Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!!

[boonut]

Just got back from the farm. I have never seen it so wet for so long. I lost several bamboo...

Just planted 15 or so Bambusa Eutuldoides viridivittata about 2 weeks before all the rain started. 2 died because of all the rain.

One of the two Dendrocalamus Sinicus in the ground died. I have a rooted cutting off the one that died in a 15 gallon pot that is doing great, so I will have something to replace it with.

I have over 30 B. Oldhamii from tissue culture in the ground. Looks like two have just about had it.

One D. Minor "amoenus" looks like it is just about gone. There is some life... but, not much.

All of this is a result of standing water. Seems like it has rained every day for over a month now. We are well over our yearly average. Another Flood Warning just came on the news....

[mantis]

Sorry to hear that Allen. Hopefully the rains stop soon and we start getting some sun. If that happens I'm guessing your farm will explode with new growth.

We are also very wet, but thanks to my drain system I haven't lost any plants. In fact everything has entered a 2nd round of shooting. My vulgaris varieties are going gangbusters. Here is a picture of my B.v.'Wamin Striata'. The culm on the left went in the ground 4 months ago, and put up the shoot on the right last month.

[boonut]

Mantis, Good news on your Wamin. You are going to have a very nice boo there. Perhaps some of mine will come back.

I did have one bit of good news. One of my D. Minor "amoenus" at the farm which looked pretty gone is coming back. I felt really bad about that one. It was huge in a pot. Once I planted it in the ground, it started to deteriorate very quick... maybe because of soo much water. Anyway, it is putting out new growth on one culm. all the rest are dead.

[sannton]

We also had the constant rain for about a month up here near Dallas. Our back yard was in the "between" stage and the dirt actually soured. My 3 year old grandson was digging in the dirt one day and told me it smelled like... well, it smelled REALLY bad! We have had about 2 1/2 weeks of drying out with only a couple of rain storms and that was very welcome. Lots of plants around here had rotted. If you looked at my back yard photos there are also 2 photos of the Lake Park a few blocks from my house and the end of our road, both are still closed. http://sannton.smugmug.com/ It looks like it will take another 2 weeks or so before they will be able to open. The Austin area was hit really hard, too.
Sandy

[boonut]

The papaya trees in my back yard are starting to yellow. I have had these for over 5 years. The freeze of 2004 didn't get them... they are absolutely huge. I am afraid if the rain doesn't stop soon, they may go.

Bring on the sun!!!!!!

[mantis]

I did have one bit of good news. One of my D. Minor "amoenus" at the farm which looked pretty gone is coming back. I felt really bad about that one. It was huge in a pot. Once I planted it in the ground, it started to deteriorate very quick... maybe because of soo much water. Anyway, it is putting out new growth on one culm. all the rest are dead.

Well that is good news. If we start to dry out maybe it will make a speedy recovery.

Even though I haven't lost any boo I have lost several plants, and even a Magnolia due to all the rain. A couple of my Queen Palms are not too happy either.

Sure there are storms where we'll get 30" of rain, but that only lasts a short time and drains quickly. This continual soaking is really taking it's toll on a lot of plants down here.

It does seem like it is starting to lose a little steam, which is good. The only problem is as soon as that happens we'll get a high pressure system that sits over head with temps in the upper 90's and no rain for weeks on end. Then we'll be wishing that we still had the rain.

[mantis]

Boonut,

Here is something to make you feel good... This B. vulgaris:

http://www.boonut.com/photoalbums/visit ... tos/i6.jpg

Has turned into this:



You see 3 shoots, but there are 4 more coming up. So far the tallest shoot is more than 15' tall. It's loving the rain.

The B. vulgaris 'Vittata' that I brought home has made a great recovery. Not sure if you remember, but when I dug it up I cut off about half it's root ball. After I got it home it died to the ground. I was patient, and it just sent up it's second shoot... 5' tall I'm going to keep it in a pot until next spring. Hopefully by then it'll be putting up 15' shoots as well.

Thank you again for the boo. The B. vulgaris I got from you is by far the best performing plant that I have in my yard.

[marcat]

Supprised to here about your 'amoenus' mine was flooded around the holiday but since has had c lear ground around it but I know the soil is saturated. Dig about three inches and the hole will fill with water. Does not seem to be bothered by it shooting nicely and no yellowing of its leaves. Still got a B.v. painted cutting flooded and a Punting pole but they are still hanging on.
MarCat

[boonut]

Mantis,

The Vulgaris sure does look nice. Glad it worked out for you. Just remember, I have plenty more. I may replace the row of B. Vulgaris with B. Lako.

Before you know it, you too will be looking for a MUCH larger place to plant boo.

[mantis]

Mantis,

The Vulgaris sure does look nice. Glad it worked out for you. Just remember, I have plenty more. I may replace the row of B. Vulgaris with B. Lako.

My yard really can't handle any multiple plantings of a single boo right now. When you are ready to pull out those pesky B. chungii, then give me a call

Before you know it, you too will be looking for a MUCH larger place to plant boo.

Honestly, the only thing stopping me from picking up another piece of land is time. I am being stretched extremely thin right now. I have no time to sleep, let alone try and attempt the upkeep of another piece of property.

[Roy]

Hey you Texas guys! Thanks for sending some rain my way. I got 1.5 inches last night and 1.5 inches today.

[boonut]

We heard ya'... just don't forget next year, when we are bone dry to send some back. Our rainy season comes in September. I hope it dries out enough to bring some dirt in for mounds. I plan on adding a foot of dirt around each clump.

[Roy]

We heard ya'... just don't forget next year, when we are bone dry to send some back. Our rainy season comes in September. I hope it dries out enough to bring some dirt in for mounds. I plan on adding a foot of dirt around each clump.

When you get your plans set for excess rain, then you'll have a 5 to 10 year drought.

[bambooweb]

Could you send some of that rain up here???
Since April I have had only .25" of rain and total this year we have had only 60% of our average rainfall.
Of course last month the wet side of the state had record rainfall

Bill

[Bamboo Outlaw]

20" for the month of July alone. 60.25" year to date. My bamboo is growing like mad.