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Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:22 pm
by fredgpops
Might be good to have zone specific subforums. Folks in the same zone can share info. What works in one zone does not necessarily work in another. Rgds

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:15 am
by bambooweb
But Brad and I are in the same zone and what works for him does not aways work for me and the other way around. We could go with Sunset zones but breaking things up into 40+ sub forums is a little to much.

Bill

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 12:25 pm
by foxd
It does seem a bit much for doing subforums, but it would be useful to compile a list of what bamboos are doing well in what sunset zones.

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:08 pm
by Alan_L
We need to come up with a map of "bamboo growing zones" (bgz).

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 4:22 pm
by needmore
Alan_L wrote:We need to come up with a map of "bamboo growing zones" (bgz).
Sounds like you've arrived at my rant to scrap temperature ratings and zone maps for bamboo. See said rant in another post here. But who will do the work?

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:17 pm
by Alan_L
Well, if we start simple we can probably find out relatively quickly how much work it is. I envision a map with 10 zones or less (maybe start with 5), that doesn't cover the entire country at first, but starts with areas where people have experience growing. I'm not talking about a detailed map, but something to give people a general idea -- big, smooth-edged approximate zones instead of the crinkly-edged detailed hardiness zones.

Technically I don't know how to make it collaborative, but we can come up with something.

(It sounds like a fun winter project to me.)

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:29 pm
by needmore
My thoughts have been to have perhaps a 3 color coding system, and fully ignore temperature ratings, zones maps, sunset zone maps. If your area is shaded green then this bamboo should winter/summer well and prosper in the green shaded areas. If say...yellow... then the bamboo should do reasonably well with some annual damage/performance limitations possible. If blue...then expect marginal performance and size limitations etc. If not shaded then expect the worst...

Or something like that...

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:41 pm
by Alan_L
Yes, something simple like that! And have 2 maps: one for temperates and one for tropicals. And a third for "temperate clumpers". (See, it's getting more complicated already)

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:55 pm
by needmore
The way I envision it, a user would click on a given bamboo species in the species table and the appropriate map would pop up - no need to distinguish between temperates, tropicals etc. One color coding system fits all.

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:41 pm
by Alan_L
That seems like a huge amount of work based on the size of the species list already, the number of alternate names, and common names. And what about people who just want to grow some bamboo, and have no idea what species to try?

Plus think of the PR value of a simple map that covers bamboo in general. Here's where bamboo grows well.

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:10 am
by ghmerrill
Alan_L wrote:That seems like a huge amount of work based on the size of the species list already, the number of alternate names, and common names. And what about people who just want to grow some bamboo, and have no idea what species to try?

Plus think of the PR value of a simple map that covers bamboo in general. Here's where bamboo grows well.

well, if you all would just pack it up and move out here to the pacific north west, you can have about the largest number of species possible in one climate zone! :wink:

plus, then we could have some real fun boo gatherings! :mrgreen:

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:52 am
by Mackel in DFW
Here's a Few Bamboos in Regards to Location (U.S.):

In Alabama, P. decora grows to over 40 feet. In the abs species list, it's max is listed at 25 feet.

In Arizona, P. glauca is said to grow second to vivax. It grows as tall as bambusoides in Asia. It's max here is listed at 34 feet.

P. edulis won't come close to 72 feet, except for in a particular region in the southeast.

P. parvifolia is listed here as 40 feet. This is an unknown for any part of the U.S.

P. bambusoides is not supposed to get over 50 feet or so since it flowered. P. bambusoides slender crookstem is listed at 48 feet and is a rapid grower, while P. bambusoides is very slow. Both are super strong.

P. rubromarginata gets real tall in Alabama, but not so tall in Arizona, though it's supposed to be heat tolerant.

P. viridis is the largest bamboo out of scores of species on an unirrigated, hundred-acre ranch near Austin Texas.

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:16 am
by nedley_mandingo
I'm new to this so I have been reading everything that I can find.

Here is a link to an easy list of bamboos based on your cold hardiness:

http://www.endangeredspecies.com/Curren ... erance.htm

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:53 am
by bambooweb
nedley_mandingo wrote:I'm new to this so I have been reading everything that I can find.

Here is a link to an easy list of bamboos based on your cold hardiness:

http://www.endangeredspecies.com/Curren ... erance.htm
The list starts out:
Zone 5 (minimum -20 to -10 degrees F.)
deciduous plants - canes will usually live but drop leaves in winter
Phyllostachys aurea - medium size runner
Phyllostachys vivax - tall runner

All I can say is :sign5: :sign5: :laughing5: :laughing6: :laughing3:

Both will lose canes and I have killed 3 of 4 aurea plants that I had and the surviving one is small and in a very protected area.

Bill

Re: Sharing zone specific data/info

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:38 pm
by foxd
After looking at Sunset Zones I realized that they won't be much good for describing where bamboo does well. We are listed as Sunset Zone 35 which ranges from North of Indianapolis to the Kentucky/Tennessee border. :shock:

Semiarundinaria yashadake 'Kimmei' top kills here, but 15 miles South there is a planting that usually survives the Winter with intact leaves. Both areas are well within Sunset Zone 35 and the latest Hardiness Zone 6.

Perhaps we ought to set up a system of Bamboo Zones? Or perhaps write some sort of bamboo A.I. that can work out what bamboos will do well where?