First Shoots of 2020

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Arkansas
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First Shoots of 2020

Post by Arkansas »

Today April 10, i have Moso new shoots that measure 5 inches in diameter and I'd guess 25 feet tall. I have a few Japanese Timber Bamboo poking through, but it's still a bit early for new shoots of them.

I'm in Zone 7b.

Update on my bamboo findings (long time since i posted). I've been growing bamboo for 29 years. Japanese Timber Bamboo (Phyllostachys bambusoides) and Phyllostachys vivax aureocaulis are my favorites. The Madake (Japanese Timber) is mostly at 4.5 inches diameter for me, might be some approaching 5 inches. It is very hardy and i like the straight growing habit it has. I have one patch of it that is 29 years old and covers about 4 acres. I started it with 2 pots.

The Vivax Aureocaulis does well here, measuring 3.5 inches in diameter. The dark green foilage contrast well with the bright yellow on new shoots. Of course, after a few months, the new bright yellow culms look faded, because of the mildew growing on them. Mildew grows on the green bamboo as well, but it don't show much at all, like it does on yellow. You'd never know the mildew was on the green. One year i sprayed the drab, aged yellow vivax with bleach water (like you would use on mildew on the north side of a house) and the culms looked like brand new shoots for a few weeks, and then gradually turned brown-yellow again. I no longer bother to clean them, but i still like Vivax Aureocaulis a great deal.

I only began the Moso about 9 years or so ago. I have mixed emotions about it. It grows toward the light and sometimes droops sideways (unlike Madake mostly going skyward). Moso will reach a larger diameter here. And i think it is my fastest growing, farthest running (even farther than rubro). But the major complaint i have about Moso is, i get a lot of dead culms every year. I have lots of 4 inch diameter to 4.5 inch that are dead. I think most of it happens when you get a cold snap after they are up. Weather patterns are getting odder. 2 days ago it was 89 degrees here and looking at weather.com 10 day forecast, it is calling for a low of 33 degrees 4 days from now. Nothing beats Moso for fast spreading, fast shooting, for me. I'm glad i have it but those dead canes make me think twice.
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needmore
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by needmore »

Those sound like some impressive groves, are there any pictures posted here? I'd like to get some culms with a circumference those sizes, let alone diameters. Here in CA my yellow species do not get the black sooty/milder like they did in IN as there is such low humidity, but overall I think I'd trade humidity for dry if summer storms came as a part of the deal.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
springtimeshoots
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by springtimeshoots »

Yeah! Give us some pictures of those bad boys. :mrgreen:
Arkansas
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by Arkansas »

Here's one pic i posted about 5 years ago http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6976 It shows new shoots of Phyllostachys vivax aureocaulis and you can see why I'd favor their appearance, plus their leaf color is the darkest green of any of my plants. I also have a similar plant called "Robert Young" but the canes aren't as brightly colored and Robert Young don't reach as much size.

Here's a before and after pic of canes with mildew and after being washed with bleach water http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6825

Here's a pic i took and posted here 9 years ago of Madake http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic. ... 302#p51436

I don't think i have any pics of my Moso. It's raining today, but in the next few days, I'll try to take some pics of them and post them here in this thread.

I'm trying to post pics of a couple of my friends standing in the Madake grove. I'm getting the message ... The attachment’s file size is too large, the maximum upload size is 2 MB. ...... and i recall i have to somehow resize pics to post them here. I'll try to remember how i did that and post a few of those later today.
Tarzanus
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by Tarzanus »

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IMG_20200414_155133.jpg
Arkansas
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by Arkansas »

Nice pics of new shoots. I measured my new moso shoots and indeed thew best ones are at 5 inches diameter this year. It got down to 33 degrees here last night, but more varieties should be coming up soon.
pokenei
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by pokenei »

My Moso went dead a couple of years ago after I failed to protect it for a few cold nights. However, my Nigra survived just fine, so Nigra is definitely more cold hardy, despite having the same hardiness rating.
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by pokenei »

Parvifolia and Atrovaginata only put a handful of shoots this year. Is it because they put much of their energy into re-leafing instead? Anyone else observed this anomaly?
Arkansas
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by Arkansas »

I have a row of Henon and a row of Japanese Timber that are 8 or 9 years old that never upsized like i expected. I couldn't say why.
Alan_L
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by Alan_L »

"Is it because they put much of their energy into re-leafing instead? "

Don't the Phyllostachys seem to alternate weaker and stronger shooting years? Or is that just what it seems like? Last year for mine was a pretty weak season -- this year it's crazy strong.
springtimeshoots
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Re: First Shoots of 2020

Post by springtimeshoots »

Arkansas wrote:I have a row of Henon and a row of Japanese Timber that are 8 or 9 years old that never upsized like i expected. I couldn't say why.
Same deal with my Henon. It's going on 13 years now with minor upsize. It's taken up a whole lotta" space too.
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