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Transplant propagation

Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 12:30 am
by Ophiuchus
I transplanted 3 gal immature plants to 7 gal pots in February. New shoots are emerging now. How long do I wait before I can divide the plant and how many divisions won't jeopardize survival rate?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 10:28 am
by dependable
It is best not to divide until new shoots are all up and leafed out.

How many divisions depends on the size and vigor of the plant. Probably safe to cut them in half, anyway, if they are doing well.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 12:41 pm
by Ophiuchus
I watched a video dividing in half, but I had hoped to make multiple divisions.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:40 am
by Glen
This question is difficult to answer in a generic way, but I will try.

I only divide once per year. I do this in the winter, just before shooting. February is about the time I choose as well. If done carefully, every division with a decent amount of rhizome and at least one leafy culm can survive. At this time, it is also possible to make divisions that consist only of rhizome, without any culms or foliage.

Keep in mind that very small divisions will lack vigor, and they will take longer to gain size than will large divisions. For me, subtropical clumping bamboos gain size from a small division faster than do running species.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 4:19 pm
by Leo S
If the goal is as many divisions as possible, one leafy culm per division will work. But sizing up will take years, often 3 or more years longer than making more generous divisions.

3+ leafy culm divisions often leap up in size the second year, once roots are rebuilt.

Second, I would try to not disturb roots and rhizomes more than once every two or 3 years. It takes energy to rebuild a root system. If you want bamboo to size up, you need to leave the roots alone long enough to get some growth and build strength.

So if the goal is numbers and not size, health or vigor, one culm divisions are fine. They may take several years to pick up vigor and size.

If you want vigorous divisions that are resilient, able to adapt when planted out in the ground, try to make larger, 3 culm divisions if you can. They will size up quickly, usually increasing nicely the following year.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 8:34 pm
by shuboo
If you're talking clumping bamboo in containers I almost always divide the whole container. Meaning if there are 20 shoots, I get 20 divisions. I lose a few here and there but for the most part I tend to get close to 100% survivability. It's taken many years of trial and error however. My own rule of thumb is to cut the culms down a few weeks prior to dividing. Usually keeping a branch or two intact. As I carefully make my cut where the neck meets the neighboring rhizome I try to maintain as much root mass as possible. Right after I make my cut I put the division(s) in a bucket of water with Superthrive. I leave the divisions in the bucket until I divide the entire plant. Then I pot them all up. I water the newly divided plants with water and Superthrive again (saturating the soil). If I have some showing signs like they're not gonna make it, I trim off most of the remaining branches and foliage, leaving a small amount of leaves on a single branch. I keep them in full shade and spray/mist the foliage frequently. Water the containers every day or every other day for a few weeks. Once I see new leaf growth I'm generally out of danger of losing any divisions I cut back on the misting. Again, this is what works for me almost every time here in Florida. The more humidity you can create around the divisions the better. Last year I divided 2 clumps of B. Eutoldoides 'viridi vittata' (Asian Lemon) and got 84 divisions with 100% survivability. It works for me...

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:32 pm
by Ophiuchus
shuboo wrote:If you're talking clumping bamboo in containers I almost always divide the whole container. Meaning if there are 20 shoots, I get 20 divisions. I lose a few here and there but for the most part I tend to get close to 100% survivability. It's taken many years of trial and error however. My own rule of thumb is to cut the culms down a few weeks prior to dividing. Usually keeping a branch or two intact. As I carefully make my cut where the neck meets the neighboring rhizome I try to maintain as much root mass as possible. Right after I make my cut I put the division(s) in a bucket of water with Superthrive. I leave the divisions in the bucket until I divide the entire plant. Then I pot them all up. I water the newly divided plants with water and Superthrive again (saturating the soil). If I have some showing signs like they're not gonna make it, I trim off most of the remaining branches and foliage, leaving a small amount of leaves on a single branch. I keep them in full shade and spray/mist the foliage frequently. Water the containers every day or every other day for a few weeks. Once I see new leaf growth I'm generally out of danger of losing any divisions I cut back on the misting. Again, this is what works for me almost every time here in Florida. The more humidity you can create around the divisions the better. Last year I divided 2 clumps of B. Eutoldoides 'viridi vittata' (Asian Lemon) and got 84 divisions with 100% survivability. It works for me...
WOW!!! That's some success. I've got 31 plants in 7 gal containers that started as 3 gal last Feb 2017.
4 different species with varying amounts of new culm growth and still shooting. I was very concerned about disturbing the root ball too much, but your division sounds a lot like dividing monkey grass and reassuring I won't kill my plants. I nurtured them through 3 days of 21 degree weather and babied them with water and fertilizer. Now I would like to see them graduate in profitable numbers.

