Methods and techniques for growing Buddha belly bamboo

Buddha belly bamboo, also known as Buddha bamboo, Arhat bamboo, etc., is a clumping bamboo plant of the Poaceae family. Its shape is very peculiar. The round bamboo tube is like the big belly of Maitreya Buddha, and its leaves are evergreen, making it the best ornamental bamboo. So how do you grow Buddha belly bamboo? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Pot soil selection

Buddha belly bamboo is suitable for cultivation in well-drained, loose, breathable, humus-rich acidic loam. You can refer to the following ratio of mountain soil + humus soil + river sand mixed in 2:2:1 as the culture soil. For flower pots, you can use clay pots or tile pots with good drainage and ventilation properties. Before sowing, expose the culture soil to the sun for 2 days to disinfect and sterilize it.

2. Warm and light maintenance

Buddha belly bamboo has a certain degree of shade tolerance, but it also likes sunlight. It can be placed in a semi-shaded environment when it is cultivated. In addition, Buddha Belly Bamboo likes a warm and humid environment and is not cold-resistant. The temperature should not be lower than 5℃, otherwise it will be frozen. When the temperature drops in winter, be sure to move it into a warm place indoors for maintenance.

3. Watering tips

Buddha belly bamboo likes a humid growing environment, so you need to water it more often to keep the soil moist enough, but remember that water should not accumulate in the pot. In addition, in summer, be careful to avoid watering during the high temperatures at noon. Generally, watering once in the morning and once in the evening is sufficient. After moving it indoors in the winter, it will be slightly dry. You can spray the leaves every day to keep the plant greener and the shape more beautiful.

4. Reasonable fertilization

It is not advisable to fertilize Buddha Belly Bamboo too much. Too much fertilizer and water will cause the plant's branches and leaves to grow rapidly. Only a thin liquid fertilizer is needed once in spring and autumn each year to meet its growth needs.

5. Pruning and shaping

Buddha belly bamboo grows very fast, and branches that are not needed for shaping should be pruned away in time to avoid wasting their nutrients. The decision on whether to keep or remove newly grown bamboo should be made based on its aesthetic appearance. If the trunk of the new bamboo is thin and the nodes are long, which affects the shape, it should be pruned in time. You can cut off the side branches 10 cm away from the root of the Buddha Belly Bamboo, and trim the top appropriately to prevent it from being too high.

6. Pest and disease control

Common diseases include rust and mole. Prevention and control methods: For rust, spray 2000 times diluted 50% carboxin wettable powder ; for black mole, spray 500 times diluted 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. The main insect pests are scale insects. You can spray the insects with insecticide during the nymph stage and add a proper amount of kerosene to spray the insect bodies to seal and suffocate them.



In general, Buddha belly bamboo, like other ornamental bamboos, is relatively easy to grow. If you pay attention to the above maintenance techniques, it will be easy to grow it into good condition and it will grow very vigorously.