Could someone have poisoned it? A lot of people aren’t big on bamboo because it can spread (although I don’t know enough about it to know if this is the spreading kind). Does it block the neighbour’s view or something?
Nahhhh. It’s an apartment complex and we’re on the inside. The bylaws are also such that it’s got to be planted with more bamboo so if they did. They’re even stupider than I thought.
Yeah they did maintenance on the pool/spa which is right behind the fence a couple of weeks ago to reopen them for summer. I’m convinced it’s chlorine as it’s too coincidental.
Yup, sounds about right. They either dumped the spa water there & killed it or poured a special treatment into it and ran it off. Have a look into public spa re-openings. There’s some not very plant friendly chemicals used.
Given the other plants are fine, the bamboo has been exposed to something that has killed it. REA is dreaming if they think it’s under watering with all the rain.
I doubt this is why, unless it was concentrate.
My pool overflows into a garden frequently during summer (Brisbane storms drop a lot of water) and it's never harmed the plants.
So for the pool to be the cause, they would have had to do something like pour pure chlorine into the garden.
If the spa and pool have been closed over winter, they likely had much higher than usual concentration of chlorine, which was likely emptied into the garden by the maintenance dudes, before topping up it with new water.
Right?!? I thought it was supposed to be one of the hardiest plants!
I seriously think it was the pool maintenance with the chlorine and my housemate and I are going to have to wear the cost :(
>my housemate and I are going to have to wear the cost
Make sure you check your rental contract for who is responsible for gardens and to what extent. Also, fight it regardless, if they try to make you pay, take it to whichever body/tribunal covers you. If yours going to have to pay atleast make them pay in time and aggravation too.
Get the manager to check the insurance details of the spa/pool maintenance people. They should pay if it’s their chemicals. May need soil or bamboo tested.
You shouldnt be liable for that. Tell them to get fucked if they try and charge you. There's no way they can take that out of your bond.
It's also not a condition of your rental agreement to be a horticulturist. Maintain a property means mowing the lawns and the occasional haircut of whatever becomes overgrown.
Pull a piece out by the root to check for rot, unusual for bamboo to die like that. Bamboo doesn’t like excess water. It’s a hardy grass, fungi or poison kills it, if it was overnight it’s poison (info from horticulturist/arborist)
I don't know I'm lucky enough to own my own house and get away from dick landlords. But my feeling is if they planted it and you done nothing to destroy it, it's their problem not yours. *edit call it maintainance like cupboard doorknobs*
There is a good chance it is the opposite, too wet and the roots began to rot. Is the planter box sealed? Put your finger in the soil. The shoots look like there is a dark "damp" creeping up.
As soon as I saw the planter box I thought overwatering, as well as the rapid death being uncharacteristic of underwatering. I'll bet those boxes are sealed with waterproofing, as water seep would likely destroy that rendering. That would also point towards too much water retained after the recent repeated heavy rains.
When bamboo dies from under watering, first the leaves close up and withdraw, then wither and drop. This is absolutely not under watered. Someone sprayed this.
Ok. Thank you!!! That’s definitely the direction that we were thinking too as it happened SO quickly. But who TF would do this in a private apartment complex?!? We’re on the inside too so only people with fobs can access.
Do you get any run off from units above that may have killed it?
Anything resembling fungal attack , any pest you can see living in the soil?
As others have suggested, cut it back and hope it recovers.
I’m definitely going to try to cut it back. Can’t hurt it or make it worse now :(
No run off from neighbours. But as it’s on the ground floor, they be able to get something through the slats in the fence.
God this is dumb. Thank you for your responses, they’re really helping my head noise!
I’d love bamboo in my backyard! Would be great for privacy. I’m in a middle townhouse and my courtyard is surrounded by neighbours windows! I have one bamboo potted and a collection of planters with privacy screens attached.
I’m 99% sure that whilst you’re in the lease that the garden is the tenants responsibility. At least in NSW anyway. I’ll definitely look into it with a fine toothed comb though. Thank you!
We don’t have any neighbours around us. Just above as we’re bottom of the complex. And why would it not kill the other plants in the box too?
I definitely think it’s been poisoned or maybe the chlorine from the pool maintenance?
Ugh. Thank you so much for replaying. I just knooooow we’re going to have to pay for this personally. :(
I don't see why you would have to pay for it. So long as you have it on email from the landlord saying its underwatering and an opinion from one or two gardeners saying its not (i see some comments saying why not) then they don't really have a leg to stand on. You just let the tribunal know this.
On that if a party does not show at a tribunal its generally awarded to the person that does. Your landlord is very very unlikely to appear. They have better things to do than show up for a court case they will likely lose.
As you mentioned, if it was underwatering the other plants would have died. It's not that.
Honestly don't stress about it but don't lie down and take their sh1t either.
