Taking advantage of the drought
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: --------------- SW Missouri
Climate Region: ----- on the border of 5 to 6
variety: ----------------- Phyllostachys aureosulcata AKA yellow groove
Soil type: -------------- Rocky clay over limestone strata at depth of maybe 10 feet typically
Sun Exposure: ------- Full to partial shade
I have been experimenting with bamboo which I obtained from an established local grove. We wanted something to provide a visibility screen for the sewage lagoon and something for a privacy screen and dust screen along the gravel road in front of our place.
The soil was better near the sewage lagoon and I suspect that even though the grove is12 feet away and on ground 7 feet higher, that it likely has some roots that reach to the locally elevated water table caused by the lagoon. This grove has prooved to be immune to the drought. This grove is in its 3rd year and has reached a height of 20 feet.
We have three groves along the road. Two are in their third year and one was just planted this year from rhizomes with sprouts transplanted this spring. The drought has been hard on all our garden and landscaping plants with temperatures in the sun reaching between 105 and 115 for all but about 3 days in July, and no significant rain since early to mid June. I expect the established bamboo might have survived without watering but I am trying to develop the groves along the road and they were suffering. The one by the sewage lagoon is thriving without any care required, Need I wonder why So I have been watering the ones by the road every few days when the leaves get tightly rolled.
Ok, here is the experimental part. And I am wondering what those who are more experienced think the results will be.
-- The groves along the road were planted as separate plants about 5 feet apart and 20 feet from the road. Any closer to the road that the soil was extremely hard.
-- I wanted the groves to advance toward the road so when I fertilized using (13-13-13) I applied it close around the plants and on the road side of the plants for several feet toward the road. The grove with the best plants expanded by 7 to 10 feet this spring with shoots about 6 to 8 feet tall toward the road and only a few rhizomes invading on the lawn side (those provided some of the transplants for the new grove) The tallest plants this year are about 14 feet tall in the most established part of that grove where typically the plants are 8 to 10 feet tall.
-- The other two groves also expanded toward the road but not so spectacularly and i think the soil there is poorer.
-- My understanding is that the variety I have prefers loose soil and most of the rhizomes will be only about 6 inches deep. This seems to be borne out based on my digging up rhizomes for transplant this last spring.
-- Selective fertilization seems to have been at least moderately effective in directional control of the grove development.
-- Based on my experience with selective fertilization and the need for watering the grove during this drought, it occurred to me that watering might give a similar type of control to the development direction of the grove.
-- So, as well as watering directly into the midst of the grove, I have been watering on the road side of the grove and at the ends. I hope to increase the thickness of the groves and also help them to grow towards each other to close the gaps in my privacy/dust screen.
And now the question for the more experienced bamboo growers:
Do you think my selective watering technique will prove effective. My thoughts have been that I could tempt the bamboo growth on the basis of "You want it? Here it is. Come and get it" It did seem that the plants at the ends of the groves were doing better as they seemed to open their tightly rolled leaves more and sooner than the other bamboo.
Of course the real proof of the pudding will be to see where the shoots come up next spring, Our normal water usage for our household (just the wife and me) is about 100 gallons per day when we are not watering a garden. In july that increased to 500 gallons per day. Normally I would expect the garden to take an extra 50-60 gallons per day but this is not normal weather. If my bamboo is not stunted by the drought I will be satisfied. If it actually expands in the direction I have been watering I will be very happy. If nothing else, the watering helps meet one growth characteristic of the bamboo, namely it likes soft soil, and the otherwise dry hard clay softens very well when it is wet; otherwise it is like a brick.
So wadda ya think? Am I steering the grove growth or just wasting water. Has anyone else ever done this?
Climate Region: ----- on the border of 5 to 6
variety: ----------------- Phyllostachys aureosulcata AKA yellow groove
Soil type: -------------- Rocky clay over limestone strata at depth of maybe 10 feet typically
Sun Exposure: ------- Full to partial shade
I have been experimenting with bamboo which I obtained from an established local grove. We wanted something to provide a visibility screen for the sewage lagoon and something for a privacy screen and dust screen along the gravel road in front of our place.
The soil was better near the sewage lagoon and I suspect that even though the grove is12 feet away and on ground 7 feet higher, that it likely has some roots that reach to the locally elevated water table caused by the lagoon. This grove has prooved to be immune to the drought. This grove is in its 3rd year and has reached a height of 20 feet.
We have three groves along the road. Two are in their third year and one was just planted this year from rhizomes with sprouts transplanted this spring. The drought has been hard on all our garden and landscaping plants with temperatures in the sun reaching between 105 and 115 for all but about 3 days in July, and no significant rain since early to mid June. I expect the established bamboo might have survived without watering but I am trying to develop the groves along the road and they were suffering. The one by the sewage lagoon is thriving without any care required, Need I wonder why So I have been watering the ones by the road every few days when the leaves get tightly rolled.
Ok, here is the experimental part. And I am wondering what those who are more experienced think the results will be.
-- The groves along the road were planted as separate plants about 5 feet apart and 20 feet from the road. Any closer to the road that the soil was extremely hard.
-- I wanted the groves to advance toward the road so when I fertilized using (13-13-13) I applied it close around the plants and on the road side of the plants for several feet toward the road. The grove with the best plants expanded by 7 to 10 feet this spring with shoots about 6 to 8 feet tall toward the road and only a few rhizomes invading on the lawn side (those provided some of the transplants for the new grove) The tallest plants this year are about 14 feet tall in the most established part of that grove where typically the plants are 8 to 10 feet tall.
-- The other two groves also expanded toward the road but not so spectacularly and i think the soil there is poorer.
-- My understanding is that the variety I have prefers loose soil and most of the rhizomes will be only about 6 inches deep. This seems to be borne out based on my digging up rhizomes for transplant this last spring.
-- Selective fertilization seems to have been at least moderately effective in directional control of the grove development.
-- Based on my experience with selective fertilization and the need for watering the grove during this drought, it occurred to me that watering might give a similar type of control to the development direction of the grove.
-- So, as well as watering directly into the midst of the grove, I have been watering on the road side of the grove and at the ends. I hope to increase the thickness of the groves and also help them to grow towards each other to close the gaps in my privacy/dust screen.
And now the question for the more experienced bamboo growers:
Do you think my selective watering technique will prove effective. My thoughts have been that I could tempt the bamboo growth on the basis of "You want it? Here it is. Come and get it" It did seem that the plants at the ends of the groves were doing better as they seemed to open their tightly rolled leaves more and sooner than the other bamboo.
Of course the real proof of the pudding will be to see where the shoots come up next spring, Our normal water usage for our household (just the wife and me) is about 100 gallons per day when we are not watering a garden. In july that increased to 500 gallons per day. Normally I would expect the garden to take an extra 50-60 gallons per day but this is not normal weather. If my bamboo is not stunted by the drought I will be satisfied. If it actually expands in the direction I have been watering I will be very happy. If nothing else, the watering helps meet one growth characteristic of the bamboo, namely it likes soft soil, and the otherwise dry hard clay softens very well when it is wet; otherwise it is like a brick.
So wadda ya think? Am I steering the grove growth or just wasting water. Has anyone else ever done this?