Hi folks,

I mentioned in a different message that I purchased some bamboo and was planning on overwintering it. Here are the results.

I originally purchased the following from Bamboo Sourcery, all received were good healthy specimens in good condition: Ph. Nigra Hale, Q. Tumidissinoda, B. Multiplex, B. Ventricosa, Ch. Marmorea, Ch. Quadrangularis.

I am in Northern NJ, Bergen County, about 25 miles north of NYC. Zone 6.

Well, I waited a little too long to bring them in and some suffered some freeze-burn: Q. Tumidissinoda, Ch. Marmorea, Ch. Quadrangularis were not too bad, but the the B. Multiplex, B. Ventricosa were hard hit. The B. Multiplex had not been doing well to start with. I do not think it liked it on my back deck. It failed to make it through the winter inside. The B. Ventricosa, while losing 60-70 percent of its leaves, grew some leaves back over winter and is now on the back deck. It does not look 100%, but is putting out more new leaves, and may recover completely. No shoots so far this spring.

The Q. Tumidissinoda, Ch. Marmorea, Ch. Quadrangularis all recovered ok. All are on the back deck and have sent out at least 1 new shoot each, as well as sending out many new leaves. The Q. Tumidissinoda is doing best of all the damaged ones. It has sent out 5 new shoots so far and new leaves on all branches. One culm that has died completely. All three of these are currently bigger than when I received them and are 1.5-3 feet tall.

The Ph. Nigra Hale fared best of all. It did not suffer any freeze burn and did well over winter. It even shooted over winter. I bought the 5 gallon pot size so it started larger than the others. It shooted outdoors during the summer with a nice 6 foot shoot, but the winter shoot was close to eight feet tall. However, I put it out too early in the spring. I guess that the newest shoot had not hardened. When I looked out the next morning the new shoot had drooped down to the deck. But it never died. It is still nearly horizontal but has turned a nice purple black and the leaves are still alive. I am leaving it since I figure it is just helping grow the whole plant. However, while some new leaves are coming out all over, no spring shoots yet. Even though another smaller black bamboo, (different variety), that is planted in-ground and over-wintered outside has sent up 2 shoots.

Over wintering was very basic. I placed 3 pots each in front of some basic windows. The Multi, ventricosa, and marmorea were all in a south facing window with fairly direct light. The nigra, tumi and quad were in a wide west facing picture window shaded by a large porch roof, so sunlight was indirect. I watered them lightly maybe once a week, whenever they seemed dry. I had a humidifier running in the room, next to the west window. Other than that, I left them alone. I placed some shoji screens around them to maintain privacy while keeping the shades up, which may also have helped by reflecting some light back to the bamboo.

They are each in pots about 20 inches across the top, some ceramic and some fiberglass. Planted in plain commercial potting soil and whatever they were shipped in.

I brought them in sometime in November, and put them out March 15. This year, I will bring them in a little earlier, maybe early November, or late October, depending on the temperature, and wait two more weeks to April 1, again depending on the weather.

The nigra and tumi look the best. I have the most hopes for each of them to turn into a nice ornamental for my deck and interesting house plants over winters. The marmorea and quad may also turn out well, but they are a bit ragged. I am doubtful the ventricosa will do well, but we will see. The multiplex failed.

So all-in all, not too bad. I learned a lot. I was a bit surprised at how well the Q, Tum. did, as I had heard that was not a good choice for potting or indoor planting, and a little surprised that the Multi died, as I had heard that was a good choice for potting and indoor planting.