🌿 Worried About Bamboo Spread? Don’t Be
If you’re planting bamboo for screening or coverage, some spread is not only normal—it’s necessary. It helps your plants fill out and form a dense, lush barrier.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Moderate spreading is a good thing – especially if you’re spacing your bamboo at 1 metre apart (as we recommend). It ensures your hedge fills in faster.
- Most of our taller bamboos are Phyllostachys, a variety that spreads moderately. But in the UK’s cooler climate, even these behave more like clumping bamboo, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.
- If you pick only the tightest clumpers, they’ll take longer to fill the gaps. A little spread speeds things up naturally.
✂️ Easy to Control
Unwanted spread is simple to manage:
- Trim any shoots heading the wrong way using secateurs or a spade
- A quick job twice a year—early summer and early autumn—is usually all that’s needed
🛡 Want a No-Maintenance Option?
If you’re planting:
- Next to fences
- Beside patios or ponds
- In tight, confined spaces
…we recommend using our root barrier.
It’s a physical underground barrier that stops spread beyond where you want it. It adds a little extra cost and effort up front—but gives complete peace of mind long-term.