What do you expect when you live in the sweltering heat of the amazonia carolinas? I think you better get used to the 'intelligent design' that is ever advancing in your bamboo groves.

You know CJ...since you are from "down there"....I think second shoots might be OK for you. I know any second shoots i got last year in the fall definitely didn't make it. I'm sure you'll get feedback from some people closer to your locale...Nice plant BTW...

Kurt

Most likely they will be just fine. At the least they will harden off then branch out in the Spring, depending how quickly it cools down in your area.

Right now almost all my clumpers are sending up a second wave of shoots. From what I've seen over the last few years this seems almost normal.

My B. tuldoides put up 1/2 culms continuously from planting as a small division in July 04 until early Nov. This continuous shooting last year was not repeated this year.

This year, really nothing until early May then about 10 or 12 1" - 1.5" culms, which have now reached full height of about 18 - 20 ft, and are now branching and leaving.

In the past two weeks, a second round of B. tuldoidees culms has started, 3 so far, still about 1" diam. I figure they'll be pretty hardened by the December cold snaps.

B. tuldoides in is first year with me has lived up to its reputation as a fast grower.

My B. oldamii purchased Sep 04 did doodly squat this year. A tight clump bunch of new 1/4" culms, 3 ft high in early spring, and nothing since. A huge disappointment.

Potted bamboo acts very differently than in-ground bamboo. Some of my potted bamboo shoots year round.

My B. chungii is putting up it's second shoot this season. It broke ground about a week ago. The first shoot is already maximum height.

D. asper also recently put up a couple small shoots. Other than that, all of my other clumpers are through putting up shoots, but the shoots are still growing.

Oldhamii put up shoots earlier than normal this year, probably weather related. OOPS! That last comment might get me accused of crashing this thread and called a jerk! Sorry.:) I still don't eat popcorn.

Kt

Does it seem more likely that potted bamboo sends up more shoots than those in the ground? I don't see much activity from my in ground plants compaired to the ones I have potted. 2-4 whip shoots from in ground boo compaired to 2-3 shoots per potted plant. I have 7 potted and 5 of those have new shoots...you can almost HEAR them growing!! :)
Thanks again...

Oh! Kentuck... if popcorn isnt your thing...what is?
l8r all
CJ

My thought was that bamboo in pots, since having less area to grow roots/rhizomes, they tend to shoot more often, and thus you see more whipshoots than regular culms.

In-ground bamboo has limitless space to spread and grows more rhizomes, but will eventally put up more shoots. Give them time and they should put up many shoots, it may even take a few few years.

Kt

Anyone having Virdis Robert Young shooting now? Both my potted and in ground seem to be having a second round. I'm kinda bummed about the inground as it will probably not have time to harden off and it's 7 (3 whips shoots, 4 regular) big shoots (.5 to .75") on a plant that only had four shoots. Probably a loss, but one can only hope that it makes it.

Hmmm, I have an old glass shower enclosure I could probably turn into a greenhouse to put around it for the winter..... Though it's in the front yard, might get the neighbors fired up.

Chris-
My Robert Young has been continually shooting and running all summer. It's just starting to wind down...

Chris, the 4 years I've had them, Viridis and Robert Young always shoot in April, rest until July, and then start shooting again and keep shooting until hard frost, for me. I have several species still shooting and I think that one can only generalize about shooting 'seasons' as there seem to be many species that shoot outside of the expected season.

My potted tropicals generally start shooting about now (which I believe is the 'normal' time for tropical clumpers??) but this year everything was earlier except the Gigantochloa which just started 2 weeks ago with some shoots in the 1 1/2 inch range. The sad part is I'll be bringing them indoors in 2 weeks, otherwise these shoots would probably be well over 20 feet tall.

I have a few shoots on my Fargesia nitidae. Is September too late to fertilize hardy clumpers in zone 6?

I have a Robt. Young shooting prolifically right now, about 12 new culms. Started in April, seemed to "rest" in July, has gone nuts since mid August. This is in Snohomish, Washington.

Seattle, I was on Ft. Lewis in early 90... lived in Lacey for a few years... then came down on orders to Portugal. Best assignment ever...would have re-upped to retire there if they would have done it... but no way they were gonna give me 10 years in same station...lol...
Later
CJ

Interesting. Boo seems to do its things later here than for most of you, shooting really kicking off (for most of them) in late-May. So that fits a shoot-rest-shoot pattern. Thanks!

Fasinating the patterns the different boos express.

Out of all my boo in the ground

Bambusa :

OldHamii - still shooting (great this year.. 2" diameter)
Malingensis - still shooting
Ventricosa (Buddha Belly) & Kimmei & Wamin - Still shooting
Chungii - - still shooting - 2 new 1/2" shoots
Multiplex Goldstripe - still shooting
Multiplex Silverstripe - still shooting
Multiplex Alfons Karr - still shooting
Vittata - still shooting
Beecheyana - from a culm cutting just gave me my 1st shoot
Textillis - still shooting
Albo-lineata - still shooting
Timor Lako - still shooting (did some cutting last weekend)

Dendrocalamus

Minor Amoenus - still shooting
Asper - still shooting

Phyllostachys

Aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' - setting its roots in ....

I think September in my zone is one of the better months for new shoots, its no SO hot. I'll get new shoots till around Novemeber...

Joshua

Here is a link that might be useful: Different Boos in the ground on the property

I must agree with Joshua. We live next door to each other and have about the same species give or take and all if not most will be shooting until November.

Michael Zito