Hi my black bamboo is covered with seeds which seem to be about to be bown away in the wind. I have removed some of them to try and keep with a view to growing a new one. Anyone out there able to give me any advise on how to grow this ? I have tried searching the web and confess to being much better at IT than gardening but cannot fine a definative source of information. Thanks
A lot will depend on whether there was a suitable supply of pollen nearby from another different bamboo - it would need to be the same species, but a different clone. Not very easily fulfilled in cultivation, where most bamboos are clonally propagated cultivars (i.e., all individuals of a given species are also clonally identical and self-sterile).
Never tried growing bamboo from seed - all the bamboo seed I've checked was sterile (unpollinated). I'd assume it is like other grasses, just surface-sow and keep moist. Maybe someone else will know better.
I've read (never done it) that a sand filled tray sitting in a second water filled container so it can wick up all the water it wants. Use bottom heat and cover the seed very lightly and keep saran wrap over the tray to be able to see when they germinate. It should be in bright indirect light (not sun). When they are up remove the saran wrap and slowly acclimate to drier conditions. HTH Chris
Probably a fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida), those have been flowering. Seeds small and plump, felt with fingers among 'chaff'. May take some time to get very many, depending on how much (if any) production you are getting.
Hi I seem to be getting a very large quantity every stalk at most leave buds has clumps. They were "Chaff like" but now opening up to green seeds?
The seeds - if any are present - are inside the purple 'chaff', "opening up to green sounds" like the blooming of flowers that is the prerequisite to seed production. If that is what you are seeing yellow anthers will hang out after they open.
