Bamboo: Update

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 11:56 am

Im happy to say, Im fairly sure 3 out of 4 bamboo are for sure alive. My Fargesia Rufa, Fargesia Scabrida, and Phyllostachys Areosulcata alata. Its too early to say for sure if my Pseudosasa survived....

The Fargesia Rufa, has abotu 10 new culms, and it looks like more are comming. Even some of the culms I thought were dead, are leafing out ( not the tops, their fried). Im almost willing to say this thing is root hardy here, but i wont, becasue its never had a whole winter uncovered. I expect this guy to astound me this year.

The Fargesia Scabrida is 100% top killed. There is no and, if or buts about it. Im pretty sure, the roots managed to survive. Im sorry if the pics arent the best, but look in the center, I believe it has healthy root nodes ready to pop!

And The Phyllostachys. All the leaves are dead, except 2 or 3, and the culms are a nice green colour ( cept the tops). There also seems to be lots of leaf regrowth on most culms half way down. The pics I took dont show this well, so im not going to post them, but take my word for it, its very much alive

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:00 pm

That's good to hear! Did you protect them during the winter, or was snow cover all they got?

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:28 pm

ID half to say half assed protection. It got tons of leaves, and this year, in a momentary lapse of reason ( I wonder who will catch that

), I didnt put the plastic and or tarp directly over them, there was a good foot gap, which allowed the cold to get in there. Not to mention letting themget hit with -35C windchills LOL ( my misstake)

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:33 am

nice winter test......seems like F. rufa is the hardiest. The root masses should get much more established this year so your results may be even better next season.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 5:40 am

Thanks Tim

This will be its 3rd year, and its first winter having die back, so the roots should be well estabolished. If it didnt have some dieback id expect huge culms this year, but im not sure how large the shoots will be ( ususaly after dying back the plant uses more energy in trying to repair the damaged culms, rather then new culm growth).

Im hoping the Phyllostachys gets soem good growth on it. IT actualy looks similar to what it looked like last year when I got it in the mail, and it recovered very well.