Sickly bamboo rescue

[bepah]

I just got 2 10 gallon cans of B. m. 'Alphonse Karr'.

These 2 plants are as sickly as I have seen and still be alive.

Dry and in the shade, covered with pounds of California Pepper Tree (Schinus molle) seeds.

I have cleaned off the culms and leaves (the few that remain) and cut or pulled out all of the dead culms.

Now what? Put them in the groud and hope for the best? Feed and fertilize and hope they regain strength overf the winter in the cans? Divide and repot the strongest of what remains?

Opinion, comment, complaints, and snickers are all welcome!

[ghmerrill]

John,

I think that I would pull them out and see what the rootball looked like. if it appears too compacted, then I would repot them into the next size up, and let them have a year to relax, or amend a section of soil and plant them in the ground. A. Karr for me loses its leaves in the winter due to the cold, but we drop into the high teens a few times in the winter. if you stay above 25, you should have no problem at all. if it gets colder than that, I would greenhouse them for at least this first winter in pots, and let them do some recovery.

[bepah]

Depending where I place the cans, my minimum is usually no lower than 25F or so, althought it may sneak lower for an hour or so,...usually. 2 years ago we had a freeze in NorCal where many of us (and some in San Diego, even) got into the teens.

Thansk for the info. I'll check them out and repot if necessary.