Greetings!

A pal of mine has a problem with his bamboo (growing in a container)
and since he knows I am a keen outdoor and indoor gardener, he asked
my advice. The problem is that I have never grown bamboo, so I have
no insight. However, methinks, I reckon someone in this newsgroup may
have some insight I can pass on.

Two relevant pieces of info that I do not possess are (1) the variety
of the bamboo and (2) whether he is growing it inside or outside (I am
virtually certain, though, that it is outside on his mostly sunny
patio, sheltered from wind). He lives in Southern California, USA,
only about a quarter mile from the ocean.

Here is how he describes the situation:

Beginning of pasted-in description of problem

"I'm having a fit trying to keep our new bamboo bush alive. All the
leaves have turned yellow/brown over the past two months and fallen
off. Too much water....? It's a freakin bamboo! Shouldn't it be able
to swim? Too little water.....? Western Garden says it doesn't need
too much.... Its container drains well but I have noticed lots and
lots of ants crawling in and around this plant whenever we soak it (no
ants on neighboring plants).

I just had a closer look at the bamboo - I got home early today and
the sun was still out. Each major bamboo stalk (about 15 total)
ascends with nodes along the way where multiple branches, or shoots if
you will, splay out in all directions. These nodes I will call
armpits. The armpits on our plant have gradually darkened with some
kind of residue or mold. Now on top of the black residue are smaller
white patches of residue that look like mineral deposits but may have
no mineral elements whatsoever. What lead me to a closer look at the
armpits is a steady trail of ants. It appears that the ants find
something of immense value in these armpits where they congregate en
masse. Do you think it is a mold and if so have you any experience
with a black/white mold?"

end of pasted-in description of problem

Well, now you know as much about the situation as I do. Any advice at
all is much appreciated!

Chuck

"......... The armpits on our plant have gradually darkened with some
kind of residue or mold. Now on top of the black residue are smaller
white patches of residue that look like mineral deposits but may have
no mineral elements whatsoever. What lead me to a closer look at the
armpits is a steady trail of ants. It appears that the ants find
something of immense value in these armpits where they congregate en
masse. Do you think it is a mold and if so have you any experience
with a black/white mold?"


Sounds like sooty mold which doesn't damage the plant except to make it much
less attractive.

Aphids get on the plant and secrete a honey dew type of substance which ants
are attracted to. The ants then take over and leave the black "stuff" in
the "armpits." Spraying the plant with a horticultural oil spray will help
prevent aphids and without the aphids to attract the ants, the situation
should improve.

On the leaf fall problem ... it could be too much water. No, bamboo can't
swim. It likes lots of water, but needs to be well drained, not standing in
water. The thing that concerns me is "all the leaves have fallen off."
However, on many varieties it is normal in the spring to have a large number
of yellowing leaves and dropping leaves as new leaves are forming to replace
old ones, but generally they all don't fall off at once. Check the branches
to see if there are tiny leaf buds. If so, you should see new leaves soon.

Good luck.

Mary Ann

(Dolchas) wrote in message . com...

If this is a running bamboo, it is becoming shooting season and as
bamboo is about to shoot, it starts to look like it is dying. The
leaves yellow and brown, then once the shoots come up they cycle
through the leaves. If it is a clumper, the Vulgaris family is
cycling through the leaves right now in so cal.

His description of it as a "bush" leads me to believe it is a runner
that has been topped quite a bit. If he doesn't know what type it is,
you can look in the pot, if you see rhizome popping up and down and
circling the pot it is a runner, in so cal it is most likely Golden
Bamboo (Phylostachys Aurea). It will also try to get out of the pot,
it is VERY obvious. Also, what kind of branching does it have? At
each node is there one branch, two branches, multiple branches?

Yellowing can also be from over watering. Like Mary Ann said, they
don't swim :-). Keep the soil damp, not wet.

If you can get some images of the bamboo it will help.

Chris
Chino,CA

Each major bamboo stalk (about 15 total)
ascends with nodes along the way where multiple branches, or shoots if
you will, splay out in all directions.

Chuck

I'm no expert but first, with the above description, it sounds like a
clumping bamboo and likely a Bambusa. Phylostachys only has two branches
from each node.

I have been told that bamboo will do poorly when the roots get too warm...
like in a dark pot in the sun. If this is the case try placing it in a
ceramic pot with a light color glaze and shade the soil with straw or
shavings or perlite to keep the soil cooler. As for dropping all its leaves,
sounds like too much water... or just stress. Add a balanced fertilizer
(slow release) wait for new shoots and cut off the old culms.

Make sure the soil drains well!!!

The ants will given enough time remove a large percentage of the soil to
make room for their nest, try to get them out..non-toxically.

Djubaya

I think your friends bamboo is a Bambusa, possible a variety of Bambusa
multiplex. These are susceptible to a mealy bug which cause the sooty mould
and attract ants. If you look real close you may see an occasional fine
white hair coming from the branch compliments if I am right. Think the leaf
fall is due to water stress. Even if you think you are giving sufficient
water there maybe an ant nest in the pot which will cause the water to drain
too quickly. Try standing the pot submerged in water to drown or move out
the ants for starters. If you have the mealy bug you will find it very
difficult to get rid of. You might be able to control it somewhat with oil
sprays or a systemic may be better. I gave up growing multiplex and other
varieties that are susceptible.

Hope that helps

tropo

Earthcare Enterprises - Bamboos, Aquatic Food Plants,
Tropical Root Crops, Spices and Medicinals of the Ginger Family
http://www.earthcare.com.au/
====================================



"Dolchas" wrote in message
om...
Greetings!

A pal of mine has a problem with his bamboo (growing in a container)
and since he knows I am a keen outdoor and indoor gardener, he asked
my advice. The problem is that I have never grown bamboo, so I have
no insight. However, methinks, I reckon someone in this newsgroup may
have some insight I can pass on.

Two relevant pieces of info that I do not possess are (1) the variety
of the bamboo and (2) whether he is growing it inside or outside (I am
virtually certain, though, that it is outside on his mostly sunny
patio, sheltered from wind). He lives in Southern California, USA,
only about a quarter mile from the ocean.

Here is how he describes the situation:

Beginning of pasted-in description of problem

"I'm having a fit trying to keep our new bamboo bush alive. All the
leaves have turned yellow/brown over the past two months and fallen
off. Too much water....? It's a freakin bamboo! Shouldn't it be able
to swim? Too little water.....? Western Garden says it doesn't need
too much.... Its container drains well but I have noticed lots and
lots of ants crawling in and around this plant whenever we soak it (no
ants on neighboring plants).

I just had a closer look at the bamboo - I got home early today and
the sun was still out. Each major bamboo stalk (about 15 total)
ascends with nodes along the way where multiple branches, or shoots if
you will, splay out in all directions. These nodes I will call
armpits. The armpits on our plant have gradually darkened with some
kind of residue or mold. Now on top of the black residue are smaller
white patches of residue that look like mineral deposits but may have
no mineral elements whatsoever. What lead me to a closer look at the
armpits is a steady trail of ants. It appears that the ants find
something of immense value in these armpits where they congregate en
masse. Do you think it is a mold and if so have you any experience
with a black/white mold?"

end of pasted-in description of problem

Well, now you know as much about the situation as I do. Any advice at
all is much appreciated!

Chuck