winterproofing bamboo

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:59 pm

Ive had to cover my bamboo. The average low for this time of year is -12C, were staying above that, but have had a few nights at -15C, and one night at -18C at the airport ( temps havnt been lower then -12 in my yard). Weve had snow and wet snow, so theres a "nice" layer of ice on the groudn already. As far as im concerened i had no choice. So i put a good 6 inch layer of leaves around the bamboo, bend them down, then put a good foot or 2 of leaves on top and around. Then wrapped that in a tarp or plastic.

Theres some pics of my passiflora i too theother day. I think whats happend is the bottom has gone dormant, while the top is still alive due to the heat on the wall ( not sure about this, jsut an assumption... But its green and i think some ends are still growing...

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:19 pm

The Passiflora is still green??? After -12C??? Has it thawed? Interesting pics, thanks for sharing.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 3:28 pm

Yup...... I dont fully undetstand it.... It hasnt even frozen as far as i know, although some parts of it look like they were.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 3:50 pm

Maybe train a branch to go inside the garage (?) through a hole...

My clematis must be related to your passiflora...this pic was taken NOV. 12 (yup NOVEMBER 12th).

...just before the cold hit

Barb
<img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1212/517 ... 96d0e7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04075" />

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 3:53 pm

OH nice!!! mine was alive till halloween!! I have the same one... the president.. should be a double bloomer 9 spring and fall... i couldnt be wrong. Almost tropical looking..... I hope mine survives, it has minimal multch

You staying warm there barb? Herd you got as cold as I am right now...

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 4:00 pm

Jesse,
don't get too excited by the green Passiflora leaves just yet. Mine did the same thing last year. It died and just didn't know it. This year, I cut stems and dug the new one up to bring the roots and stem base in, but the few leaves up against the house that were still green--still are. This plant would be perfect for floral arrangements.....
As for bamboo, keep us updated. I'm currently frustrated by bamboo but may try again.
--Erik

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 4:05 pm

I would say fargesia, but they hate hot temps. Although, my Rufa doesnt do that bad in the heat here ( amost 2 months straight of 28C - 35C weather this summer). It ir was planted under the shade of a tre it might do ok. They like cool roots.... You had no luck with phylostachys?

Thats exactly what i thought is happening with it... well I wont know till june or july here.....

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:00 am

Funny too, yesterday the weather netowrk say we were getting 20 cm of snow here, hence why I covered them. But we are getting 10mm of rain and 10cm of snow here in the next 24 hours. The temps are warming again, even at night. this was supposed to be the coldest week here this year, but its turning out t o be quite warm.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:50 am

"its turning out to be quite warm."

I think that debatable! I would not consider 12f (the temp as I write this) very warm!

Ditto on the Fargesia, they really don't appreciate the heat. They really don't like to be in the sun when it is hot! My F. 'rufa' planted in the shade does OK in the heat, but the one that gets 3 hours of sun looks like crap! F. nitida seems to be able to handle the sun a little better, I've never seen it roll its leaves like 'rufa' does!

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 8:02 am

LOL it was supposed to be -16 last night (C), my yard wasnt lower then - 8C ( our average lows are -12 right now... so generaly we are warm for here)

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:07 am

Dear Friends, I'm posting a short report about covering my Phylostachys sp. Have no idea what particular species this guy is. It has been sitting about 20 years at one spot. Never been killed back down to the ground in spite of minus 30 once and some days between minus 20 and 25 every winter but is still relatively short (3.5 m as a maximum).

Today morning:

Started working on the winter protection:

Put a couple of pallets on it:

Covered with a PVC:

This guy (Ph.auresculata) is going to be overwintered with no protection:

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:12 am

Igor- Thanks for that. Similar to what I do, but I don't use a PVC covering (maybe I should...). For me P. aureosulcata is not top hardy except in warm winters (even then it gets burnt).

How do you protect your Aucuba (I think it's Aucuba in the 2nd pic)?

