Help dividing - transplanting bamboo (Phyllostachys)

[ramiller1976]

Hello
i just went a and dug up a bunch of bamboo from someone that was giving it away. i have several canes on each clump, can i split the clump into separate pieces??
The other pic is a piece that was pulled out with out any dirt...
Is there any home for the one with no dirt around it????

can i split the big one up?? it is 3 canes coming out with lots of leaves..

thanks
any tips appreciated

Richard

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Richard,
It is a Phyllostachys but not sure of the species.
One thing that determines the success of a division is the viability of the rhizomes.
For example, in the first (left) pic I can see older culm stumps, and any rhizomes attached to these will have little if any viability.
Younger rhizomes that still have some sheath wrappings on the rhizomes and have live buds at the rhizome nodes will give the best results.
Also the roots that grow from the rhizome nodes are the main feeders to the planting and must be healthy and not allowed to dry out.

The best option would be to initially plant the whole division and in the following year to make further divisions after seeing how the plant responds to the transplant.
You could removed any old rhizome portions if you are trying to reduce the plant size to fit it into a container.

With the smaller piece (pic on right), the only way to know if it will take is to try it out.
As there isn't much of a rhizome/root system attached you will need to proportionally reduce the top culm growth and hope that it will take.

The autumn is an "iffy" time to make rhizome divisions if you're planting them outside and get a hard frosts in your area.

Mark