Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

I'd cut them back to about 3 feet and let the roots grow first. One
thing to remember about Bamboo it is all one plant. I grow a black and
a yellow.
When I give them away I give roots and 2 foot growths.

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

Thanks Bill. I'm sure that's good advice but we paid extra so that we
could have some instant screening in the form of large plants so I'm
pretty reluctant to cut them back. Is there any alternative?

Jo

In article
,
Bill wrote:

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

I'd cut them back to about 3 feet and let the roots grow first. One
thing to remember about Bamboo it is all one plant. I grow a black and
a yellow.
When I give them away I give roots and 2 foot growths.

Bill

I know that some bamboo can be eaten, some are used for household
articles, and some used in construction. Are there non-running versions
of these?
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Thanks Bill. I'm sure that's good advice but we paid extra so that we
could have some instant screening in the form of large plants so I'm
pretty reluctant to cut them back. Is there any alternative?

Jo

In a healthy plant, there is a balance between the vegetation and the
roots. You risk killing your plant if you ask a compromised root system
to support all the original vegetation. I wasn't paying attention to the
original post, was the bamboo grown in a pot or was it dug up. If it was
the later, you should follow Bill's suggestion and give the boo some B-1.
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

job2610 wrote:
Thanks Bill. I'm sure that's good advice but we paid extra so that
we
could have some instant screening in the form of large plants so I'm
pretty reluctant to cut them back. Is there any alternative?

Sure! Just leave the trunks as they are to sap the roots and put in
new this fall so they cane get established over the winter.

Tom J

Hi

Not sure if they were grown in pots but they were certainly in pots
when I bought them from the nursery.

Just as an aside, what is B-1?

Thanks

Jo

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Hi

Not sure if they were grown in pots but they were certainly in pots
when I bought them from the nursery.
Did the root ball look like a solid mass of roots with fine roots
growing on the ball where it was in contact with it's pot or was there
big chunks of louse dirt when you removed the ball from the pot?

Just as an aside, what is B-1?
An artifact, a myth from another era. Try "Schultz Starter Plus Root
Stimulator". God the name sounds schlocky. I think that's why I say B-1.
Anyway, try that product, or some other root stimulant and apply once a
week for a month.

Thanks

Jo
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

On 3/17/2008 7:27 AM, job2610 wrote:
Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

When they stop growing taller, they never resume. New growth will come
as shoots from the ground. With the correct soil, water, and climate,
they can grow a few inches per day. However, once a shoot emerges from
the ground, it never gets any wider -- only taller.

Remember, bamboo is merely a very large grass.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

On 3/17/2008 10:36 AM, Billy wrote:
In article
,
Bill wrote:

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo
I'd cut them back to about 3 feet and let the roots grow first. One
thing to remember about Bamboo it is all one plant. I grow a black and
a yellow.
When I give them away I give roots and 2 foot growths.

Bill

I know that some bamboo can be eaten, some are used for household
articles, and some used in construction. Are there non-running versions
of these?

What you want is a "clumping" bamboo. This group includes genus Bambusa
and a few other species. They range in size from B. oldhami (giant
timber bamboo) at as much as 55 feet high and 4 inches in diameter to B.
multiplex riviereorum (Chinese goddess bamboo) at as much as 8 feet high
and 1/4 inch in diamter.

Be careful. Do thorough research. Even some Bambusa species (e.g., B.
multiplex 'Golden Goddess') can be invasive. This particular variety
was planted at Gardens of the World (GOW) in Thousand Oaks, California,
in large plastic tubs sunk into the ground. Either the tubs cracked, or
else the plants sent runners over the edges of the tubs. In either
case, it is coming up all over the adjacent bed. However, the much
larger B. oldhami (not to be confused with Phyllostachys bumbusoides,
also call giant timber bamboo) was also planted at GOW. It spreads very
slowly and seems relatively easy to control. GOW also has P. nigra
(black bamboo), which has proven even more invasive than B. multiplex
'Golden Goddess'.

Of course, no bamboo is as invasive as horsetail (Equisetum hyemale).
Although it looks similar to bamboo, it is not related, even distantly.
In extreme situations, bamboo can be controlled by use of a
grass-specific herbicide (e.g., Poast) or a general herbicide (e.g.,
Roundup). Nothing controls horsetail except digging it out and hoping
you found every little piece of it.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 3/17/2008 10:36 AM, Billy wrote:
In article
,
Bill wrote:

In article
,
job2610 wrote:

Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo
I'd cut them back to about 3 feet and let the roots grow first. One
thing to remember about Bamboo it is all one plant. I grow a black and
a yellow.
When I give them away I give roots and 2 foot growths.

Bill

I know that some bamboo can be eaten, some are used for household
articles, and some used in construction. Are there non-running versions
of these?

