Day 18: In Which We Create A Better Home

Since our last update the bamboo has been growing all together in a single garbage bag-lined cardboard box. Two stalks with root-balls and a giant hunk of root. The planter that we've been building was completed today and is ready for its first resident.

We've decided that the giant hunk of root will be moved to the new planter and the stalks will remain in the cardboard box for now.

We ventured forth to the Home Depot to get more potting soil. It was raining and, needless to say, these Little Dudes got wet. When we arrived back at the office we got the new soil to our location on the second floor and went to work. With little mess, we got the giant hunk of root transplanted to the new box. See it here:



We've been discussing that it might be a while before we see any growth. In fact, it could be months before we know if this hunk of root pans out. It could die and we'd never know. Rufus indicated that they generally sprout in the spring, but we think it might be sooner since we're growing indoors.

Day 14: In Which We Get Bamboo

We got a late start from the office to Rufus' place. It was dark by the time we arrived and I'm sure we made quite the sight, walking down a dark street with flashlights and shovels.

Rufus wasn't home yet when we got there, so we surveyed the bamboo and decided where to start digging. I don't think either of us realized how tall the stuff would be. It was easily twenty-five feet tall. We picked a few good looking specimens, lopped off the tops, and started digging.

Anyone ever tried to dig up bamboo before? It's a bitch. I think we'd intended to get 4 stalks, but we ended up with only two and a giant hunk of root. A big thanks to Rufus for the bamboo.

The next problem was what to do with our newly acquired bamboo. When we got to the office the next morning it was clear that the plants would die if we didn't get them into soil soon. We went to the mail room and got a big cardboard box and a thick plastic bag, to line the box. We filled our creation with leftover potting soil from our previous planting and added the bamboo. It's going to have to live like this for a few days while the real planting box is completed.

The long shot:


The tight shot:


In the background you can see the corner of the new planter - not yet ready for prime time.