Splitting black bamboo

[David.WE.Roberts]

Just bought a black bamboo plant from a local garden centre at half price
- £17.50 for a large pot which isn't bad when a small pot of 'normal'
bamboo was £11.99.

Guy at the garden centre said it was worth trying to split it, before
planting up, as you can get several 'free' plants with luck.

So I Googled 'splitting bamboo'.

Apparently I need an assistant with very flexible legs and a relaxed
attitude.

However I am not sure quite how this helps me make new bamboo plants.

<Blush>

Cheers

Dave R

[Spider]

You may not have split your bamboo, but I bet you split your sides
laughing! I nearly did :~).

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

[Jeff Layman]

On 26/06/2013 22:12, David.WE.Roberts wrote:

You may have to break or split the pot if it is potbound. The roots are
incredibly strong - they will be jammed tight inside a terracotta pot
and will easily deform a plastic pot. Once out, you may need a saw or
old bread knife to divide the plant.

Keep it well watered after replanting or repotting. You may find there
is very little soil left in the pot if the bamboo has been in there a
long time, so prewatering the old pot before division (which is often
recommended prior to splitting almost any plant) may not have much effect.

Some good info here:
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/divide-transplant-black-bamboo-71426.html

--

Jeff

[David Hill]

I wouldn't do it at this time of year, I would leave it till the Autumn
when the plant/plants require less water.

[David.WE.Roberts]

Yes, this is one risk we are weighing up.

If when we take it out of the pot there are some easily separated rhizomes
at the edge we may try and trim a few off and start them in pots.

Taking an axe to the main root cluster is probably not a good idea at the
moment despite the cool and moist weather, and the fact that any resulting
plants will be in pots and so can be intensively watered in a controlled
manner.

Something to contemplate, as you say, for spring or autumn.

Cheers

Dave R

[Janet]

In article <kqgsjs$bft$1...@news.albasani.net>, JMLa...@invalid.invalid
says...

>
> On 26/06/2013 22:12, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
> > Just bought a black bamboo plant from a local garden centre at half price

> > - ￜ17.50 for a large pot which isn't bad when a small pot of 'normal'
> > bamboo was ￜ11.99.

> >
> > Guy at the garden centre said it was worth trying to split it, before
> > planting up, as you can get several 'free' plants with luck.
> >
> > So I Googled 'splitting bamboo'.
> >
> > Apparently I need an assistant with very flexible legs and a relaxed
> > attitude.
> >
> > However I am not sure quite how this helps me make new bamboo plants.
> >
> > <Blush>
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Dave R
>
> You may have to break or split the pot if it is potbound. The roots are
> incredibly strong - they will be jammed tight inside a terracotta pot
> and will easily deform a plastic pot. Once out, you may need a saw or
> old bread knife to divide the plant.
>
> Keep it well watered after replanting or repotting. You may find there
> is very little soil left in the pot if the bamboo has been in there a
> long time, so prewatering the old pot before division (which is often
> recommended prior to splitting almost any plant) may not have much effect.
>
> Some good info here:
> http://homeguides.sfgate.com/divide-transplant-black-bamboo-71426.html

From experience splitting a seriously potbound phyllostachys aurea,
I'd recommend NOT watering it before the eviction (like wot I did);
water will just swell up the roots and make it even harder to winkle
out. Get it out of the pot first, then soak the whole root ball
underwater in a large container for a day, so the roots and culms are
fully charged up with water before you set to dividing it with the
saw/breadknife etc. When you've dug the new planting hole, fill it
completely with water and let it soak away, before planting.


Janet.