Root balled bamboos


Figure 1: ROOTBALLED BAMBOO
(Fargesia murieliae)

Typically bamboos are supplied with a rootball, if they are not container grown.

Rootballs must be firm and solid and the roots must penetrate the whole ball. They must be enclosed in hessian (burlap). The size of the rootball must be appropriate for the species/cultivar and its age and growth rates under the cultural and soil conditions within which it is growing. The root ball must be free of perennial weeds. For Specimen bamboos the rootball will be additionally protected with ungalvanised wire netting, wire basket, spring ring, root control bag, tree cradle or custom built container. All materials used to support rootballs must decompose within eighteen months of planting and not constrict the continuing growth of the plant.

Figure 2: CONTAINER GROWN BAMBOO
(Fargesia murieliae, 3 litre

Container grown plants should have been grown in the container for sufficient time for the root growth to have substantially penetrated the medium but not be root bound. The rooting must be well balanced in accordance with the container size. It may be difficult with Bamboo for it not to be root bound.

Plants are to be centered in the container, well rooted, firm and moist on delivery, with the growing medium coming within a suitable depth of the pot rim, taking into account the size of the container and the age since potting. Bamboo is not an easy species to pot due to its habit of root growth.

The surface of the growing medium shall be free of all weeds. Plants shall be supplied in rigid containers. Container grown plants are defined by ‘C’ followed by a number indicating the volume in litres, e.g. C5.

Pot grown plants are defined by P followed by a number indicating the upper, outside width in cm, e.g. P9.