To dig or not to dig, that is the question...

[bigone5500]

There is some bamboo which is done shooting I'm sure, but what I'm wondering is if it would be a bad idea to try to dig some now or just be patient and wait till the fall? The new shoots are about 10' tall right now.

[needmore]

The division would now be at its weakest point so WAY better to wait 3 months.

[bigone5500]

The division would now be at its weakest point so WAY better to wait 3 months.

I was kinda thinking so. I'm gonna concentrate on what I have right now. I found a new shoot on my P. aurea yesterday. I'm very exceted to see where this goes.

[Jerry Hamilton]

The division would now be at its weakest point so WAY better to wait 3 months.

I was kinda thinking so. I'm gonna concentrate on what I have right now. I found a new shoot on my P. aurea yesterday. I'm very exceted to see where this goes.

I know where it goes. You start out with one and then before you know it you have 20 and then it's where do I put this one.
Jerry

[bigone5500]

The division would now be at its weakest point so WAY better to wait 3 months.

I was kinda thinking so. I'm gonna concentrate on what I have right now. I found a new shoot on my P. aurea yesterday. I'm very exceted to see where this goes.

I know where it goes. You start out with one and then before you know it you have 20 and then it's where do I put this one.
Jerry

I hope the size of my 'grove' can at least double next year. I'm not thinking it will though as some of them need to have some rhizome growth.

[ShmuBamboo]

Wait until the culms harden off before doing anything. The plants will be depleted of energy at this point, as they put all stored starch into new growth when they shoot. Summer heat is also a stressor on new divisions and you are apt to lose a lot of roots and/or rhizome connections when you dig or divide. So you are better off waiting for cooler fall weather to do any digging and dividing. September will be here soon enough.

[Spectabilis]

For the past two years I have dug a bunch of divisions of yellow groove. I waited until they leafed out before I dug. I also knew this was not the most opportune time to dig but the guy was going to cut them all to the ground. I lost about half of the divisions that I took. But I was able to get 20 or so big divisions. So in the end it was a good haul after all! That being said, it is better to wait till fall.