Bamboo diary: Light for Moso

My moso seedlings have been in a bad shape lately. They seem to be wilted. One of them especially. I figured that it must be the lack of light, since it’s winter here and the days are shorter. So, I’ve been carrying them around the house every day to get them as much sun as I can. But last night, I didn't take them back to the room, so my mom almost stepped on them, because they were in her room at the balcony door. And then I had enough.

Only 8 (out of 10) of seedlengs has survived so far.

The oldest seedling is probably suffering, with chlorosis, that is.

 And the bright one is at the worst for now.

Bambos are accopanied by a Dracena drako seedling, I got the seed at Tenerife islands this summer, where I went on vacation.

Today I bought them a lamp (Megaman plant lamp BRO515P). It was a bit more on the expensive side, but I think it should do, for I want what's best for my plants. I was looking for it at almost every specialized store there is, that I've known of, but they only kept neon lamps, and I don't have a fitting lamp for such bulbs. So, I almost gave up. But then, in the last store I went to, I found the right one. It was just right for my old table lamp.

So this is how I did it:

I fixed the lamp on the table, which I refer to as the 'table lamp', and because the thing is old, the screws that should hold the lamp in position that you had set, didn’t do their job, I had to block it with a wooden stick. And then of course, put the bulb in.

I set the light on timer for 12 hours (from 6am to 6 pm), and so turned the light on. I hope that now my little mosos will be all right. I just wonder, if I should give some fertilizer to seedlings.

So, read you next time!

Uroš

Bamboo diary: Autumn update

Finally the autumn has come. Everything was still green and warm  only a week ago . It seemed then, that the summer just didn’t want to go. But then, in just a few days of rain the temperatures dropped rapidly, and the trees changed their leaves from green to yellow, like if you would turn a switch on.

Well, with the cold my P. nigra came at risk. Of course, this bamboo can hold on even to -15°C, but I don’t want to take any risks, for the plant to get frost damage. Well, if it was only for the cold and snow, it would have been ok, but the problem is: where my bamboo grows it doesn't have enough shelter, so It’s pretty windy, what is usually the main cause for winter drought. 

  

What I have done is, that I have “protected” my bamboo against winter. And here is, how I had done it:

First, I tied the bamboo up, on several places from bottom to top, so that the plant itself is protected by it’s leaves, and because it is easier to do the next steps, where the branches could be damaged during the process.

Second, I put a net for defense (which was a leftover form when we put the fence on) around the bamboo and stuffed it with straw, which will protect the lower and underground parts of the plant. Last year, when I also did it this way, I stuffed it with straw a little to much, so the water didn’t drain as it should, and because of that, I found a few rotten leaves on culms above ground, therefore this year I didn't go so tuff on stuffing.

Then I put a 1,60m long stick next to the plant, and tied up the upper parts of bamboo on it, for stability.

And as the third part, I put the so-called winter felt around it. First on the lower part, and then on upper. I have fixed the whole lower part with stones, and then did the same with the upper one, just that I didn’t use straw there. I tied up everything with a rope, so that the wind wouldn’t get any funny ideas.

When I was preparing the bamboo for the winter, I also removed one of the rhizomes, that came up the same as some others, of which I have already written about in post: 'Dividing Phyllostachys nigra'. At first, I wanted to throw it away, but then I noticed it had already had roots on it, and I saw some sleeping buds on it as well.

So, I planted it, and what will happen will happen.

I also have to tell you, that only one of  the small plants has survived; the one with more roots. It has already made its first shoot.

And now, the final part of my Autumn update are moso sprouts. I’m quite happy with the results. Out of 30 seeds, 10 of them sprouted. So, I had 33,3% germination rate. But, of course, not all of them will survive. Three of the them are quite in a bad shape; they just don’t want to develop. But I also have two different from the others.

One of them has yellow stripes on its leaves, so I assume, that this one could be P. e. ‘Bicolor’.

And the other is much lighter than the others, so the leaves as the stem. At first, I thought that it’s because of soil; that it didn’t get enough nutrients; but it had the same soil as the others, as well as other conditions as light, water, temperature, … So, I hope, it’s a different variety. If you have any clue about this, as of which it could be, please le me know.

You probably remember, that I have sown F.nitida seeds. Sadly nothing has come out yet, and I’m start to lose hope, that anything will happen.

So, read you next time.

Uroš