Boo Shoots for 2014

[Tarzanus]

Nope, it's more like 1cm or even less - that bamboo is still inside it's original y2 pot. I noticed a few more shoots this afternoon, all around this one on the photo. They were not visible in the morning. They all seem pinkish-purple. Last year, first 'batch' came out purple, then yellowish-red shoots and some large dark, more mature shoots appeared. all of them were variegated for a couple of months.

It seems that potted part of the plant is shooting. I covered the escaped part of bamboo with mulch, but it doesn't look like there are any shoots emerging just yet. There are a lot of rhizomes though and they are thicker than any of last year's culms.

[stevelau1911]

Since you already have lots of bamboos, you might as well go for one of the rare species of moso as it probably wouldn't be too hard to get that from France. I think you could probably buy some from a forum member in France.

One of the color chimeras, or node distortion types would definitely give you a bit of a variety unless you already have some mutations. I know you've been sprouting a pretty big number of moso seedlings.

[JWH]

Bashania Fargesii shoots are starting to pop up all over! Inside the grove and out in the surrounding grass.

[stevelau1911]

phyllostachys primotina has finally put up its first shoot right along with the brief warmup and stronger sun. Of course this is indoors, but no shoots were produced until we finally got the warmup after 3 months of growth.

[mountainbamboonut]

Well it's in the low 70's and sunny this week and all 4 of my little first year planting Rufas are shooting. These tiny fellas have been in the ground about 6 months or so but have upsized with these new shoots. I am ready (not saying they are ready, just me) for the Phyllos to shoot now!

[jd.]

' and they appear especially tiny with that diorama filter applied to those images.

[mountainbamboonut]

Nope, my rufas look tiny whether I focus the camera on them or not. Ha

My general frugality translates into buying small bamboo plantings (mostly) as well.

Size isn't everything! Or so I've heard.

[rickw]

It must be spring time in south Alabama, Moso is starting to put up shoots.

[stevelau1911]

Could it be all the heat from the manure causing them to shoot this early? It seems about 2 weeks too early, even for your climate to start shooting already. I've also seen that your moso tends to make a few shoots early, and then a lot more a couple weeks after. It has definitely come a long ways since being only a 5 gallon seedling a few years ago.

[rickw]

That's old manure, I only started adding fresh a couple of weeks ago. It's able the same time as last year, but it does put up early shoots then the main flush later.

[mountainbamboonut]

Wow looks like a cool stand of Moso.

[Tarzanus]

The small shoots inside the pot are already emerging. Purple like last year. The escaped part of bamboo hadn't started yet, but I think first shoots should start emerging any time now.

[rickw]

It's officially springtime down here lots of Moso shoots and good upsize.

[mountainbamboonut]

RickW, those horse apples don't look very broken down, can I ask if you just throw them on hot or let them cool off a bit?

Last year I threw on a bunch of it without composting at all and it didn't seem to burn the boos or anything. I'd be curious to hear what you do. Awesome Moso!! Love it.

[stevelau1911]

Whenever I use manure, I will try to go for the freshest stuff I can find because that will still have the most nitrogen. I really doubt a few inches of fresh manure will generate enough heat to burn new shoots unless you also throw on top a layer of plastic to hold the heat in.

One thing I've found about most phyllostachys is that usually 1-2 weeks of soil temperatures close to 60F followed by a nice warm rain will cause most bamboos to release their energy and launch their shoots.

Drought can sometimes hold a bamboo back and prevent it from shooting for a few weeks regardless of temperatures rising. Based on previous shooting seasons, moso shooting in mid March is very early, even for the deep south so I think the nitrogen and heat from the manure may have something to do with it.