Newbie Zone 8b

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Ophiuchus
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Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

I've done a lot of research to determine the bamboo I want to propagate for profit for my climate zone. I only want the clumping variety and selected Emerald, Graceful, Blue and Old Hamii. Old Hamii being the least cold tolerant (9a) with the largest culms according to my research. I will purchase these plants out of South Florida and transplant in South Alabama for mother plants to be container propagated on a small amount of commercially exposed land I own (my residence). Except for one Graceful these plants are not yet purchased, so opinions before Mid March 2016 are truly welcome and appreciated. The wife and I are looking for a little passive income selling a product we legally grew ourselves for fun, beauty, privacy and profit.

If any of you are growers for profit, I'd appreciate any insight you may have to public demand.

One more thing, does any know if these air propagators will work on Bamboo? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNHRRy9mrVA
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Nicholas »

Ophiuchus wrote:
One more thing, does any know if these air propagators will work on Bamboo? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNHRRy9mrVA
I have only a very limited experience with the so-called tropical bamboos but some have the ability to form new roots and rhizomes at branch nodes so in principle air propagators could work on them.

Do you have any previous experience growing bamboo or plants commercially?

I'm just a regular bamboo enthusiast but the thought had crossed my mind to sell off divisions.
To be honest you need to scale up things to a certain size or else it will mostly be a zero-sum game unless you have enough free time and don't really factor in your work hours.

Do it for the love of plants/bamboo and it will probably be a fun hobby that may provide some side income.
If you are only looking to make profit it could turn out to be a frustrating experience.

This is just my opinion on the topic. I'm sure more experienced members living in your climate zone can give you a better outlook.

Regards,

Nicholas
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

Thank you for your reply Nicholas. After I was told by a local dealer to bend a culm down to the ground for propagation and I've again seen this propagation technique for the muscadine grapes I'm growing, it made sense to me also. From what I've researched, the successful propagation rate is moderate from cuttings. I'm hoping air layering will increase the success rate by having an established root system on multiple nodes of the culm I plan to harvest. Understand that I'm a complete newbie with time on his hands to ponder new ways to propagate to profit.
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by needmore »

Zone 8b seems very marginal to me in regard to commercially growing clumping bamboo, but I know bamboo by species not 'nickname' so I'm unsure of emerald, graceful, and blue as per the species name. I would suggest that you may be too hot for Fargesia/Borinda and perhaps too cold for Bambusa. I think that Lewis Bamboo is in 8b and they don't seem to treat the clumpers as viable commercially.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Tarzanus »

Like already mentioned, Most of large (sub)tropical clumpers are perhaps not hardy enough for your winters in zone 8B. Well, some of the hardy Bambusas might grow well enough if you don't have many hard frosts below -4°C. I have Bambusa ventricosa in a pot and one time I forgot to take it inside during the freezing night with temperature around -2°C and luckily it remained intact. If planted in the ground it would take at least a couple of degrees lower temperature, but I can't really tell about any of the tropical bamboos, because they would be pain in the back (literally!) here.

You can forget about temperate bamboos like Fargesia, they hate hot summers. I guess you could try one of Borinda bamboos if you don't have too dry air during the summer, but it will have to be planted somewhere in the shade of large trees. Most likely bad option for your climate.

Runners on the other hand would love it. :P
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

needmore wrote:Zone 8b seems very marginal to me in regard to commercially growing clumping bamboo, but I know bamboo by species not 'nickname' so I'm unsure of emerald, graceful, and blue as per the species name. I would suggest that you may be too hot for Fargesia/Borinda and perhaps too cold for Bambusa. I think that Lewis Bamboo is in 8b and they don't seem to treat the clumpers as viable commercially.
Bambusa textilis gracilis -Graceful Bamboo
Bambusa textilis 'Mutabilis' - Emerald Bamboo
Bambusa chungii -Tropical Blue Bamboo
Bambusa oldhamii - Oldham's Bamboo

Lewis Bamboo is further north from me and he didn't seem to have many/any clumper varieties available probably due to the colder climate he is in. I specifically chose these species for my climate area and have seen mature plants thriving nearby.

I want to propagate and sell plants as a sideline business from my home. Is there a demand for this product if it will grow here?
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

Tarzanus wrote:Like already mentioned, Most of large (sub)tropical clumpers are perhaps not hardy enough for your winters in zone 8B. Well, some of the hardy Bambusas might grow well enough if you don't have many hard frosts below -4°C. I have Bambusa ventricosa in a pot and one time I forgot to take it inside during the freezing night with temperature around -2°C and luckily it remained intact. If planted in the ground it would take at least a couple of degrees lower temperature, but I can't really tell about any of the tropical bamboos, because they would be pain in the back (literally!) here.

You can forget about temperate bamboos like Fargesia, they hate hot summers. I guess you could try one of Borinda bamboos if you don't have too dry air during the summer, but it will have to be planted somewhere in the shade of large trees. Most likely bad option for your climate.

Runners on the other hand would love it. :P
Typically we do not get an abundance of hard freezes. Occassionally I will have to cover things and turn the water well pump light on, but overall it doesn't linger to long before moderate temps move back in.

