Well, let me tell you, that heavenly bamboo, it’s a pretty thing, ain’t it? But Lordy, it can get out of hand if you don’t keep an eye on it. My neighbor, she had one, grew bigger than her shed! So, pruning heavenly bamboo, that’s what we’re talking about today. It ain’t hard, just gotta know a few things.
First off, you can cut that thing back any time, really. Spring, summer, winter, don’t matter too much. Just like cutting your toenails, you do it when they need it! If it’s getting too big, or maybe you just want it to look a little neater, just go on and give it a snip. That’s the basic of heavenly bamboo pruning.
Now, you don’t want to just hack away at it like you’re clearing a field. That is not the right way for heavenly bamboo pruning. No, sir. You gotta be a little bit gentle, like you’re petting a cat. See those big tall canes? Some folks call ’em stalks, whatever. Those are the ones you wanna look at. They can be pruned no matter what time it is.
- See how some are taller than others?
- And some are kinda skinny and weak looking?
- Well, you can cut those back.
Just get yourself some good clippers, you know, the ones that are sharp. Don’t use those rusty old things your husband left out in the rain. You’ll just make a mess. Make sure the tools are sharp and clean, that’s important for heavenly bamboo pruning. Then, you just find where that cane meets the ground, or maybe where it branches off another cane, and snip! Just like that. You don’t even have to use one of those wound-healing goops. This thing is tougher than it looks.
If you want it to be all bushy and full, you can cut back some of the taller canes, too. Just don’t cut ’em all the way down. Leave a little bit, maybe a foot or two. It’ll sprout new growth from there, and you’ll have a nice, thick plant. If you do it right, heavenly bamboo pruning makes your plant looks good.
Now, some folks, they like to shape their heavenly bamboo. Make it look like a ball, or a square, or whatever they fancy. You can do that, too. Just use your clippers, and trim off the little branches that are sticking out. It’s like giving it a haircut, really. Just don’t go too crazy, or you’ll end up with a naked-looking thing. Nobody wants that.
I remember one time, my other neighbor, she tried to make hers look like a poodle. Well, it ended up looking more like a plucked chicken. So, you gotta be careful with that fancy shaping stuff. Just trim it a little at a time, and step back and look at it every now and then. Make sure you like what you’re doing. And that is some important tips for heavenly bamboo pruning!
Another thing, if you see any dead branches, or ones that are all brown and crispy, cut those off, too. They ain’t doing the plant any good, and they look ugly. Just get rid of ’em. And if you see any branches that are rubbing against each other, you might wanna cut one of those off, too. They can get sores, just like people. You don’t want that.
- See a branch all brown and dead? Snip it.
- See two branches rubbing together like they’re fighting? Snip one.
- See the plant getting too big for its britches? Snip, snip, snip!
When you are doing heavenly bamboo pruning, don’t forget to clean up after yourself. Don’t just leave those cuttings lying all over the ground. That’s just messy. And it’s not good for the plant, either. Those cuttings can attract bugs and diseases. So, pick ’em up, and throw ’em in the trash, or the compost pile, if you got one.
That reminds me, my granddaughter, she’s always on that internet thing. She said this plant is from India or China, can you believe it? Came all the way over here. We call it heavenly bamboo, but it ain’t really bamboo. Just a name, I guess. But it sure does spread like bamboo, don’t it? That’s why heavenly bamboo pruning is so important, to keep it from taking over your whole yard!
I remember one time, I didn’t prune mine for a whole year. Oh, it was a mess! It was growing into the walkway, and I could barely get to my mailbox. I had to get my grandson to come over and help me cut it back. He’s a good boy, but he doesn’t know anything about plants. He almost cut down my rose bush by mistake! But we got it done. Took us all day, though.
So, don’t be like me. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Keep up with that heavenly bamboo pruning. It’s a lot easier to do a little bit at a time than to try to do it all at once. Trust me, I learned that the hard way.
Well, I reckon that’s about all I know about heavenly bamboo pruning. It ain’t rocket science, as they say. Just use your common sense, and your clippers, and you’ll be fine. And your heavenly bamboo will look beautiful, too. Just don’t let it get bigger than your shed!