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:27 am

Thanks Paul. You are right it is Aucuba:

It's covered well along with Phylostachys sp. I don't care about aurisculata overwintering. It should be fine. I'm going replant it next spring to another spot mining that this guy is going to be run fast all over the place.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:41 am

Good evening, Igor...
The tree canopy provides a nice microclimate during winter.

If your Phylostachys has survived for 20 years, presumably without protection, does it need protection this winter?
Hope you didn't hear any "cracking canes" when you put the pallets on top.

Nice specimens, love that aucuba.
I had one years ago, sadly it didn't last beyond the first winter.

Thank you for the pics!
Glad to "meet" you

Barb

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:49 am

Good morning, Barb! This Phylostachys has the same type of winter protection every year as well as the Aucuba. It's snowing today and the rumors (the wundeground and etc.) say it's going to be badly cold the nearest days.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 8:38 am

Thanks igor, we dont do it much differently, except I use leaves. They look good, like the aucuba! Ill see what i kept alive this winter, but i have to wait till march

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 8:40 am

same type of winter protection every year as well as the Aucuba

Ah...that's why they look so healthy!

If cold is forecast for you, it's good that snow is arriving too.

It seems as though winters are worse and worse despite the odd mild one ... it was heartbreaking to see dead palms in Florida and southern England after last winter.

Barb

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:35 am

Barb, thanks to your citation. I found some mistake made in my post. I mean English grammar. In fact it so nice reading these posts and trying to follow the language that is different I use daily.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:50 am

No need to explain, Igor.
You certainly do a much better job of your second language than I do...

Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:54 am

So- No one has tried the var. borealis of Aucuba japonica? I do really want to know if it that 1/2 to 1 zone hardier than the common selections. If it is, it would have a shot as a half-hardy plant in my garden.

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:59 am

Paul, check out the climate statistic for Almaty : http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Almaty/368700.htm. I'm sure your location has even milder climate. Don't worry about "borealis" try the common one.

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:20 am

Nice protection guys, flattening stuff always seems to work out well. Jesse seeing your snow on the ground made me shiver, It is a good insulator right

Other then that I'd prefer grass

Bill

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:21 am

LOL id prefer a tropical jungle......... So i think were on the same page......

FYI mondays low.... -21C.....

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:40 am

igor.glukhovtsev wrote:Paul, check out the climate statistic for Almaty : http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Almaty/368700.htm. I'm sure your location has even milder climate. Don't worry about "borealis" try the common one.

Igor- Tried it. Unless it's protected it doesn't stand a chance here. And I am not willing to protect an Aucuba. It might make a few mild winters but never recovers its size... Our climates, though similar, are very similar. I think you might have a 1/2 (to 1 full) zone on me. I see a -30C for you, but most winters are in the -24/5 range (from what I saw). We hit -23C last winter and that was very mild. What are your all-time record lows in winter? In the past decade? I'm not 100% on the all-time but it would be something like -36 to -38C; I hit -32C in 2001 (and a -30C in 2003/4). I did not look up the years, just working from memory so I may be wrong.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:30 pm

Funny, i was reading your post paul, and theweather network was saying "... torontos record low of -36C "

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:44 pm

Depends on the location, but I don't see any -36C in the weather history:

Island airport (short term data; -28 in 1981):
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ ... StnId=5085&

Pearson airport (-31 in 1981):
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ ... StnId=5097&

Toronto (-32.3C in 1854):
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ ... StnId=5051&

Hartington (-36C in 1981; closest to my place):
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ ... StnId=4287&

Kington Airport (closest longer term station; -34C in 1981):
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ ... StnId=4287&

I think I'll do an excel graph of the weather history for the Toronto/Kingston all-time lows...

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:57 pm

I didnt mean it as your wrong, i meant how it showed up as i was reading you talk about it

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:25 am

No no. I was just wondering where the weather network got their information! I can't find it anywhere!

FYI- First hard freeze here the other night. Geraniums etc. in the neighborhood are now done for the year... Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:37 am

Paul Ont wrote: What are your all-time record lows in winter?