I've mentioned growing bamboo to several people in our area and got an immediate negative response about the invasiveness of running bamboo, yet no one had been exposed to the clumping variety including myself until here as of late.
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Cooper12 »

Im a zone 8B as well and I can not grow Oldhamii as a evergreen bamboo ,though I'm across the country In Northern California east of Sacramento. So we have less daylight hours but the main reason is they defoliate here at about 28 f and topkill at about 25. I'm sure I could grow as a perennial but could not grow usable culms from it.

I plan on trying Textilis Kanapaha once I get my division . I once grew regular textilis at my other house down the hill some ,and it the one year i had it completely defoliated. it did leaf back in spring.

I want to try Clone X , Ventricosa and tuldoides as well though I'm thinking they will not do so well. My multiplex varieties are doing great Silverstripe and Alphonse Karr though the snows snapped some of the culms we had about 10 days straight this year in the 23-27f range in the morning with some highs in the low to mid 30's and the plants have done exceptionally well . Matter of fact have faired much better than
Borinda angustissima ,Borinda fungosa White Cloud , Chimonocalamus pallens , and a runner chimonobambusa quadrangularis Suow which are all showing burt foliage
My regular Borinda fungosa is a good one as it has showed no leaf damage a few of the late shoots aborted but plant is great and takes our summer heat though we have cool nights generally
Jason Floyd
Hangtown Farms

Emmett Idaho
Zone 7A
Potato country
Ophiuchus
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

I really would love to have Old Hamii in my yard as the focal point to what I am selling. I have concerns that the 8b zoning will prevent this plant from making a grand appearance it is so deserving of. I'm hoping because I'm sitting on the coastal very south end of 8b and north 9a near water I might have some success with just loss of leaves in the winter like my other perennials.

This plant is my most concern to tolerate the winter. I think the other Bambusa's I've chosen will handle the climate fine short of a winter freezing phenomonon.

As much as I love some of the running species of bamboo, I must refrain due to public sentiment over containment.
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by hydroid »

I have Hirose which is supposed to be slightly more cold hardy than the Olhami and I can tell you it struggles. Have you visited "Boo for you" there in Pensacola? Danny would be a good guy to talk to. I got all my Bamboo from him. The Kanapaha is becoming my favorite so far.
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by needmore »

I would be concerned that your customers will have their specimen plants whacked by cold on a regular basis and they end up being shrubby, not the image folks have. Again, 8b I think is too much of a push for Bambusa.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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Ophiuchus
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

hydroid wrote:I have Hirose which is supposed to be slightly more cold hardy than the Olhami and I can tell you it struggles. Have you visited "Boo for you" there in Pensacola? Danny would be a good guy to talk to. I got all my Bamboo from him. The Kanapaha is becoming my favorite so far.
Yes, Danny is very knowledgable. That is where I got my gracilias. I haven't seen him since visiting farms in So. Fla. I think you are right, I need to call him back and pick his brain.

I'll check into the Kanapaha and do you have any other bamboo that performs well and others not so much? I see you're close by.
Ophiuchus
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

needmore wrote:I would be concerned that your customers will have their specimen plants whacked by cold on a regular basis and they end up being shrubby, not the image folks have. Again, 8b I think is too much of a push for Bambusa.
You're probably right, it would suck to do all this work only to get whacked.
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by hydroid »

Yep you are very close to me. I think it's Gracilis I have too. I got 2 good size clumps of it, very tight stalks. It does good with just a little brown during the coldest winters thus far. I also have Chungii which is pretty nice although it's a hard starter during the bad winters while young, but now that it's getting older should overwinter well. Kanapaha is my favorite so far. I also have one Type of Textilis which is very similar to the Kanapaha and it may surpass the Kanapaha. I keep saying I want a yellow/green variegated Boo but every time I go to Danny's I end up with another green one.
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Re: Newbie Zone 8b

Post by Ophiuchus »

hydroid wrote:Yep you are very close to me. I think it's Gracilis I have too. I got 2 good size clumps of it, very tight stalks. It does good with just a little brown during the coldest winters thus far. I also have Chungii which is pretty nice although it's a hard starter during the bad winters while young, but now that it's getting older should overwinter well. Kanapaha is my favorite so far. I also have one Type of Textilis which is very similar to the Kanapaha and it may surpass the Kanapaha. I keep saying I want a yellow/green variegated Boo but every time I go to Danny's I end up with another green one.
I also want the Chungii if it's the Tropical Blue as a single specimen focal point. I looked online at the Kanapah and couldn't get a clear answer on the diameter of culms and mature height. I don't care for any that have culms less than 1" and prefer 2" +. I do like the yellow ones also, but like you I tend to lean green. My wife and I discovered the Emerald (2"+ culms and 35ft) and just like the name says, it's a beatiful Emerald green. I want to tunnel our driveway with this species and I'm told it's cold tolerant.

Have you seen any clumping species that has the larger culms like Old Hamii grow around here? My folks live in Fairhope and showed me a 4" culm (still partially green) that washed up in their lake/holding pond after a storm. They cut it up and use it as ornamental. We have no idea where it came from.

Thanks for the reply.
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