I have a Phyllostachys vivax huangwenzhu which I planted from a 10 litre pot
two years ago in NW England. I removed a loose rhizome with culm at the same
time and potted it . Both plants are doing well.

I want to create some more plants by the same method. Could any one advise
when is the best time to remove running rhizomes if I want them in some
quantity to make a screen? Should I take them them this year as they appear,
or leave it another year until the runners might be more abundant?

Which method would produce the screen most rapidly?

Justin

About a month before the new culms emerge is when I have the best luck
with rhizome division of Phyllostachys.
Be fanatical about not letting things dry, I like to work in the rain.

bamboo [at] localnet.com Wrote:
> About a month before the new culms emerge is when I have the best luck
> with rhizome division of Phyllostachys.
> Be fanatical about not letting things dry, I like to work in the rain.

You can divide you Phyllostachys at any time - Ideally you want to
avoid causing any disturbance whilst shooting as this causes the new
shoots to 'abort'. If you need 'loads' of them for a screen hedge, then
you will probably be better off by extracting rhizomes and placing them
lengthways in a tray. Place the tray in a propagator, and let them
sprout. Leave the tray to continue sprouting for a year, until you have
a reasonable 'mat' of shoots, and then chop them up into 6 inch squares.
Each of these 6 inch squares should give you a new plant, and can
probably be divided further on a yearly basis.

If you only require 2 or 3 other plants then continue with 'splitting.'
Clean slices are better for the plant and cause less disturbance than
'teasing apart'.

HTH:)


--
pjedmond

If teasing apart rhizomes, you'll get better survival rate, better
growth from 2-3 year old rhizomes than from this year's rhizomes. Look
for plentiful roots and healthy shiny buds.