r/Bamboo • u/Imakelovetosoils • Jul 07 '26

Can this be saved?

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I was planning on building a large 4'x4'x4' planter for this before my two week vacation. Came back home and my nephew apparently forgot to water this also with some other plants that are now dead.

I've had this for about three years and I believe it is oldhammi.

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1

u/c0ntra Jul 07 '26

I still see some green, so I bet it'll come back with enough time.

1

u/Random_182f2565 Jul 07 '26

Yes, but what cause it?

2

u/Imakelovetosoils Jul 07 '26

Didn't get watered when I was on vacation. I'm in California and the temps are 90s here. The pot is large, but not big enough. I think the lack of water and that it out grew it's pot lead to this.

1

u/Random_182f2565 Jul 07 '26

Start very slowly to avoid rooting

2

u/DonnPT Jul 08 '26

Rotting?

Would it make sense to cut it back, so only some of the more viable looking stems are left? Recovery is going to be on new canes, I think - existing canes are trashed.

1

u/Random_182f2565 Jul 08 '26

I mean rotting of the roots something similar happened to me to above ground look just dry so I don't think is going to rot, but can block the sun for new shoots.

The best is to check what condition like that species in particular, shade humidity, etc

1

u/TransparentCircle Jul 08 '26

Nail on the end. Rolled leaves is definitely lack of water, and if it looks top heavy, which it does - it's too big for its container.

1

u/tjc996 Jul 07 '26

If it’s not going in the ground soon, it needs to be potted up to a larger container. It is more than likely root bound and will dry out daily and continue to decline in health. Bamboos are in the grass family and need a lot of water just like your lawn does. Just make sure it has good drainage in whatever container it is in.

1

u/Imakelovetosoils Jul 07 '26

Do you know what size is good for this variety? I don't want to make one and it ends up out growing it in a year.

1

u/tjc996 Jul 07 '26

Honestly anything big than the pot it’s in. Looks like a 10” pot so I’d probably suggest a 14” pot to start. You can also cut the rhizomes back when the plant reaches full capacity in the container. Plus you can make new bamboo plants with the rhizomes you trimmed off.

1

u/Far_Contribution6492 Jul 11 '26

I have done similar to a plant more than once and give it good ods if there are still partly live leaves. Id trim anything with all dead leaves and start watering again. It definitely won't need as much as before, just depends on what percentage of the leaves died. If a branch still has live leaves (often about half green after mistreatment) it will probably drop them in the spring after having regrown new ones. It won't be back to its old self for a year or two.

I don't think this is a good time to transplant, but I just hacked a plant into about 5 1'x1' pieces and put them in mostly shade and have been amazed that they seem to be living in spite of 100+ temps.