How can I grow bamboo from cuttings?

[rich]

Somebody offered us free bamboo if we came and dug it up. He told us it grows very fast, and requires no care. I figured that if we got some roots and branches, planted them in our yard, they would take care of themselves. I believed that a branch planted would quickly grow it's own roots.
The leaves have gone dry, and I'm afraid that the plants are all dead. I've heard that if you take off the leaves it will spur root growth. Is this true? Can my transplants be saved? Do transplants need fertilizer? What's the best type of fertilizer? Is Miracle Grow All-Purpose plant food good to use? Do they have to be planted at a certain depth? The guy who gave them to us said they spread laterally, so be sure to dig a 6" trench around them so they won't come up everywhere.

I need your advice ASAP.

[CaroleMeckes]

Hi Rich,
Since you live in New Jersey - the best way to propagate running bamboo is by a root ball. If you just planted the branches - it will not be successful and if you have an opportunity, try again.
Carole

[ghmerrill]

Rich,

unfortunately, bamboo does not grow as vigorously as many people think. Yes, there are feral stand of it that seem to be taking over neighborhoods, but for the most part, you do have to take some care in propagating it. this is getting a bit late for digging divisions, so you may want to wait untill early fall- around the time you get your first rains works well. when you dig, dig out around the culm a ways. Most people will say about 8 widths of the stalk, more if you can. these single culm divisions are what you want to plant. in the very early spring, you can just dig the underground stems, called rhizomes, and plant the sections, so that they shoot when the weather warms.... this is all assuming that what you are trying to plant is a running species, not a clumping species of course!

the vast majority of bamboo will NOT sprout roots from stems or branches, trying to do so is an exercise in futility. I have put green culms that were cut off in the ground as a temporary fence, and had them start to develop branches, but they quickly die, as you have seen.

best of luck with your boo project. search around some and you will find plenty of places that demonstrate how to dig and transplant bamboo. once planted, you will have to do something to keep it from spreading where you dont want it, but that is not the difficult task that everyone uninformed makes it out to be. a small amount of work each year is all it takes.


Gene

[CaroleMeckes]

Do Fargesias grow from cuttings?
(I have no experience with the Fargesia genus.)
Carole

[CaroleMeckes]

after searching "Fargesia" here at the Forums - I found:
http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2031

which says

Also apparently temperate (cold climate) species are not able to be propagated by culm cuttings, though numerous tropical / subtropical species can be.

(Fargesia is a clumping variety for cold climates)

Carole

[ghmerrill]

Yeah, Fargesias are not one that will prop from cuttings... I have not had a lot of luck propagating them at all anyway

:)

anyway, for some reason it is only the topicals that will root from the culms.

Gene