Fargesia Robusta Campbell - best way to divide?

[cordyman]

Evening all, new member from the UK.

I have a decent sized Robusta Campbell screen, and want to create a new screen elsewhere in the garden. I plan to cut out 4 new plants from existing screen.

How many canes should I take for each new plant, and should I cut the existing canes down once planted in new location?

This is where I plan to dig the first division from





Heres the Robusta Campbell last summer...











Heres how well its grown.

April 2011




June 2011




may 2012




july 2012



early 2013




late 2013





New culms even lift the concrete coping stones!

[dependable]

Nice place & pictures.

If I understand your question, maybe a dozen canes or more per division would be good. Some of the ones on outer edge of division will probably not make it, so consider that in your calculations.

Don't cut down the canes that survive the division. Cutting them down would set the plant back a lot. Keep them well watered for first season.

If the device you are using is too much work, you might want to try a Sawzall with a long demo blade. F robusta rhizomes can be pretty tough.

Aren't those new divisions pictured above first brick wall? They look pretty good. Perhaps these pictures were taken over a space of time. If your new divisions look like the ones in the older pictures, you should be doing all right.

[Alan_L]

I knew I shouldn't have looked at those photos -- so envious! I don't know if there's a bamboo that I wish I could grow more than this one.

[cordyman]

Nice place & pictures.

If I understand your question, maybe a dozen canes or more per division would be good. Some of the ones on outer edge of division will probably not make it, so consider that in your calculations.

Don't cut down the canes that survive the division. Cutting them down would set the plant back a lot. Keep them well watered for first season.

If the device you are using is too much work, you might want to try a Sawzall with a long demo blade. F robusta rhizomes can be pretty tough.

Aren't those new divisions pictured above first brick wall? They look pretty good. Perhaps these pictures were taken over a space of time. If your new divisions look like the ones in the older pictures, you should be doing all right.

Thanks Dependable, great advise.

I've got a Bamboo Slammer which so far has been flying through the rhizomes. Just wasn't sure how much to take on each divide for it to establish successfully as a new plant.






The picture of the x4 scrawny bamboo plants were bought from a nursery that was 2011, and i've added dates above each picture so you can see how fast its grown over the years

[cordyman]

I knew I shouldn't have looked at those photos -- so envious! I don't know if there's a bamboo that I wish I could grow more than this one.

Hi Alan, its a really vigorous boo for a Fargesia, yet clumping so that bit easier to control.

How come you can't grow there, is it too hot?