Air layering running bamboo shoots for small divisions

Last year, I did an experiment where I took a phyllostachys dulcis shoot that hasn't formed its anchor roots yet, and forced it through the drainage hole of a nursery pot, filling it up with soil. As expected, it turned out to be a viable division as 4 rhizomes grew out of the based of that shoot after it was severed from the mother plant.

The biggest problem was that the shoot that emerged was too big, and had too many anchor roots that dried up it's little 2 gallon put very quickly. Last year I grew a rhizome close to the surface on purpose in order to promote the formation of smaller shoots which are easier to work with, and I can get plenty of which will be less of a burden for the mother plant since they are so small. As expected, the mini-shoots formed. This propagation method can be used for running bamboos that have a hard time running, or juvenile bamboos where you want to turn small shoots into divisions without draining the energy of the mother plant too much. These are clearly true shoots because you don't always have whip shoots available in the spring.

I'll guess I can name this shoot bud activation, air layering propagation.

Here's the shoots that were downsized while the shoots on both ends of the same rhizome are full size.

Bamboo shooting season 2012

It is the middle if May (mothers day), and my bamboos are finally starting to get going. Most of them have started shooting, but the best is always going to be last. At least most of my bamboos are putting on an upsize of some sort

Phyllostachys parvifolia: There are many shoots that are just barely out so I still can't determine their diameter yet since they can still gain a lot of diameter when they are just barely out of the ground. This one looks like it should get over 1 inch.

Uncovering the bamboos for spring

Since it is already warm enough with little to no threat of sub zero temperatures left in the forecast, I decided to remove most of the tarps from my bamboos so they can get some sun, and ensure that they don't heat up under the tarps to make shoots too early. They came out of their tarps looking great. The only leaf burn that happened was to the unprotected portions, and that is still very insignificant as our winter low only got down to 0.4F(-17C) which is not enough to cause that much leaf burn on the hardiest species, as long as it is a short exposure.

There was nearly a foot of snow which is nearly gone now after 2 days, and temperatures are lingering above freezing day and night around 30-45F since the warm winter continues and here are some of the pictures.

Phyllostachys dulcis