Bamboo shoots are part of many Asian cuisines. Although canned bamboo shoots are generally available in markets in the U.S., fresh bamboo shoots can be harder to find. The shoots of many bamboo plants are edible, but it is usually advisable to cook them before cooking. If you live in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Hardiness Zones 5 through 11, you can grow bamboo and eat the shoots during shooting season. Shooting season is usually in the spring or early summer.
Step One
Dig a trench or hole 36 inches deep for your bamboo. There are two types of bamboo: clumping and running. Running bamboo reproduces using runner, which can cause the planting to become invasive. For this reason, if you are planting running bamboo in a home garden or landscape, you will need a bamboo barrier. If you are growing clumping bamboo, the barrier is not necessary.
Step Two
Place the soil next to the hole and break it up into clumps no larger than a golf ball. A hoe or garden rake can be helpful for some soil types.
Step Three
Line your hole down to 36 inches with a bamboo barrier. Some commercial bamboo barriers are plastic, but you can also line your hole with several inches of concrete as an effective barrier. If you are planting the bamboo in a forest, where invasiveness is not an issue, you will not need a barrier.
Step Four
Refill the hole to within about 10 inches of the top level of soil.Add 2 inches of compost and mix the soil and compost until 50 percent is soil and 50 percent is compost. With the compost, the soil in your hole should be around 8 inches below the surrounding soil levels.
Step Five
Lay your rhizomes eyes up and cover them with 8 inches of soil.Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch and water your bamboo rhizomes with 4 to 6 inches of water initially.
Step Six
Give your rhizomes 1 to 2 inches of water every 2 to 3 days until they sprout.
Step Seven
Let your bamboo grow for 3 to 4 years before harvesting shoots. This will allow your grove to be established enough to support harvesting. The exact amount of time it will take for your bamboo to establish will vary, depending on your location and the species you have planted.
Step Eight
Harvest the new shoots when they have reached the desired size. The height and thickness will vary, depending on the species. More common species that grow well in North America are ideally harvested at 3 to 6 inches tall.
Step Nine
Harvest the shoots by slipping the curved bamboo knife behind the shoot and cutting through the bamboo as close to the base as possible.
Step Ten
Peel the outer layers off and cook before eating.