My expanded clay medium aquaponics system uses the flood and drain method utilising auto-siphons. I run the pumps on a timer system 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off.
For my initial propagation trial I used Bambusa Oldhammii and Bambusa Lako (Timor Black). I cut down suitable 2 year old culms and selected 2-node divisions for each. I cut the culm just above the top node and left about 100mm of culm below the bottom node. I then trimmed most of the branches close to the node leaving one or two which I then cut back to the last leafed branch on each leaving just 2 or 3 leaves. I then pulled aside the clay beads and positioned the cuttings in the grow beds. They are on quite an angle (closer to hozizontal than vertical) due to the grow beds being 300mm deep. I positioned the cutting so that the top node is just below the top surface of the grow medium.
Six weeks later I noticed that the cuttings were putting up new branches at the top node and generally looking healthy. I then pulled aside some of the clay beads and was excited to see significant root development at the top node on each.
I have since placed a 2-node cutting of Dendrocalamus Latifloris and number of single node cuttings of Bambusa Oldhammi in the grow beds. I’m looking forward to finding out if these are also successful but with the inital success I am confident of a good result. I think I'll have a go at some of the other species I grow shortly and see how that goes.
