Bamboo Shooting Above Ground

Other things that involve bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
riveroak
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 4:12 pm
Location info: 0

Bamboo Shooting Above Ground

Post by riveroak »

This spring my Bambusa beecheyana pubescens started putting out new shoots as much as 8-9 inches above the ground. This is the first time I've seen this to such an extent. I was just wondering if anyone else has had a bamboo do this. In the photo it appears that the clump is elevated, but the ground is actually fairly level, and the clump is not above the surrounding ground level. There has been no soil erosion - the ground is stable. I'm wondering what might cause this. The pubescens that I had at my previous property was much better behaved.
Attachments
Bambusa beecheyana pubescens_220530_MRB7540w.JPG
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: Bamboo Shooting Above Ground

Post by needmore »

Here I can't dig any holes as I'm essentially on solid lava, so I have to plant in mounds. After reading about it, I filed away that I should be careful when I add more to the mounds, add to the diameter not the height so much, being careful not to just pile it up on the existing mound or what your photo shows will happen, but it does not seem like you did that although it does look a bit like the clump used to be higher? You might Google to see if that species is known for rising up like that, I've never grown Beechy so I don't know it at all.

I'd likely rebury yours if it were mine, being mindful to make a 'bagel' around it, deeper on the bagel ring so that becomes a few inches higher and then sloping toward the existing culms - like halfway up to the first nodal ring on that big culm, deeper as you move out from the culm. If it seems stable in the ground it's probably fine, but I'd do the bagel mound anyway.

For mine I'm trying to widen the bagel every few months to keep deeper mulch in place as the clump expands, not so much in the center.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Post Reply