Unlike many other plants, bamboo canes do not get thicker with age. Their diameter will be the same as it is when they first emerge from the ground. Once cut, bamboo canes will never get taller either. Armed with these pieces of information we would suggest pruning your bamboo using the following techniques:
- Make all pruning cuts at the base, near the ground, not up the cane
- Try to keep a combination of new and old canes
- Remove thin, week or otherwise scraggly canes. Try to leave the larger mature canes
- Canes have a 3-4 year lifespan. Cut away the old ones as necessary
- Never remove more than 30% of the canes at one time
- For a tidy appearance, trim away side branches from the canes near the bottom