Maintenance consists of cutting out dead culms and removing unwanted spreading growth with a sharp spade, and applying annual top dressings of compost to which are added a quick-release general fertiliser at more generous rates than you would use for trees and shrubs. Do not fork in the top dressing or you may damage young shoots.

Thinning of stems is optional, and is best done in late winter or autumn rather than spring or early summer when the new shoots are coming up. Take out the older stems and those that are losing their colour. My personal preference for plants with relatively few but strong culms, such as the Phyllostachys, is to remove most older and thin culms. This enables other plants to be seen through the bamboo, which can be very effective. The effect may be improved by careful removal of some of the lower side branches. This gives me the appearance of 'ageing' a plant.

When culms are emerging in the spring and early summer it is my practice to selectively remove some of them, leaving the stronger ones to grow on. It is all a question of style, or personal preference. However, it does make sense to me to allow the plant to focus its energy on the best culms - but not to be too heavy handed. This practice is normally reserved for plants with stronger and thicker culms.

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