Rhizomes grow earlier than I thought!

[Squishee]

I have a question in regards to rhizomes that seem to come to the surface but do not look like they will become whip shoots.

Does anyone have any idea why those rhizomes are on the soil surface but are still horizontal?

When I saw those rhizomes, I put about 2 inches of compost and 2 inches of mulch on top and now they seem to be grazing the surface again. Should I try to cover them up again?

[tomgun]

My first guess is they want to spread and travel. The closer they are to the top the faster, the more water, the least resistance and showing above ground is incidental.

Standstillnoisily, I think what you are doing, piling on mulch as Wantmore does, and piling on good dirt will get you what you want. However, rocks don't necessarily bother bamboo if the soil is usable around and under them. Rocks just make it a bear to dig up divisions. If that is not your goal, no biggie.

The number one thing is water. Rhizomes will follow the water (let's not get into theoretical stuff as to whether they follow it or avoid the dry).

I have some rocky, dry, barren hillside in my backyard where I put some Robert Young and Sweet Shoot. As I watered the plants, the water seeped down into clay pockets. Upon some exploratory hillside surgery, I dug down, found the clay pockets and huge rhizomes having the time of their life. That explained the large upsizing on relatively small patches of dirt on an otherwise dry, rocky, barren hillside. Now that I'm bringing in dirt to the backyard to make mounds and eventual raised beds, I look for clay, the stuff most gardeners would not want. I am going for the longevity of the bed and ease in care and feeding - I no longer am trying to divide and multiply.

So, if you can bring in manure and dirt and mulch, fine. Otherwise, in between times, keep it well watered.

You are going to have a beautiful hillside there. Good luck. I look forward to progress photos.

[benboo]

do you always see the rhizomes curve up before sinking and running?

[Alan_L]

Yes because the ones that stay underground I can't see.

[benboo]

yeah that makes sense i mean, do they all pop up or are there deep ones?

[Jerry Hamilton]

yeah that makes sense i mean, do they all pop up or are there deep ones?

I was digging in a temp. bed where I had three different boo's planted this morning and most of the rihzomes were from 3 to 6 inchs deep and had never sufaced out of the ground. Had more of that on the side where they grew out of the old raised bed. The rihzomes sure love those rotting crossties. Had one come in from the end and run down center of tie where it was rotting.

[Alan_L]

The rihzomes sure love those rotting crossties. Had one come in from the end and run down center of tie where it was rotting...

Rotting tree stumps too. I've got 2 stumps next to my Phy. glauca 'Yunzhu' planting that is going to cause me trouble in the next couple of years I think (gives the rhizomes a way to escape from their pruned area).