I'm getting depressed...

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ghmerrill
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by ghmerrill »

Cold weather is around the corner here... getting down to 25 now, and supposed to be as low as 18 by this weekend. normally that does not happen until January. I sure have my hands full now- the weather has been so nice, that I have held off covering the sensitive plants, now I am in a scramble to get the plastic over the frames.... and I need to get the plastic on the greenhouse. feast or famine I guess
stevelau1911
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by stevelau1911 »

the teens seems really good compared to the potential low temperatures in my area. Theres been a year when I've seen -3F in this area, but it usually gets just down to single digits here. I'm just hoping for there to always be snow cover whenever it gets in to the single digits considering I have Moso and henon which are supposed to be marginally hardy.

You could probably get something to hit 60ft high in your zone which is around an 8A or so if 18 is the coldest temperature.
ghmerrill
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by ghmerrill »

yes, I think our zone is an 8a or so. I have a grove nearby of Henon that is probalby 50 or so feet, 3" culms or so (I have not measured them) and it is totally neglected, no water whatsoever, no thinning at all, just one huge tangled mess. its sill pretty impressive! also a couple of large vivax around, but the largest of those is only about 30', again about 3" culms. its better located, near water, but in decomposed granite, and no fertilizer ever.

I bought my property 4 years ago, and transfered the plants I had to it- one was a vivax, 3 years old, about 18' tall, a P. aureasulcata aureacaulis, 2 years old, from a one gallon pot, it got 6', a Castillon that was bought at the same time, but left in a larger pot, and was only 2' tall (I over fertilized it...OOPS) and a Golden bamboo that was about 10 years old (my first boo) and was about 8' tall (my bizarre golden- does not run, get tall- looks like a fargesia clump, with very tight culms) the one of all of those that has sized up the best is the Aureacaulis, its about 20' this year, and is about 10' by 6' wide grove. I took over 30 starts off it last year to keep it contained. its right next to my house, in a corner by the deck, bordered by the walkway to the house on the other side. I just rhizome prune to keep it there.

so many plants, so little time!
GrowingHabit
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by GrowingHabit »

Uh... Gene? Where 'bouts is that secret Henon grove? You ever gonna tell?
:D

I'm bored to death by the cold and dark and fog. Got the sprinkler system blown out for the big freeze that's coming this weekend, but haven't got anything else to do in my garden till the mud freezes hard enough to get that backhoe onto it. That, and the day gets longer so DH can see to drive the thing....

Its finally cold enough that even the tumidissinoda isn't moving any farther in the ground. Nothing to do out there, nothing to look at. Blech.
ghmerrill
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by ghmerrill »

well, looks like we are going to have to spend a few hours in the car and do a "Bamboo Roadtrip". Check out all the local places where the "secret" groves are! BTW.... I was out digging some more japonica and noticed someone raided quite a bit....you? if not, better get out there! not that anyone could get it ALL!
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bambooweb
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Re: RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by bambooweb »

ghmerrill wrote:Cold weather is around the corner here... getting down to 25 now, and supposed to be as low as 18 by this weekend. normally that does not happen until January. I sure have my hands full now- the weather has been so nice, that I have held off covering the sensitive plants, now I am in a scramble to get the plastic over the frames.... and I need to get the plastic on the greenhouse. feast or famine I guess
I know what you mean. Except for the cold snap 2 months ago it has been pretty mild here but it sounds like this weekend I'll get some snow (Up to a foot) then it will turn cold and windy next week with a low temp of -6*F forecasted. Today I bought some burlap so tomorrow I will be wrapping and mulching bamboos.

Bill
stevelau1911
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by stevelau1911 »

I have all my bamboos mulched, but I only put a burlap tent over the henon, vivax, atrovaginata, and moso. So far it looks like I don't even need the burlap. None of my bamboos are getting damage.
ghmerrill
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by ghmerrill »

Bill, if I had to put up with those kinds of temps, I would refuse to go outside for the winter! the ONLY thing I envy you on is the snow! I miss that. dont even mind driving in it. we have slight chance of some this weekend, but snow to us is an inch or two, and it usually melts off by mid day. once a year we might luck out and get 6".
GrowingHabit
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by GrowingHabit »

Bamboo Roadtrip! Most definitely.

That must have been Isaac that hit the Arrow. 'twernt me, yet.
ghmerrill
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by ghmerrill »

I dont think so... His wife was the store this weekend and said he has a new job, a 9to5er now, so I dont think he is going to have much time to dig... I will have to ask him though.

potted up 33 1gals, 8 3gals, 1 5, and I have a bunch more to pot......
stevelau1911
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by stevelau1911 »

Is it really hard to sell bamboos? I think once I get some decent groves, Ill start spreading the treasure.
ghmerrill
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RE: I'm getting depressed...

Post by ghmerrill »

Is it hard to sell bamboo.... NOPE..... look at the money you have spent on them. the hard part is finding the people who want to spend money on bamboo!

I have sold a few, but I mostly use divisions for trades for other stuff... feed the never ending cycle of wanting more bamboo! out of the 33 one gallon pots, (rhizome divisions mostly) some wont make it. the others I am planning on planting along my property line. we live right on a highway. Digging large divisons out of a mass of neglected bamboo is NOT easy at all, and the price at the nurseries reflect the labor, effort, as well as material costs involved (have you seen how expensive DIRT is!!!)
not to mention the price of pots!
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