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Some say that Chinese walking stick bamboo is finicky and can be difficult to get good results with unless its perfectly situated. I'm in zone 6 and it would be marginal for me probably top-killing most years in the ground, so I opted to experiment with a potted specimen. I got four rhizome cuttings, each about 12" long, from the same parent plant (planted in-ground in zone 7 in New Jersey) in a trade back in April of 2009. I potted them up two to a pot in identical ways and after they sprouted, decided to try one is full shade and one in 1/2 day of sun. They both have been regularly watered (daily in the summer) and overwintered in an unheated south-facing porch. The one in full shade has always been weak and I planted it out in the ground this spring to recover or die on its own. The one that got the 1/2 day of sun has performed beautifully for me. This is its second summer and its about 4 feet tall and is growing rhizomes out of the pot! In fact, it'll have to be potted up by next spring or I'll bet it'll burst the pot. There are so many rhizomes the soil level in the pot has risen almost to the rim!

Here's a link to some pics of it:

http://picasaweb.google.com/MattGColson ... directlink

So my results were: 1/2 day of sun, lots of water, pot exploding with growth in second year. What do you think? Has anyone had similar results with this 'finicky' species?

I've got a potted specimen too, but mine spent the winter as a houseplant. I'm not going to do that again, as all of the plants I did that with look sort of "tired" this year. Mine is doing OK, but might need a bigger pot.

Yours is beautiful!

I wish I had an unheated enclosed porch.

Kyuzo, how cold would you say it got on the unheated porch?

The coldest I've had it get down to is 37 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, an oil-filled radiant heater kicks on. Generally, if there's been any sun on a given day, the heater stays off and its in the low to mid forties on its own. Years ago when I first started into the great bamboo voyage, I kept it warm enough to grow all winter in the porch (mid-50's to mid-60's) and it was hard to keep the humidity up. I was nearly wiped out by spider mites. (They like it dry I later found out!) Now I shoot for above freezing and everything works out great. No growth. No mites. Humidity stays OK.

Hey, you said it was an "unheated" porch!

Busted! I guess I should've been more specific! 'Mostly', 'nearly' or 'marginally' unheated would be more exact!

I had trouble keeping mine happy in a pot so it has spent the past 2 winters in the ground here. It is now about the size it was at its peak in the container. Thus far it has done materially better than the F scabrida a couple of feet away from it, as has the C quadrangularis in ground. Not saying that these 2 do O.K. here rather this is how BAD the F scabrida has done.

Yes my F scabrida was very disappointing to say the least. the temp rating on it seem to be a bit off.

F. my scabrida as well. It seems to be having trouble with the heat of summer or something even though it gets full shade after 1:30

It should be really fun in the winter

One of the few advantages of living in a maritime climate with generally crappy summers ....

My scabridas love it! 2nd year in the ground with a 50% increase in height this year, both have also started a 2nd flush of new culms in the last couple of weeks.


Laz

Here's an update on the potted Chinese Walking Stick bamboo that began this thread. I mentioned at the outset that it would need re-potted by next spring. That would be now! It was 55 and overcast with a mild south breeze today so I dove into it. I found a pot I liked but it had no drainage holes (I think it was originally intended to be a lotus bowl or something?) so I needed to make some first. I've done contracting and masonry work in the past and I've found that a diamond blade that's made for removing mortar and tuck-pointing goes right through ceramic planters as well as it does concrete, so that's what I used. As a matter of fact, that's what I did to the pot it's currently in. A few slots and all done.

The bamboo came out of the old pot OK, but I can see why the soil level rose so much this past summer. Rhizomes were circled around and around!

I wanted to get this done before it started shooting. I didn't observe any below ground shoots swelling right now, but it can't be far off. It looks good in its new home and I can't wait to see the yearly highlight of shooting time. This will be only its third spring since it was a 12" piece of rhizome! Now I can sit back and enjoy the show!

Here's a link to the pictures of the whole affair:
https://picasaweb.google.com/MattGColso ... directlink

Where did that plant spend the winter?

In my 'unheated' porch. It stays around 30's - 40's in there.

I love this bamboo , this pot and I love your parquet floor,

congratulations

ph

Here's mine it started out as a 2 gallon plant last year. It was outside all winter in ice and snow and it has just exploded