I need help on growing bamboo in zone 8

[LNK]

Back in March I dug up some bamboo plants about 12 feet tall also some shoots from some other plants in a diffrent .The plants died and small shoots grew off ball and they died.The shoots I planted were about 3 to 5 inches with a base of about 1 and a half.They also died and have much smaller shoots growing up.Can anyone tell me what going on? ..Any input greatful!

[needmore]

Greetings. I don't know for sure how much of this applies to your situation but in general:

Once a grove starts to shoot it is using most available resources to push those shoots and digging at that time greatly comprises the likelihood of success. The shoots will likely abort and the division will be in a weakened state. New shoots will have to come from reserve energy and will be much smaller. So if you dug when the grove was shooting you produced weakened divisions. The existing canes should not have died outright, they would just be weak in terms of producing new growth for as much as 2 -3 years.

If the existing stuff died outright is it possible that you did not get enough root mass, exposed the root mass to sun or otherwise let them dry out - hauling in the back of an open truck at highway speed is like hurricane force winds almost. There must be a balance between root mass & foliage maintained and the keeping the new division well hydrated is critical. Sometimes I plunk them in a wheelbarrow of water until planted, or I put the root ball in a trash bag and dump water in there. And possibly you severed the cane/root connection but you'd know that.

Root mass - if I dig a single cane that is around 1 inch in diameter then I want a root ball a minimum of 12" in diameter and I'd go for 16"

Digging just before shooting season is ideal for me. Once shoots emerge I then wait for 12 weeks or more.

[Gerryo619]

I'd like to add to this if possible. Back in Dec (approx) I made a division of Giant Timber from a big plant I've had in the ground for about 3 years. I planted the division maybe 6 feet away and have yet to see any new shoots, eventhough the "mother" plant is shooting like crazy right now. I have both plants well mulched and are watered regularly. I have hope that the division will eventually produce new shoots, just wondering when I should expect to see any new shoot. I figured I'd at least see small ones by this time in the year. BTW I am in San Diego (zone 10 I blieve). Thanks

[LNK]

Brad...Could I add a small amount of 10-10-10 or some very old horse manure to the shoots.Its starting to get hot here.Should I water every day or so.I do thank you for the info....LNK

[needmore]

I personally don't think that there is anything you can do to help keep shoots going unless it is watering during extreme drought but with new divisions it is an energy thing. Can the plant take up the food fast enough to use it to keep pushing shoots? I dunno, maybe it can. Be careful not to overwater, I'd almost aim for slightly underwater.

But it shouldn't hurt as long as you don't burn the shoots.

[Cooper12]

my observations as I have had to dig at times like this and a matter of fact do to the fact we sold our house i just last weekend dug up 25 different plants and divided some as well. I like Brad said do not like dividing now at all. I had too. if you do make sure the area you plan to dig has been watered but is not to soggy as you want the root zone soil to hold together and not rip the root mass apart.

First thing on the plants that i could not get the entire rhizome mass on and had to divide i cut about 30% off the top. I have a lot shooting as well and some did abort shoots but some seem to have not .
My Borinda boliana burned but all my divisions should take and the mother plant i stuck in a 45 gallon tub only burned somewhat. Now it weighs about 400-500 lbs so it had a ton of rhizome mass.
Most of my Phyllostachys showed no signs of damage even know they where shooting. My Henon had tons of whip shoots that weeped to the ground after dividing but have seem to perk back up so we will see.
it was 90 degrees last week when i did the dividing.

I recommend fertilizing with more of a fall winter fertilizer in this case as you don't really want a ton of growth but you want the rhizomes to recover . I like granulated bulb food like a 0-10-10 or a fall /winter bud and bloom fertilizer thats lower in Nitrogen. Tiger Bloom is great stuff if you want a liquid organic fertilizer it has some nitrogen but not enough to force a lot of growth and by doing liquid it won't stay in the soil as long so in a month you can move to a more all purpose once the plant stabilizes. I like Alaska 6-4-6 myself or Happy Frog 5-5-5 ( I'm not sure whats available out your way )

[LNK]

I have a new problem! I have a "MANY" white tail deer on my property and some wild rabbits.Something is eating the new shoots of bamboo.I have never seen bamboo eaten by deer before and not sure about the rabbits. Any suggestions!

[needmore]

They'll get them all if they can, you'll need to cage and or spray them with stinky or hot stuff. Never was quite sure if it was deer or rabbits but they are relentless once they get the taste. They nip off the top but that is generally enough to stop the shoot.

[Cooper12]

here its rabbits and chickens. I had never had a issue with deer with my bamboo just every other plant. they eat some of the lower foliage as well. I always wondered why as they would like it I'm sure and in our dry summers there is not a lot of choices for deer

[kudzu9]

Squirrels are notorious for destroying new shoots. I've never had a problem with rabbits, deer, or other critters. I initially had luck coating the shoots with vaseline that had hot sauce and chile pepper flakes stirred into it, but they even got to munching on these. The only solution I found that works is a physical barrier. I bought wire mesh with 1/2" X 1/2" openings, formed it into small diameter tubes about 15" tall, and set these over the new shoots, typically attaching them to a small stake or a nearby culm. By the time the shoot gets to the top of the tube, it is less tender and less appealing to the squirrels, so the cages can be removed.

As far the issue with your transplants dying, it sounds like your root balls are far too small. Like Brad, I shoot for a large root ball (12"-18" diameter) and try to disturb the roots as little as possible in the process. I have a bamboo spade that slices through the rhizomes at the perimeter of the root ball, and then I can pry out an intact ball without having battered the rhizomes half to death.