Sad-looking bamboos

[job2610]

Hello

I planted a couple of large bamboos about 6-8 weeks ago along a south- facing fence in my garden to help with screening. They were quite expensive because they are well-established (about 6-7ft each and about 2ft across) and when they were planted, they were lush and green. However, they are looking decidedly worse for wear and a lot of the greenery has been replaced by paper-like leaves and yellowing growth.

I am not green-fingered in the slightest and have no idea why these once-lovely plants are looking so forlorn. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I would be very grateful.

Thanks in advance

Jo

[Bill]

I'd cut them back to about 3 feet and let the roots grow first. One thing to remember about Bamboo it is all one plant. I grow a black and a yellow. When I give them away I give roots and 2 foot growths.

Bill

[job2610]

Thanks Bill. I'm sure that's good advice but we paid extra so that we could have some instant screening in the form of large plants so I'm pretty reluctant to cut them back. Is there any alternative?

Jo

[Tom J]

Sure! Just leave the trunks as they are to sap the roots and put in new this fall so they cane get established over the winter.

Tom J

[job2610]

Hi

Not sure if they were grown in pots but they were certainly in pots when I bought them from the nursery.

Just as an aside, what is B-1?

Thanks

Jo

[Jangchub]

Can I tempt you to trade a hunk of black for a Brugmansia?

[Jangchub]

when they were planted did they have ball and burlap? Did you water them at all? Did it freeze there?

[David E. Ross]

When they stop growing taller, they never resume. New growth will come as shoots from the ground. With the correct soil, water, and climate, they can grow a few inches per day. However, once a shoot emerges from the ground, it never gets any wider -- only taller.

Remember, bamboo is merely a very large grass.

[JimR]

Jo - I can think of a couple of things -- (a) normal transplanting after-effects, or (b) cultural problems

(A) A culm of bamboo that is replanted may result in stalks that die off or look fragile. The existing stalks aren't very decorative, they only show where you planted the bamboo. The plant is mostly busy expanding it's root area so that you will see a sudden spurt of a few new stalks a year from now, and many more the following year. -- First it sleeps, then it creeps, then it leaps.

(B) It's also possible that it's planted in an area with really bad soil that has let everything dry out, or conversely that it's getting far too much water. If the bamboo is planted in good garden soil and neither over- nor under-watered it should do just fine, although the existing stalks will probably deteriorate. Make sure the roots aren't exposed, mulch it, don't water it any more than you would your lawn, and next year you'll have a start on a healthy grove of bamboo. My best bamboo stands are those that I couldn't spend time on and gave benign neglect. -- Regards --

[job2610]

Thanks everyone for all your comments.

In response to Billy's question, the root ball was almost bursting from the pot - in fact, I think it had actually split the plastic container in one of the plants. And thanks for the Schultz Starter Plus Root Stimulator recommendation. I'm based in the UK though and a quick Google search doesn't bring up any UK suppliers although I will try to find a similar alternative.

JimR - I don't think the soil is that bad but we did add some improver to it when we planted them but we haven't mulched which I guess wouldn't hurt. However, there used to be a pretty established (aprox

15 yr old) ash tree in the same spot until we had it felled and the stump/roots ground down. I reckon that probably could have something to do with any nutrient deficiency in the soil.

I also don't think they have been under/over watered. We did water them when they were fist planted but have left them be since then (about 2 months) although during that time there's been hard frosts, mild sun, snow, terrible downpours and dry fortnights so we've had the whole range of weather!

I guess aside from wanting to protect my (not inconsiderable) financial investment, I am glad to hear that this probably doesn't mean these lovely plants are dying!

Thanks again for all your comments - they're much appreciated.

Jo