If they are not too tall, cover them with leaves or hay and/or a tarp, while temps are below freezing.

The taller ones can be wrapped in blankets or with towels. Mainly want to keep frost off the clums/culms.

Good Luck.

Kt

Not a cold climate species. Maybe if you get the hardier clone from the cemetary ('Anderson' or some such - try the Species Source List on the ABS web site) you will do better with that.

Thanks for the responses, The clone I have came from Anderson,and does fine once the culms harden off. Here is a pic of one of this years culms. About 30". This week they predict 29 degrees one night,so I have put in 5, 6 foot fence post around the grove and installed 12 foot bamboo poles on the posts. I plan to wrap black plastic up 8+ feet. I hope to cover the shorter culme with grass clippings. I will win this year!!!(Hope,hope)
[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/bamboobubba/IMGA0204.jpg[/IMG]

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/bamboobubba/IMGA0204.jpg

Try this...
img src=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/bamboobubba/IMGA0204.jpg>;

{{gwi:408157}}

Some of mine are over 8 feet tall already.

Kt

Kentuck, where in TX are you? Several people in TX say that they can not grow Moso. I'm wondering whether it is a problem with ph, temps, or soil type.

You have to provide shade for the Moso when it is young. I first planted mine in open sun, only to have it almost completely die.

I moved it to shadey spot under some trees and it is doing great. Soil is sandy loam. I have some started in heavy black gumbo soil also. It is very slow to establish, but after two or three years, it will take off.

I need to move some to a spot where it will have plenty of room to grow. My main grove is in my yard and has little room for expansion.

I am located west of Houston about 75 miles. P. nigra planted right next to it, also needs shade. I got it from Louisiana.

Kt

The reason I asked is that growers in Houston and Brenham,as well as those in central to south FL have said that their attempts to grow Moso failed. It does well here in south AL, sun or shade, also in MS and LA. I don't think it is as simple as shade, because they have made many attempts and always end up with dead Moso.

Here is a link that might be useful: What Giant Varieties do well in FL Zone 8B

Yes, I'm sure it's more than shade, but it will grow here...I HAVE the proof.

I have given out several divisions to three different people, and all their divisions have died. Several were sent to the Brenham area and none lived, and one to Houston which died also. Even one divison that I planted 20 miles north of here, never survived either.

Mine here,(since I moved it) is very happy and has to be rhizome pruned to keep it from spreading.

Gib Cooper was the one who told me to give it shade when it is young or it will NOT survive, and he was correct.

I transplanted mine into the exact same soil and about 50 yards from where I originally had it, and once it took, it has thrived.

Can't give you any other help than that. In the link you posted, those were seedlings, which are much different than trying to grow an established potted plant so you can't use that as an accurate test.

Temps here have gotten into the 100's a few times each Summer and stay in the 90's for two to three months during the Summer. Humidity is as high here as in any part of the country during the Summer also. Shade helps keep the plant and ground cooler which may be something to think about.

In a few years I hope to have some planted in an area where it can grow large.

Kt

Hey all, my culms are growing 10 to 15 inches per day. I am covering them when the temp is predicted below freezing,hopefully tonight, will be the last. The grove is 6 years old and is taking off. I'm guessing 30+ new culms. Many larger than a soda can. You are right about the shade issue. Mine are in the shade 40% of the day. The grove has 20 acres to expand, although, I do not see much running yet. I'll post some photos when the freeze danger passes.

Kentuck, I saw where you posted that yours was over 8', that's why I asked where you were. I have read several postings about Moso problems in TX and FL, not all were seedlings. My Moso is in the 5'-6' range from a 5 gal plant planted last spring in south AL. It put up 25 shoots this spring and does get afternoon shade. The Moso at Bellingrath Gardens is in full sun; and they have an old grove with 6" diameter culms.

My original thought was that it waa a ph problem. Your conditions should be similiar to Houston and Brenham, is your ph the same? Did those who got divisions from you that later died have their Moso in the sun?

Yes, this year's culms(or new shoots) are over 8 feet tall and still growing. The grove would be much larger with larger culms, but as I stated earlier, I rhizome trim it back to keep it in a small confined area.

Previous year's culms are taller.

A mature plant/grove can take full sun without any problem. Only the new smaller plants need shade for them the get established here.

Not sure about the ph...I'll have to check into that.

Some of the Moso that I traded to others was kept in full sun, some in shade, some left in pots...you name it, and they all died. I can only speak from what they told me.

Kt

Seedlings actually have a different kind of foliage than mature plants, big leaves on thin culms instead of small leaves on thick culms. I grew a division from a mature planting here for awhile. Not establishing well enough to grow big here before I passed it on to someone else, it produced these humorous miniature versions of the fully developed plant with tiny leaves on short culms.

A partly dead seedling given me years later was starting to produce somewhat smaller leaves while still in a 5 gallon pot - and went on to produce adult growth planted out on a hot slope between two driveways. Despite a recurring problem with newest culms aborting during our dry summers it has managed to get pretty tall in fairly short order. I have had some massive shoots come up (only to have them nod over and shrivel); if it had been growing above a seep or watered and fertilized like mad the thing would surely be huge by now.