Do you make these divisions in Feb or all year round? Do you have an automated misting system? How often and how long do you mist? Is a greenhouse required? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I have been actively searching for the most efficient way to propagate. Would you say this is the easiest and most successful way to propagate over cuttings and branch nodes?

What size container were the two Asian Lemons you divided into 84; that is awesome.

Thanks, I really would appreciate your insight.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:36 pm
by Ophiuchus
Leo S wrote:If the goal is as many divisions as possible, one leafy culm per division will work. But sizing up will take years, often 3 or more years longer than making more generous divisions.

3+ leafy culm divisions often leap up in size the second year, once roots are rebuilt.

Second, I would try to not disturb roots and rhizomes more than once every two or 3 years. It takes energy to rebuild a root system. If you want bamboo to size up, you need to leave the roots alone long enough to get some growth and build strength.

So if the goal is numbers and not size, health or vigor, one culm divisions are fine. They may take several years to pick up vigor and size.

If you want vigorous divisions that are resilient, able to adapt when planted out in the ground, try to make larger, 3 culm divisions if you can. They will size up quickly, usually increasing nicely the following year.
This makes perfect sense, but is there a difference in the root ball of clumping and running bamboo for successful divisions?

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:38 pm
by Ophiuchus
Glen wrote:Keep in mind that very small divisions will lack vigor, and they will take longer to gain size than will large divisions. For me, subtropical clumping bamboos gain size from a small division faster than do running species.
You answered my question on the root ball. Thanks.

Re: Transplant propagation

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 12:56 am
by shuboo
Ophiuchus wrote:
shuboo wrote:If you're talking clumping bamboo in containers I almost always divide the whole container. Meaning if there are 20 shoots, I get 20 divisions. I lose a few here and there but for the most part I tend to get close to 100% survivability. It's taken many years of trial and error however. My own rule of thumb is to cut the culms down a few weeks prior to dividing. Usually keeping a branch or two intact. As I carefully make my cut where the neck meets the neighboring rhizome I try to maintain as much root mass as possible. Right after I make my cut I put the division(s) in a bucket of water with Superthrive. I leave the divisions in the bucket until I divide the entire plant. Then I pot them all up. I water the newly divided plants with water and Superthrive again (saturating the soil). If I have some showing signs like they're not gonna make it, I trim off most of the remaining branches and foliage, leaving a small amount of leaves on a single branch. I keep them in full shade and spray/mist the foliage frequently. Water the containers every day or every other day for a few weeks. Once I see new leaf growth I'm generally out of danger of losing any divisions I cut back on the misting. Again, this is what works for me almost every time here in Florida. The more humidity you can create around the divisions the better. Last year I divided 2 clumps of B. Eutoldoides 'viridi vittata' (Asian Lemon) and got 84 divisions with 100% survivability. It works for me...


WOW!!! That's some success. I've got 31 plants in 7 gal containers that started as 3 gal last Feb 2017.
4 different species with varying amounts of new culm growth and still shooting. I was very concerned about disturbing the root ball too much, but your division sounds a lot like dividing monkey grass and reassuring I won't kill my plants. I nurtured them through 3 days of 21 degree weather and babied them with water and fertilizer. Now I would like to see them graduate in profitable numbers.

Do you make these divisions in Feb or all year round? Do you have an automated misting system? How often and how long do you mist? Is a greenhouse required? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I have been actively searching for the most efficient way to propagate. Would you say this is the easiest and most successful way to propagate over cuttings and branch nodes?

What size container were the two Asian Lemons you divided into 84; that is awesome.


Thanks, I really would appreciate your insight.

The containers were 65 gallon. I use a pump sprayer to mist with. Or the hose sprayer if there's several plants. I usually mist the new divisions at least twice a day for 10 minutes or so. More often when I have the time. I also keep them watered every 2-3 days. I keep that up for about a month. Then I spray once a day for a little while. Usually, I'll start dividing around March-April. After all our cold weather is gone. This is what works for me. Others may get different results with different methods. A green house is not necessary at all. Just shade/ broken sun and a lot of humidity. I do most of my propagation from divisions. Culm node divisions work for some species. Trial and error with that method. Some species don't survive from cuttings. The key is salvaging the most root mass you can when dividing. Rich, amended soil helps too.