Any advice for new bamboo babies? (Bambusa tuldoides 'Ventricosa)

[Butterfly4u]

Seeds first in "incubator" 11/23/06.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/751/thumbs/MVC-002S.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3587&cat=751&ppuser=1928) http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/751/thumbs/MVC-009S.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3588&cat=751&ppuser=1928)

Sprouts replanted in soil 11/29/06 under glass.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/751/thumbs/MVC-008S.JPG (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3591&cat=751&ppuser=1928)

Remaining seeds not sprouted yet left in incubator on this date. Total seeds at start, 15.

15th December
My little baby bamboos (buddah belly) look a little dry.
Their leaves shrivel up and don't seem to be unfolding.
They are in 4 inch tera cota pots sitting next to a radiator to keep them warm and I spray them with water at least 2 times a day.
Should I buy mabye a small fish tank and keep them in there with Saran wrap on top to keep them more moist?
I don't want them to die.
They are planted in a soil that is Miracle grow and perilte about 50/50.
Thanks in advance.
They are only about 1 1/2 inches tall. One has 3 leaves, the other 2 leaves.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Butterfly4u,
Thanks for taking the initiative of uploading your pics at the gallery!
I've linked them for you into your first post.
(A couple similar pics that were out of focus were deleted.)
Please do upload more as your seedling hopefully progress.

How much light are your seedlings receiving?
Are you giving any artifical light, like with flourescent light ... window sill etc?
The biggest thing to watch out for is that they don't get too 'leggy' or stretched out too much searching for light.
Also at this young stage there is danger of damping off or rotting at the stem till they harden up, so one needs to be careful not to overwater them.

The radiator heat is probably very dry and misting occasionally or as you mentioned, something with sides like an aquarium tank may help retain more humidity.

I'm curious, as I have a Buddah Belly growing outside (without the bellying), do you have any history of the source of the plant that flowered, whether its' culms bulged at the internodes or if it grew as a large non-bellying Buddah Belly?

Mark

[Butterfly4u]

Hi Mark,
I bought these seeds at the following link,
http://stores.ebay.com/exotic-plants-shop
The specific reason I wanted buddah belly was because I wanted an atractive pot bamboo for inside most of the year.
I read on another web site that these bamboo usually won't belly unless they are pot bound and watered infrequently on purpose.
I will try this when they get bigger, it will probably take a couple of years I suppose.
I also hope that the seller I am buying from is selling buddah belly's.
Oh well, if he isn't, we shall eventually find out. The seeds sure grow fast enough in any case.
I just ordered more Buddah belly seeds from him and will start a second batch. I am learning as I go along.
Thanks for the reply Mark.
Carla

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Carla,
Has your seedling produced their first true leaves yet?

I will keep an eye out on our planted Buddah Belly bamboo to see if it shows any signs of flowering next spring.
Here's a post about Bambusa tuldoides 'Ventricosa' flowering - 2006 (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2304)

We have one in a pot too but it hasn't shown any signs of bellying yet.
Maybe it needs to become more rootbound.

Mark

[Butterfly4u]

Mark,
The bamboo seedlings had small leaves, as many as 3 or 4 nice ones and my kitten helped himself to them.
Needless to say I was upset at the kitten!
I started a new batch of 17 seeds on Christmas day.
This time, as soon as I transplant them into their little dirt pots, they are going up to the "plant room" upstairs with the door shut. Oh well.
I will post pics of the seedlings when they develop leaves and they are safe in plant room.
Have a Happy New Year 2007 Mark! Thanks for this forum! :)
Carla

[Mark Meckes]

... and my kitten helped himself to them.

OOPS! Yes, cats like to eat grass occasionally (bamboo being a grass).

Mama Kitty is curious about these shoots ...
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/706/thumbs/PelegShootAuTX050322-890.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2911)
... but prefers to chew on the fresh leaves of small tillering shoots that come up in our grove.

So did Boyboy ...
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/BOYBOY-200108.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=2521)

Here's another option for kitty nibbles ...
http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/katgrass.html

Better luck with your next batch of boo seeds!

Best wishes for the new year, and a big thanks for being part of this culmunity! :)

Mark

[Butterfly4u]

Well, I put these seeds on wet paper towel on December 25.
This time I moved to isolated room for protection from cat.
I took the pics today. They look good so far.
About 4-5 weeks old.
I took the 5 most healthy plants that rooted and continued with them.
Their little roots had grown into the paper towel. amazing!
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/751/medium/MVC-008F-1.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3815)

http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/751/medium/MVC-009F.jpg (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=3816)
They receive both artifical light (when no sun is out) and occasionally they get sunlight.

[Mark Meckes]

Culmgrats to your new babies Carla! They do look very healthy.
I look forward to watching them grow up.

Cheers
Mark

[Butterfly4u]

Well, the pics aren't that great, but the baby buddahs are growing.
I transplanted the biggest one into a bigger pot today with mulch. It already sprouted another little culm. Most of them have.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Butterfly09030/Babybuddah1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Butterfly09030/Babybuddah3.jpg