Bamboo - When is the best time to divide and transplant clumping

[_Keith]

I have an Alphonse Karr planted too close to my property line, so I need to dig it up and transplant it further back onto my property. At the bottom it is about 2 feet in diameter so I want to divide it as well to make some new plants.

First question, when is the best time of year to do this?

Second, how many sections? I was thinking four nice sized sections, but these things are expensive, so the more the merrier as long as I don't set it back to far recovery wise.

[John Case]

Keith,

Bumbusa multiplex 'Alphones Karr' normally shoots in the fall (Septembner,October). As you know it is a clumping bamboo. You could break it up now, but any shooting it may do will be stunted as now is the time it is building strength for the fall.

If it were me (but I live in a different part of the country) and I felt it must be moved before the shooting, I would do it now (probably should have been done in February or so) in order for the expansion of the clump to be problematic if it crossed the fenceline.

You said that it is too close but not how far it was from the fence.

If you want to move it, dig up the entire clump (it will be heavy) and try to find 'cracks' in the rootball in order to determine the divisions. Never let the roots dry out and pot up your divisiions ASAP. Lots of water over the next few days and hope for the best. I do not think you will have any die, but recovefry may be a year or so, even if you are doing it at the correct time.

Good luck!

[FRITO]

Keith,

look into trench layering. you can get about 20 plants from growth from the nodes on one cane.

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/horticul...ting%20Clumping

culm cuttings are an option as well. I am going to try propogating one way or another with regular B multiplex at my mothers house.

I want to get some more exotic types of B. multiplex like alphonse karr and 'silvestripe' keep me updated on your progress.

My black P. nigra shot up 3 new culms after just 1 year in the ground.

[MattyB]

I don't really understand what they're saying to do in that propagation link.

[Creekside]

Alphonse Karr is not a good candidate for trench propagation, but is very easily done by root divisions. Do it now before new culms start emerging. (This won't affect the success of the divisions, but you'll lose less culms, as any new ones would most likely die off.) Dig it up and just slice through it with a reciprocating saw (not a cordless) with a toothy blade, then pot up each division so the roots don't dry out and water them well. A loose organic mix with lots of pine bark works well. Make the divisions as large or as small as you'd like, but keeping at least a few culms in each will almost guarantee success and subsequent vigor. This method has worked well for me for 20 years. Keith, do you have a photo of the clump?

[popper1]

I got my Alphonse Karr a few years ago as a division off a friend's plants. We did this in late winter/early spring, taking a 2 or 3 culm piece (it was difficult to get a larger piece). The 1st year we had 2 new culms come up. The next year we had about 25, last year nearly twice that. This will be its 4th summer and it is about 4' in diameter. Here in Florida it adds new culms starting in spring and continues until it cools off.

[Walter John]

Whatever happened to your alphonse karr bamboo Keith ? Did the transplant and propagation work out ?