Bamboo shoots 2018

Ask questions about growing bamboo

Moderator: needmore

UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Is that an upsize after the damage or are the previous culms similar size?

And another pic of my bissetii. I realize it's just a little guy compared to most but being through winter here, and my first Phyllostachys shoots, etc...I'm very excited. Two moreasons tips showed themselves along the pot edge today...can't tell size yet but it's up to 7 now.

Edit-just noticed you said 100+ culms so certainly that isn't an upsize as a whole, but still, after -30f...I'd be thrilled as that's even colder than I should get here.
Attachments
IMG_21052018_212351.jpg
cole
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:42 pm
Location info: 0
Location: PA, Arbor Day Zone SIX, baby!

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by cole »

@Up: my boo is in three areas around my property, and each grove is a different age. The oldest, maybe seven years old, upsized substantially/normally. That's the shoot photographed (grove is approx. 12ft tall.) Three-year-old's are a mix of smaller and bigger culms, so it's early for me to judge. The youngest sent up tiny whips, and I understand that the bad winter might have turned them into runts for life.

I bury the rhizomes and plant bases in a solid four feet of leaves. I made the decision not to tie down and/or wrap them. They are the hardiest runners, and if they aren't able to thrive here, then so be it. We live in a forest canopy with no shortage of fall leaves, so they'll always come back if it gets even worse. But I'm ecstatic. I spent months unable to look at them, bummed beyond belief. Most of you folks know ... still, I took them coffee grounds every week once the weather broke.
User avatar
Deane
Posts: 365
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:08 am
Location info: 0
Location: Dovercourt ,Harwich,U.K.

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by Deane »

Over a inch thick culms in second year in ground not bad going Vivax
Attachments
0A8997B2-2534-453A-AFA1-874A2951D74B.jpeg
16E64A05-2C89-41D4-8A30-96938F339A21.jpeg
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Something got into my bissetii last night...has to be mice since it was inside the garage..it chewed the two culm tips just poking up along the pot rim and the two closest to those. I dont think I'll loose any of them...but I don't know what kind of damage it take to make a plant want to abort a shoot.

It's protected with a wire cage tonight...and mouse traps.

On a good note it left the largest two shoots alone, one of which is just passing 8 inches!...not quite an inch a day since the first one poked up.
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Forgot the shot of the carnage. It's tough to see in the resized pic.
Attachments
IMG_22052018_204841.jpg
dependable
Posts: 1323
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:28 am
Location info: 0
Location: Island off Cape Cod Massacusetts
Contact:

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by dependable »

UP boo Matt, I think you have chosen one of the best bamboos for your location. They will do better planted directly in the ground than healed in pots, in the long run, if they are hardy enough to survive your winters outside.

Hopefully you will continue to post your grove's progress here, as there is much interest in how cold hardy bamboos are in real field conditions.
cole
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:42 pm
Location info: 0
Location: PA, Arbor Day Zone SIX, baby!

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by cole »

UPBooMatt wrote:Is that an upsize after the damage or are the previous culms similar size?
Edit-just noticed you said 100+ culms so certainly that isn't an upsize as a whole, but still, after -30f...I'd be thrilled as that's even colder than I should get here.
Just to add our actual high and low temps from 12/31/17 through 1/7/18 that defoliated, but did not top kill my phyllostachys aureosulcata: 8/-3F, 10/-5F, 12/0F, 16/1F, 14/3F, 6/-2F, 3/-4F, 11/-6F.

Winds were unrelenting, with 'real feel' temps dipping to -30F for extended hours during seven of the eight days.

Sorry I misunderstood you that meant upsize regarding the grove as opposed to culm size. I'm still only 1/3 of the way through our shooting month, and haven't really even reached prime time. I have approx. 40 new shoots so far. But I can report that yellow groove is insanely resilient to the cold.

The vast majority of my small collection comes from the mother plants of neighbors to the crazy CT lady. All were bare root rhizomes. Just today, I had a shoot appear six feet from the nearest of these nearly top-killed culms. YG sure loves to explore.
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Yeah my intention was to get the bissetii in ground with my rubromarginata and spectabilis that just got planted, but now I'm not going to move it till it finishes shooting. It went in that pot in July last year...so it's well established.