What you want is a "clumping" bamboo. This group includes genus Bambusa
and a few other species. They range in size from B. oldhami (giant
timber bamboo) at as much as 55 feet high and 4 inches in diameter to B.
multiplex riviereorum (Chinese goddess bamboo) at as much as 8 feet high
and 1/4 inch in diamter.

Be careful. Do thorough research. Even some Bambusa species (e.g., B.
multiplex 'Golden Goddess') can be invasive. This particular variety
was planted at Gardens of the World (GOW) in Thousand Oaks, California,
in large plastic tubs sunk into the ground. Either the tubs cracked, or
else the plants sent runners over the edges of the tubs. In either
case, it is coming up all over the adjacent bed. However, the much
larger B. oldhami (not to be confused with Phyllostachys bumbusoides,
also call giant timber bamboo) was also planted at GOW. It spreads very
slowly and seems relatively easy to control. GOW also has P. nigra
(black bamboo), which has proven even more invasive than B. multiplex
'Golden Goddess'.

Of course, no bamboo is as invasive as horsetail (Equisetum hyemale).
Although it looks similar to bamboo, it is not related, even distantly.
In extreme situations, bamboo can be controlled by use of a
grass-specific herbicide (e.g., Poast) or a general herbicide (e.g.,
Roundup). Nothing controls horsetail except digging it out and hoping
you found every little piece of it.

and the I have a stand of bamboo that came with the house, about eight
feet tall and a half inch in diameter, and it shows no sign of spreading
over the last thirty years.
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

"job2610" wrote in message
...
Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

Jo - I can think of a couple of things -- (a) normal transplanting
after-effects, or (b) cultural problems

(A) A culm of bamboo that is replanted may result in stalks that die off or
look fragile. The existing stalks aren't very decorative, they only show
where you planted the bamboo. The plant is mostly busy expanding it's root
area so that you will see a sudden spurt of a few new stalks a year from
now, and many more the following year. -- First it sleeps, then it creeps,
then it leaps.

(B) It's also possible that it's planted in an area with really bad soil
that has let everything dry out, or conversely that it's getting far too
much water. If the bamboo is planted in good garden soil and neither over-
nor under-watered it should do just fine, although the existing stalks will
probably deteriorate. Make sure the roots aren't exposed, mulch it, don't
water it any more than you would your lawn, and next year you'll have a
start on a healthy grove of bamboo. My best bamboo stands are those that I
couldn't spend time on and gave benign neglect. -- Regards --

In article ,
"JimR" wrote:

"job2610" wrote in message
...
Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south-
facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite
expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and
about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and
green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot
of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing
growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these
once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or
suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

Jo - I can think of a couple of things -- (a) normal transplanting
after-effects, or (b) cultural problems

(A) A culm of bamboo that is replanted may result in stalks that die off or
look fragile. The existing stalks aren't very decorative, they only show
where you planted the bamboo. The plant is mostly busy expanding it's root
area so that you will see a sudden spurt of a few new stalks a year from
now, and many more the following year. -- First it sleeps, then it creeps,
then it leaps.

(B) It's also possible that it's planted in an area with really bad soil
that has let everything dry out, or conversely that it's getting far too
much water. If the bamboo is planted in good garden soil and neither over-
nor under-watered it should do just fine, although the existing stalks will
probably deteriorate. Make sure the roots aren't exposed, mulch it, don't
water it any more than you would your lawn, and next year you'll have a
start on a healthy grove of bamboo. My best bamboo stands are those that I
couldn't spend time on and gave benign neglect. -- Regards --

On the other hand, it seems that bamboo is almost impossible to kill.
--

Billy

Impeach Pelosi, Bush & Cheney to the Hague
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/
http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

Thanks everyone for all your comments.

In response to Billy's question, the root ball was almost bursting
from the pot - in fact, I think it had actually split the plastic
container in one of the plants. And thanks for the Schultz Starter
Plus Root Stimulator recommendation. I'm based in the UK though and a
quick Google search doesn't bring up any UK suppliers although I will
try to find a similar alternative.

JimR - I don't think the soil is that bad but we did add some improver
to it when we planted them but we haven't mulched which I guess
wouldn't hurt. However, there used to be a pretty established (aprox
15 yr old) ash tree in the same spot until we had it felled and the
stump/roots ground down. I reckon that probably could have something
to do with any nutrient deficiency in the soil.

I also don't think they have been under/over watered. We did water
them when they were fist planted but have left them be since then
(about 2 months) although during that time there's been hard frosts,
mild sun, snow, terrible downpours and dry fortnights so we've had the
whole range of weather!

I guess aside from wanting to protect my (not inconsiderable)
financial investment, I am glad to hear that this probably doesn't
mean these lovely plants are dying!

Thanks again for all your comments - they're much appreciated.

Jo