Photos are here
Full: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/kathpdx/BooFull.jpg
and close up: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/kathpdx/BooClose.jpg

I guess I find out if this works on this forum.

thanks!!

Older culms will turn the color you're describing, and all bamboo lose some leaves. However, from your photos, the leaves look sligtly curled, which is a sign of underwatering. What is your watering frequency and how do you decide when to water?

Don't worry too much about the culms not looking very leafy yet. As older leaves fall off, they will be replaced with branchlet pairs that will give the bamboo a fuller appearence with age.

Here's a quote about it from meredith's book...

In some genera, such as Phyllostachys, individual leaves are replaced by branchlets and more leaves, making older culms denser with foliage.

kudzu,
I've been trying to figure out when to water - didn't know if the curled leaves could even be overwatering so I've been alternating. AND it's been very hot of late. Plus with the slight pooling of water on top of the soil I didn't know what to make of that...

So - my 'schedule' is that I try to water it every couple of days or so. During the heat it looks like it could use daily. Maybe "how I decide to water" is.. curled leaves?? And sometimes I am feeling the soil.
Do you have better "how to decide" suggestions?
Thanks

Thanks.

A simple moisture meter from walmart/home depot will help you see if the water is getting into the area of the rootball.

Many times in a pot the water will flow down near the insides of the pot without penetrating the center.

In hot weather, I sometimes water mine twice a day. I use a moisture meter to monitor. And I will soak the pot until it runs out the bottom...and then I'll go back and do it a second time after 5-10 minutes to make sure the rootball has a good chance to get wet. I'm thinking you're not watering deeply or frequently enough, and that the approach of waiting until the leaves curl means you're stressing it frequently.

The leaves will also curl when in standing water for an extended period, so the advise on the moisture meter should help you zero in on the cause. Also, is it possible that the Golden you obtained was recently dug and not stable from the transplant shock yet?

Thanks to all! I'm now watering every morning... Seems to really be the key even in this 95' weather!!

And someday I'll find my moisture meter... it's around here somwhere...

THANKS!
Kath