The bamboo that I collected last Autumn has been showing signs of activity. Here are a few pictures.
From my reading on propagating bamboo, most of the hardy types are best propagated by taking sections of Rhizome (root) and culm (stem). Most of the bamboo that I collected was like that, and only two of those have failed to show growth, and one of those was damaged in transit.
The picture above shows a new shoot growing from a Rhizome and culm cutting of P.Aureosulcata f. Spectabilis.The culm was cut about 18 inches above the rhizome, and it has started to produce buds on the culm, which should develop into new leaves. The young trees in the background are hardy eucalyptus, grown from seed.
Most of the other Rhizome and Culm cuttings are showing new shoots, or buds, or both.
I also took some rhizome sections. Two of these are showing signs of new shoots, albeit small ones. The third has no evidence of new growth. Pictures below.
The shoots of this are much smaller. There is one at the base of the culm, and another two in line with it, along the rhizome.
This picture isn’t clear enough. There are two new shoots growing from the rhizome. The one top left of the rhizome is growing down towards the bottom of the picture, whilst the other is growing towards the right.
The two which have survived are both Pseudasas japonica, which really does seem to be tough as old boots. I brought home two large lumps of old rhizome which had been torn up by digger, and left in a heap for burning. Both of these were P. Japonica.
This is one of the lumps, with the new growth clearly visible.
All of the cuttings will go into nursery beds until they are growing strongly, at which time I will take cuttings from them to plant out on the smallholding. later this month I’m visiting a bamboo nursery, and hope to buy some of the other varieties that I want to grow.
take care
Deano
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