Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

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Alan_L
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Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

My oldest bamboo is a Fargesia 'Rufa' that is quite large with lots of dead culms. It still looks quite good, but is really a bit larger than I'd like, and pulling/cutting out the dead culms is quite a chore -- I did some of that early this spring. I'm thinking about mowing the whole thing down to "refresh" it. Yes it will come back smaller, but that's not a bad thing in this case.

Do Fargesias react well to this (mowing), and if so, what would be the best time to mow? I'm thinking late winter before new shoots emerge, but perhaps doing it in the autumn would be better? Wondering if anybody has any experience with this.
Tarzanus
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Tarzanus »

My thoughts exactly. I was thinking about doing it this spring while I hacked the dead growth inside the clump. Mission impossible.

I was thinking about moving it completely a bit before it starts shooting. Some aborted shoots shouldn't be an issue and it would likely shoot twice the first season.

I would not cut it down during autumn because it could trigger shooting. I will see if I decide to take action in the late winter...
Alan_L
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

I have decided that I WILL do this (cut my biggest rufa to the ground before shooting starts). Seeing it bent open by snow gave me a good view of just how many culms there are, and it's time for a freshening!
I may do it this week after it warms up a little and the last snow remnants are gone. Want to make sure I'm out there before any shoots start poking up -- that's sometime in March I think, but who knows these days.

I suppose this will give me a chance to install some sort of grid culm support too, so they don't all spread outward so far...
Alan_L
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

I've done it, and written it up here with photos:

http://www.itsnotworkitsgardening.com/2 ... -chop.html

I'll post an update once it starts shooting and then later in the year to see how it compares.
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Tarzanus »

Here we go. I also did the same. I have a pile of F. Rufa culms here, can I use the tiny little thin culms for something useful? :)
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by dependable »

They are not that different than the little bamboo stakes sold by the bundle, sometimes died sometimes not, that gardeners use to tie up perennial stems, small vegetables and such.

I was wondering if this "reinvigorate" process will set the plants back more than not. It may be necessary for aesthetics in any case. Probably will take longer to bounce back than if selectively pruned though, not that many have time for that sort of thing.
Alan_L
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

I actually want the plant to be set back by a couple of years, as it's a bit too big for its spot now. :)

I think those culms might be good for basket weaving or similar -- I can't see them supporting anything unless they're cut into 2' lengths or so. Too bendy!
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Tarzanus »

Yes, they bend way too much to be useful as plnat support. It would work if you tie a bunch of tem together to support themselves first :lol:
I was thinking about weaving a mesh to support cucumbers. The frame would be thicker phyllostachys bamboo. I also thought about trying to weave a panel (wall). They sell similar as sun and wind blocking fence.
I don't have enough to make anything, just a test.
Alan_L
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

Rufa shoots are really going now! Most are thinner than the ones I cut I think. We'll see!
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Tarzanus
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Tarzanus »

I don't know what makes your shoots grow that fast. My Rufa was ahead when we made the cut, and now... I have an inch long shoots and yours is flying. Did you have warm weather lately? It's strange, because we have had warm weather and Rufa just refused to grow. It's really slow.

I have another one - a division I made some time ago, which grows way faster. It's in more sun exposed location though, so I can't compare them directly.
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

It's been 75-83F (24-28C) for almost a week now, warmer than usual. I don't know if this is faster than normal for rufa here, because I've never watched it this much before. :)
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Tarzanus »

Well, that explains it. That is much warmer. ☺️
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Alan_L »

An update -- lots of culms, but they're definitely thinner than before. I have to take a division or two, as it's just so wide now!
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by Tarzanus »

I have a feeling it might shoot again in the mid summer. When I bought it, it managed to put out second shooting the first two years. Hopefully it will grow larger shoots later in the season, if not, it will look splendid next year.
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Re: Fargesia 'Rufa' reinvigorate?

Post by fredgpops »

I took a class some years ago and when we got to close clumpers the advice was to prune out at least 1/3 of the plant/grove per year after it matured. The issue is real estate. you need to provide a area for new shoots to develop. Cutting the tops off does not increase real estate for new shoots. New shoots as one picture shows are smaller thinner shoots because of the space available for them. Cutting tops does not create rejuvenation ,according to the teacher. I took out about 45% of my rufa this winter and the new shoots locate near or in the cleared area are larger than previous shoots. Rgds
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