Here's a shot of the other two in ground, and the bissetii will be going where the other pot on a stand is (amorph. Konjac)
Attachments
IMG_21052018_142330.jpg
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Well, speaking of the rubro, this afternoon while watering I noticed a shoot poking out! I guess that is testament to Lewis bamboo's plant quality. This went in the ground exactly 23 days ago, so I'm pumped. I added a bit of protection since I don't trust the wildlife (squirrels and chipmunks)
Attachments
IMG_23052018_192444.jpg
IMG_23052018_192437.jpg
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

dependable wrote:UP boo Matt, I think you have chosen one of the best bamboos for your location. They will do better planted directly in the ground than healed in pots, in the long run, if they are hardy enough to survive your winters outside.

Hopefully you will continue to post your grove's progress here, as there is much interest in how cold hardy bamboos are in real field conditions.
Definitely, I spent days and weeks pouring over threads deciding if it was worth the attempt and which species to try. I know there are/have been a few members here from lower zones than me that have had some success. Snow cover could make or break things many winters.

I'm willing to give it a try, and I have a well protected area that I keep snow shoveled on all winter...so my hope is to get at least one of these established and strong enough to make a decent showing, even with a top kill winter.
Nicholas
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 10:09 am
Location info: 0
Location: Austria

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by Nicholas »

UPBooMatt wrote:I'm willing to give it a try, and I have a well protected area that I keep snow shoveled on all winter...so my hope is to get at least one of these established and strong enough to make a decent showing, even with a top kill winter.
I've been protecting my Bicolor with a tipi-like construction and some tarping material and it is really easy to set up. I think it would make sense to protect at least a portion of your groves by tarping or using a makeshift tent/greenhouse so that the plant does not have complete topkill during bad winters and to try and avoid complete loss.

I think steve (lau) may be a good person to ask on tarping advice for marginally hardy bamboos.

In any case I wish you the best of luck and many mild winters. Zone 5 is indeed a tough challenge!

Greetings from Austria,

Nicholas
stevelau1911
Posts: 3088
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:15 pm
Location info: 42
Location: upstate NY zone 6B
Contact:

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by stevelau1911 »

In my experience, tarping will work to at least ensure that the culms aren't killed, but a lot of times, if there is no snow cover, and wind blows on the tarp, the leaves close enough to the tarp will still burn, and having them damp for too long can also cause the foliage to rot, but with bicolor I've never gotten top kill with tarping. For example, my bicolor was double tarped last year, but most of it's leaves still burned, but at least they are leafing back out, and it doesn't look like there's any down size from last year so it would be easy to tarp again since the shoots aren't necessarily bigger either.

A sure way to make sure that you get no leaf burn is to build or buy a cheap greenhouse or tent over your bamboo, put in some water drums to moderate the temperatures, and also a weather station sensor/thermometer, and small space heater just in case it the temperatures inside the protected space drop below about 10F which is about when leaf burn can start to occur. If you are there to open the heater for a few nights in the winter, that would be the optimal way to protect your bamboo.
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Yeah, I read many threads with pic of your setup Steve, very nice. I am definitely not going that far with protection for mine though. The first winter, maybe 2, I will do what I can bending the current/smallest culms down and protecting them under snow and leaves so they can feed root mass, but after that and once something I can't cover up shoots, it'll have to fend for itself.

I'm prepared to rip one or all of them out eventually if my experiment fails, nature is harsh...lol. I will still be able to enjoy my potted ones that can be trimmed back and live inside for the winter if the Phyllostachys just can't survive here.
UPBooMatt
Posts: 150
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 am
Location info: 0
Location: Upper Peninsula, MI Z5

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by UPBooMatt »

Man its quite here...my rubro is making more noise I think...a fairly impressive upsize in my opinion, it'll be bigger than the stake I used on the other culm... :D awesome....lol
Attachments
IMG_27052018_182858.jpg
slimvaio
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 29, 2018 4:25 am
Location info: 0
Location: AZ

Re: Bamboo shoots 2018

Post by slimvaio »

Hi Im new to this bamboo thing, my "shoots" are growing out mostly horizontally then going vertical as shows in the picture, are those shoots or are shoots still to come?
Attachments
IMG_0086.jpg
IMG_0086.jpg (33 KiB) Viewed 6523 times
Post Reply