Need some help

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Ino
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 11:41 pm
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Location: U.S Allegan Michigan

Need some help

Post by Ino »

Hello I am new here and I am also very new to bamboo. I have 2 types of bamboo that I am currently growing in my yard rufa and nuda bamboo and I just had a few questions that has been bugging me for quite a long time so any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. Does anyone know what growing zone Allegan Michigan is really in some people and websites say we are in zone 5 where others say were in zone 6 this is quite confusing because I want to get some species of bamboo in the future but its limit is zone 6?

2. Is there anything else besides spreading mulch heavily around the bamboo to help prepare for a very hard winter? Now I may be getting a little ahead of myself since winters a long ways off yet but last winter was just TERRIBLE! I study meteorology as a hobby and I have a large weather station which once recorded temps. at -37 and the farmers almanac seas that the next 4 winters may be just as bad if not worse before we start the 20 year cycle of light to moderate winters again.

3. I planted my nuda bamboo 4 weeks ago and the paper that came with it sed that I should see shoots within 1 week. Will my nuda shoot this year or am I going to half to wait till next spring?

4. Last but not least I was wondering for the fore mentioned nuda bamboo I used the strongest tarp I could possibly find as a rhizome barrier and I didn't think about this till now but is this setup going to work to contain the rhizomes or do I need a different setup?

Well those are my questions I tried looking online for answers to them and I also was a member of a gardening forum plus I also tried talking to people at flower shops and greeneries but up here in Michigan nobody seems to know bamboo even exists even though I've seen pictures and videos of people growing up here anyway I should probably stop I've already made a large enough wall of text. :D

Thanks for looking.
dependable
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Re: Need some help

Post by dependable »

Welcome to the forum. There are a number of active members who grow bamboo in climate such as yours. They may chime in with overwintering tips.

A tarp will not work for long as bamboo barrier. There are several old threads on forum discussing barrier stratagies, but the most common is 80 mil plastic sold as barrier. But nuda is a slow grower for a runner, I doubt it will get away from you anytime soon, especially in your area.

The timing shooting for newly planted bamboos is often different than what will happen when it has naturalized in, so it is hard to predict when your nuda will shoot. Also hard to know condition of rhizomes on your new plants.
Ino
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon May 26, 2014 11:41 pm
Location info: 0
Location: U.S Allegan Michigan

Re: Need some help

Post by Ino »

Thanks for the help I will check out some of those threads on barrier strategies.

Edit: Does anyone happen to know if there's a store or website that may have a cheep rhizome barrier? I was looking around but all i can find online are huge spools of rhizome barriers that range between 50-200 dollars and the area that I have planted doesn't need all that plastic. I live in the outskirts of Allegan and after checking with city hall they do require all invasive garden plants including bamboo to be well controlled or contained.
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