Minus 37,2, the February 27th 1951

In the past decade?

Minus 27. My place is milder than the weather station. There is minus 14 at my place but minus 18 in the airport.

[/b]

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:16 am

Wow igor.......... my record low here is -40C, in the 60s. Usualy around -27C a usual absolute low. And my area is milder then the airport. Man how the hell did you get tha tacuba to survive there?? LOL

You said you never protect your phyllostachys aureosulcata?? I protected mine the same way i protected my frgesia ( as youve seen). Next year, Im going to try to leave a culm or 2 exposed on each bamboo to see how well they stand up..

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:42 am

I'd say about this well:

Winter of 2009, picture taken on Jan. 26. Low for the winter was -26C (maybe a little less at my location) and the plant is located on the south wall... It is 100% burnt in the picture, and the exposed culm was killed to the ground. It had a diameter of ~1".

<img src="http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/20816 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="winter0809xmas 026">

Same culm in February, showing the damage more obviously:

<img src="http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/44246 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSC01857">

Exposure to -23C last winter partially defoliated a culm of similar diameter and did kill the top 6" or so.

This is 'regular' aureosulcata, I feel like the 'alata' form might be more cold tolerant, but I base this on nothing since my plant is still too small to even consider leaving exposed.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:17 pm

II agree, the hardiness ratings ive seen for P areosulcata is something like, -28C - about -32C. Im assuming this is what kills it roots and all, not just leaf damage, leaf loss, and top kill ( should be different temps if im not mistakin). I wont know 100% till I try for myself. A premature guess is that ill have very silimar resuts as you, although the question for me is, will it get top killed, or leaf burn/drop like yours?

Update on a few things too, the passiflora has been frozen, an has finally died back. IT took rain then snow and freezing temps to finish it off. Temp wise were fairly average for night temps, but daytime highes were a bit above average for november, seemed to have averaged out now. IF we get this "typical" winter we are being forcaste to have, a few nights below -25C ( mabey a weeks worth give or take), and -5c for a high. the best is, so far weve gotten somewhat deccent snowfall ( after the wet snow we had melted, then froze

), and average snow fall here is 2-5 feet, plenty of insulation..

Paul isnt it a bit late for your first har freeze? Your average first frost date is the end of september isnt it?

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:49 am

Jesse- The frist frost date for Toronto is in the middle of October. So the first freeze should be the end of that month. Anyway, winter is now here with a vengeance, we're getting our first real snow of the year (4 centimetres) today. And should hit below -10C this week. I've done a chart of the minimums for all of my location since 1990, so it reflects the warmer years recently, and avoids the all-time lows from 1981. If anything these ratings are a little biased toward warmer years. Toronto airport (pearson) comes out as a USDA 6a; Downtown comes out 6b; and Kingston comes out as USDA 5b (my location would almost certainly be a 5a since the airport is right on the water). I can tally up the years for Tbay if you like. This chart uses only slightly more data than the actual USDA maps.... Previously I had used 30 years of data to get USDA ratings of 5a for K-town; 5b for Pearson; and 6b (but only just) for downtown T.O...

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Dec 06, 2010 5:32 am

Thats interesting paul.... To be able to grow what we want we hould all have a goo idea of our cities weather, and general climate..

The only thing that i dont like figuring out about hardiness ratings, is that the data we use isnt much at all, say 100 years to figure out a general cold weather map pf the country isnt really much information at all is it? You definelty get a good idea of what to expect, but i would think the less information you use, would give a less " proper" idea of your zone.

That being said, we know climate change is effecting us in canada, so NOT to use recent data would be folly, seeing as it could actualy raise the ratings a bit high ( i think this is the reason enviroment canada ers us to use caution when using then 2000 hardiness map). Im not making light of the hariness system, i jsut ont fully agree with the sytem in use.....

Im not sure if they are still doing it, bu enviroment canadad was aking th epublics opinion and help in updating the hardiness map. You should be able to find it on the service canada website if your interested......