NOT thriving. I tried regular potting mix from the local nursery and the bamboo is NOT thriving. I went to a bamboo nursery and got some mix and my bamboo loves that mix. I notice that this soil just drains instantly where as my mix doesn't. Of course local bamboo nursery is not willing to give out any info on their soil mix composition. Thought I should bring this up here. Please help me out here. How do I get a good soil mix for my bamboo? I will only grow more and more bamboo from this point on. Thanks in advance!

-Raj

Re: Potting Mix Composition for Bamboo

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 8:44 pm
by Alan_L
I've never had trouble growing bamboo in pots, and I've never really followed an exact formula. I mix cheap bagged topsoil with peat and perlite so it's loose but still has some weight to it. I also add Milorganite fertilizer to the mix. I wonder if your problem is not really the soil mix but the nutrients the soil contains?

Re: Potting Mix Composition for Bamboo

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:08 am
by jerzyjerzy
The plain Peat Moss/Perlite mixture basically does not contain any nutrients, so Alan is right - add any regular soil, some natural fertilizer, maybe some sand to loosen up the mixture.

I have not heard that you can overfertilize a bamboo with natural ingredients :D

Privately, I use a mixture of a sandy topsoil from my garden, manure and composted sawdust. The more manure, the better :twisted:

Re: Potting Mix Composition for Bamboo

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:21 pm
by dependable
I use BX pro mix(basic peat moss, pearlite product w micorizal additive) mixed with bagged compost, usually Coast of Maine. I prefer Osmocote (w micro nutrients) for anything that goes indoors, as Milorganite can be stinky. It is good to have some drainage, not too heavy of soil, as young bamboos do not like wet feet. Don't let dry out completely, but it can not be soaked all the time either.

Re: Potting Mix Composition for Bamboo

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 7:10 pm
by Alan_L
dependable wrote:...as Milorganite can be stinky...
There's no "can be" about it -- it's stinky. Not manure stinky, but still... :)