No eats, but shoots & leaves

[needmore]

Tough call on which Spectabilis shoots to cull out, there are about 40 nice ones in a small bed.










A gigantea 'Possom Trot' new leaves on last summer's canes





Moso shoots






Alan, here is the Ps viridula leafing back out after heavy burn at around +2F.

[bigone5500]

I hope one day I can say 'hmmm...which shoots do I NOT want?'... Very nice looking Moso shoots too!

[stevelau1911]

Wow!!!! Moso doubling/tripling in size is pretty impressive. Some of those look like they're pushing past 2 inches. Maybe they'll be 3-4 inches with another warm winter, and even larger with more warm winters in succession.

This is really getting my hopes up since my moso didn't really get any damage with complete protection and has been leafing out since the beginning of April. It's producing tiny scout shoots now that seem to be aborting probably because they actually came up during late fall and got damaged in the winter. Still no real shoots yet

[ShmuBamboo]

Moso shooting here all over the palce. That is one of my earliest types to shoot. I am getting some nice half inch culms on my 'baby' Moso this year. It should triple in size.

[stevelau1911]

Moso shooting here all over the palce. That is one of my earliest types to shoot. I am getting some nice half inch culms on my 'baby' Moso this year.

I hope that means they start generating leptomorph rhizomes on their 3rd growing season since I'm expecting mine to reach around 1/2 inch diameter culms this year. That way I won't have to worry about staking the clump apart for sunlight exposure and be able to add even more manure/compost to the plant.

Moso is definitely not the earliest shooter here, at least for in-ground bamboos. Rufa starts up some time in March, Bissetii and Rubro 2nd week of April, and yellow groove is just starting up. Probably staking the culms for sunlight exposure to the ground will heat up the ground and make it wake up. The odd thing is that some branches have already unfolded 2 new leaves already and the plant is already getting noticeably bushier, but no shoots.

I also need to get a small Spectabilis to add to my collection which consists of mostly green phyllostachys. Does anyone have any to spare?

[Alan_L]

Brad, so you cull in order to direct more energy into the remaining shoots, and to keep the plant from getting too congested? Is this something you recommend for any plant growing in a confined space?

When do you start culling -- once the plant matures and starts putting out "full-sized" culms?

[needmore]

Brad, so you cull in order to direct more energy into the remaining shoots, and to keep the plant from getting too congested? Is this something you recommend for any plant growing in a confined space?

When do you start culling -- once the plant matures and starts putting out "full-sized" culms?

Alan, I don't know the proper procedure and am winging it. This grove is only allowed about 4 feet by maybe 20, I'm thinking of letting it run a few canes downslope among the daylillies though. In this space I want it to look pleasing to the eye so today I'll snip out any that are crowding or leaning in an undesirable way. I assume that this will conserve or 're-direct' some energy but I really am flying blind. Once you see Jos van Der Palen's groves though, you want that - large culms, well spaced, in small areas. One of his tactics is allowing only a few shoots to grow, the rest is a mystery but involves pigeon crap and shredded bamboo mulch.

[Alan_L]

Alan, I don't know the proper procedure and am winging it...

That's what it's all about: creating a garden that is pleasing to you, right?

... Once you see Jos van Der Palen's groves though, you want that - large culms, well spaced, in small areas. One of his tactics is allowing only a few shoots to grow, the rest is a mystery but involves pigeon crap and shredded bamboo mulch.

And living in The Netherlands.

[needmore]

Alan, I don't know the proper procedure and am winging it...

That's what it's all about: creating a garden that is pleasing to you, right?

... Once you see Jos van Der Palen's groves though, you want that - large culms, well spaced, in small areas. One of his tactics is allowing only a few shoots to grow, the rest is a mystery but involves pigeon crap and shredded bamboo mulch.

And living in The Netherlands.

It's not uncommon for him to go subzero F, but the duration of their cold snaps certainly gives them an edge.