Wind damage, right?

[Alan_L]

This is wind damage, right? We had some wicked gusts over the weekend.



Should I cut it off at the bend? Will the whole culm die or is there a chance the lower part will survive and branch out? My feeling is to just leave it alone and see what happens.

That plant really took off this year so I'm not too upset about losing this shoot. This plant also lost one to a deer (chomp), and a couple look like they're aborting (short ones that you can't see in this photo), and there are some that just barely poked through the mulch and didn't grow another inch, but there are at least 10 good-sized culms that have survived (so far).

This was a 15-gal plant I bought from Needmore bamboo last Spring ('08). According to Brad it was a 1-culm division dug and potted in '06, it put up a huge 12' culm in '07 (and some tiny culms too), then in '08 it put up 5 or 6 culms in the 6-9' range.

[bambooweb]

It looks like the wind snapped it over. The lower part of the shoot will still branch out below the bend. It could also be genuflecting and will bend back up in a day. Mine normally genuflect closer to the ground which is why I think the wind broke it.

Bill

[Alan_L]

It's been like that for a couple days now, so pretty sure it's not going to straighten out (but I'll let you know if it does).

Thanks!

[Steve in France]

I lost about 70 % of culms on Spectabilis to wind one year. Once they are broken just take it out.
If I was in the same situation again I think I would use some Bamboo canes to support the growing canes, or to support the grown canes to stop them hitting the soft growth. I have put some support canes on one Bamboo here to stop older canes from hitting the new growth. Growing culms are so fragile as you know, I always think it's best to see a problem in front. I did not see my Spectabilis problem before it happened and it cost me a years growth. Best of luck with the rest of the growth and I'm sorry you lost such good growth.
Steve

[gaz rogers]

I've had some luck in the past with using splints on bent canes, works better with clumpers though due to thicker culm walls. I've tried with aureosulcata and the cane has hardened off only to be broken again in the autumn. As its got plenty of new growth just snap it off it won't do any harm.