[IBC] Possibly Ailing Miniature Bamboo
 

Hello,

I have a tray planting of Pleioblastus pygmaeus (Sasa) miniature bamboo.
The last couple months it seems to have slowly begun to decline.

The most noticeable symptom is drying out and browning of the leaves, which
occurs quite slowly from the tip back to the stem.

Ironically, at the same time it is pushing (slowly) new shoots. These new
shoots are quite pale, seem to lack vigor, and after they get to the point
of unfurling their leaves, they also start to simply dry out.

I have also considered it is just slowing down for the winter-time. But the
pale shoot issue had started to be noticeable in early autumn.

I normally keep the tray slightly moist, as I have lost similar plantings if
any true drying-out occurs. It is currently in a west facing window where
it has been wintered for 2 years. I have been wondering if I need to
perhaps fertilize it slightly, but knowing that can be exactly the wrong
thing to do, I thought I would field the question here first.

Sam Crowell
Klamath Falls, Oregon
4200' elevation, Zone 5 (?)

__________________________________________________ _______________
Gift-shop online from the comfort of home at MSN Shopping! No crowds, free
parking. http://shopping.msn.com

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Carl Rosner++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

[IBC] Possibly Ailing Miniature Bamboo
 

In a message dated 11/20/2003 10:26:17 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

I normally keep the tray slightly moist, as I have lost similar plantings
if
any true drying-out occurs. It is currently in a west facing window where
it has been wintered for 2 years. I have been wondering if I need to
perhaps fertilize it slightly, but knowing that can be exactly the wrong
thing to do, I thought I would field the question here first.


Sounds to me like a soil/root fungus problem. How long ago did you repot?
What is the soil like. I think I would repot and divide. If it is a running
bamboo it wants new soil to grow well. If it growing in on itself through
spent soil that could cause problems.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Carl Rosner++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

[IBC] Possibly Ailing Miniature Bamboo
 

Hello,

I have a tray planting of Pleioblastus pygmaeus (Sasa)
miniature bamboo.
The last couple months it seems to have slowly begun to
decline.

snip

I have also considered it is just slowing down for the
winter-time. But the
pale shoot issue had started to be noticeable in early autumn.

I normally keep the tray slightly moist, as I have lost similar
plantings if
any true drying-out occurs. It is currently in a west facing
window where
it has been wintered for 2 years. I have been wondering if I
need to
perhaps fertilize it slightly, but knowing that can be exactly
the wrong
thing to do, I thought I would field the question here first.


It may be winter slowdown. It may be that "grass" (bamboo isn't
grass, but it's close) just doesn't do too well indoors for any
length of time and should have been outside all summer. It may
be that the roots have filled up the pot and there's no nutrients
available. It may be something else.

There is a bamboo news group. Search your ISP's newsgroup
offerings. It may be rec.gardens.bamboo (or it may be alt.bamboo
or sci.bamboo), but if you search for "bamboo" you should find
it/them. Anyway, that's probably a better place for a definitive
answer.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - The phrase
'sustainable growth' is an oxymoron. - Stephen Viederman

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Carl Rosner++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

[IBC] Possibly Ailing Miniature Bamboo
 

I have a tray planting of Pleioblastus pygmaeus (Sasa) miniature bamboo.
The last couple months it seems to have slowly begun to decline.

The most noticeable symptom is drying out and browning of the leaves, which
occurs quite slowly from the tip back to the stem.



I have kept Sasa bamboo for many years, and I have always assumed this is normal behavior of the plant. It spreads by underground runners, with new growth from the tip, and old growth dying off at the oldest portions. Bamboo is a grass, so it doesn't for
m "wood", and each shoot has a finite growth pattern.

It is a fairly hardy bamboo (to zone 6, I think): if I keep it outside through the winter with protection, it does fine. If I keep it indoors over the winter, it doesn't get enough light or humidity, and looks bedraggled until spring, when I put it out ag
ain.

Nina

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Carl Rosner++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

[IBC] Possibly Ailing Miniature Bamboo
 

I have a tray planting of Pleioblastus pygmaeus (Sasa) miniature bamboo.

Actually, I believe the correct name is Arundinaria pygmaea. It is difficult to
pin down the taxonomy of this species, since it has never been known to bloom
in captivity.
I gave up on it already. First of all, examine it closely for spider mites, to
which it is very susceptible. You may also be having a problem with root rot or
other soil difficulties. Lastly, this is a hardy species, and may need winter
dormancy.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)