Bamboo is essentially giant grass so lawn food is great just be sure it isn't the weed and feed variety, you only want the feed. Also be sure not to rake up the dropped leaves from the bamboo plants, these contain silica which the plants need.
Where did you get your black bamboo? I am in the Nanaimo area. I have heard that there is a gentleman on Saltspring that isa bamboo guru. Do you know of him? I thought that I would try Dinters and Island Specialty Nursery but thought that I would ask you first.
I bought it from a tiny nursery in Courtenay just north of town but it's pretty common these days at most nurseries. It's not as rare as it used to be. I've started some black cold hardy bamboo from seeds I got off ebay, a completely different plant from the typical black bamboo: Chimonobambusa Yunanensis it's a runner good to -15c and the seeds germinate extremely easily, I have about 30 seedlings that I'm going to stagger plant outside starting in a month or so. I just took a good look at my original black bamboo I got from the nursery the phyllostachus nigra which is the one I think you're probably thinking of. I planted it last summer from a pot, it grew 3 good sized culms about 5 feet high with lot's of shorter ones and it was actually frozen in snow and ice for quite a few weeks, bent right over as it's still got pretty spindly culms and just looking at it the other day with all the snow and ice gone it's popped right back up again and looks super healthy. When I used to live in Victoria we used to stop at a nursery between Victoria and Nanaimo from time to time probably near Duncan, they had a lot of unusual and funky plants, I forget exactly where it was though. The guy on Saltspring you heard of is probably the "Plant farm": http://www.theplantfarm.ca/ I haven't got out there yet but judging from thier website it looks pretty spectacular. Cheers!
I agree, it seems most nurseries will bring it in for you at nominal cost if you get to them early and have it shipped with their regular orders. Also, although Home Depot usually gets only Golden Bamboo in - their garden staff are quite receptive and my be able to get a hold of a some Black Bamboo for you. I am an avid fan of supporting local nurseries - but I have to be honest in that the best specimens of Golden Bamboo at nearly half the price I obtained from the big box Home Depot! An alternative is to order it online - do a simple Google search and you shall find at least three very well respected "Bamboo" specialists in the southern British Columbia region that will ship at reasonable cost with full guarantee of quality. But before you do, have a look at the following thread: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=6610
The "Bamboo Guru" of salstpring is Naren kartar, his business is called a "Bambu Sea". He supplied the plant farm with many of their varieties, and grows somewhere around 120 species himself, all around 10-12 years old now. He should be listed. Regarding fertilizer, every fall and later spring I apply a few inches of stable scrapings, widely available at horse stables. A mix of wood chips and manure, it does a fine job. Others just use wood chips; most important thing for developing shoots is moisture, and the chips maintain this, and keep the roots cool in the heat. Nothing more is required, though in cold climates I've read about applications of high dose fertilizers to boost the sugars (?) in the culm to tolerate cold exposure.
A shame then he has no apparent web site or way to contact him. I guess he's a local's only business on Saltspring?
You people have got to get a grip... Quote...."do remember we've had really weird weather the past year; last summer was unusually hot and dry, followed by fall being cold/windy/snow far beyond normal; now a really cold spring. So I think if your bamboo is alive and looking well, it's poised for good growth once we get decent growing conditions (i.e., our normal climate!)." You live on Van. Island!!! there's no such thing as winter there, LOL. Plus 30c every summer for weeks and -20c every winter for a couple of months, here in Ontario, and our bamboo still grows.