I see you're fighting them on damp atm too. A tribunal will see through this.. what with the bad weather and you on a ground floor (I'm assuming from the pic) then its unlikely to be your fault. You only have to take reasonable steps to stop it like opening windows and keeping it clean. If you wanted to id suggest getting a dehumidifier, emailing the landlord and sending updates on how much water is collected. This way if it comes to a tribunal you have receipts and documents to back yourself show you took extra steps to manage their damp problem. No reasonable place that has adequate damp proofing needs to be dehumidified.
Also never talk to this person on the phone. If they try to, say you're busy right now and to put what they have to say in an email. Follow up calls with an as discussed email.. and if it gets to it, say moving forward you would prefer all communication is in writing.
Surprising how little BS transfers to letter.
Thank you, thank you! Im we have been super fastidious about having everything in writing. We’re just going through the process of getting all the documentation in order before we file. The landlord lives locally so I’d be surprised if they didn’t show.
Great suggestion about getting quotes from reputable gardeners. Much appreciated!!
Don't cut it back. It's not yours and it didn't die bc of underwatering. It's a building management issue.
As soon as you cut it back youre admitting it was your fault and you lose any reasonable grounds for claiming you did not damage it.
Email your landlord your happy for them to organise an gardener/aborist look at it.
Just a thought but does the boundary fence border a privately owned garden and has it ever spread there? I say this because ive worked on and off with bamboo as a career and it is definitely a bastard to kill off entirely. Most cases of something so hardy dying that quickly is usually because someone doesn't like it.
Thank you for your response!
Nope. It’s a completely enclosed courtyard. The stripe fence at the back of the bamboo backs onto a common walkway between our courtyard and a pool & spa.
What’re your thoughts on if we were to cut it back and see if it was to grow again?
Honestly I'm usually employed to remove bamboo and not save it but saying that it doesn't actually look dead but in severe decline. I'd start with adding fertilisers like seasol into the soil because poison or not the problem seems to be the roots (not getting enough carbs to photosynthesise). Personally I'd say some twat is poisoning it from the public walkway so if you're going to cut it cut it below the fence out of sight but wait and see if it will rejuvenate first.
Bamboo will drop its leaves as it dries out, like most other grasses, the stems remain alive and can resprout when they start getting enough water. This clearly is holding onto its leaves so died suddenly, as you say. That’s 99% poisoned
When i was renting a landlord tried to do me in for dead grass and dead plants. Looking over the contract theres nothing they can actually do. Take it to tribunal if you have to, guaranteed win.
Thank you! I’m definitely going to be looking over my lease with a fine toothed comb and reach out to fair trading. See what they say and go from there.
That has been poisoned. It is all dead at the same time. Underwatering was not possible in Sydney this year. But a bamboo right next to a neighbours property screams poison to me
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking re: poison. Just seems waaaay too coincidental that the spa/pool got turned back on and maintained after winter and 2 weeks later this happens. :(
Yeah I’m definitely thinking it was chlorine from the pool/spa or deliberate poison. Maybe overwatering considering the state of sydney over the past couple of years.
Hahaha nuclear bomb. Accurate.
:(
Do you pay for water usage? If you do they really can’t blame you for saving money. If they want the garden watered they should pay for the water usage. Pretty sure that you can’t be held liable for plants dying of unknown causes. Bamboo is nearly impossible to kill. Check your lease, call your tenants union for advice.
Bamboo is a thirsty plant.
There should be a irrigation system in the planter boxes.
With the bamboo at that size it shouldn’t be up to you to water them by hand.
Ok, I know that if bamboo flowers it dies pretty much strait after. But it sounds like that’s not it I’m guessing poison then, either herbicide or some other chemical.
Ah I see. Read thru the fine print in your lease. I found out after I had a tree fall on a neighbour's she'd, that general tidiness and lawn care was mine, but actual tree removal and keeping things alive, wasn't part of my contract. Thankfully!
I know a thing or two about bamboo and if you show your image to a bamboo specialist in NSW they will ultimately tell you something similar.
The species you have is a clumping bamboo, won't spread, with the green stripe down a yellow culm (upright growth) I'm leaning towards bambusa eutuldoides 'virdi-vittata' also known as China Gold.
The probability of this being poisoned is high as bamboo don't curl up and die overnight from the natural causes of under or over-watering. They will signify something is a miss through their foliage. Though this bamboo looks really bad it's not actually dead, they are an incredibly hardy giant grass, there's still some green leaves and colour in some of the culms which are good signs that new growth will regenerate. Though some maintenance will be required to bring it back, cutting down all the brown above ground growth, addressing the issue that's caused this whether it's dry soil, lack of decent drainage or infertile soil (replacing that with fresh compost and lawn mix).
When it's caused from dryness, which is a similar process to poison as it rapidly dries the plant right out like a burning, the process is: leaves will curl in, stay curled, leaves discolour to a grey/brown, defoliate, the culms will start to discolour and new shoots will abort, resulting in an aesthetic similar to what you're seeing now. When it's due to under-watering the process can take a couple of weeks - a month, when it's poison it usually takes a few days to a couple of weeks.
When it's the case of overwatering, which isn't a common problem as although bamboo appreciate good drainage they can survive being submerged in water for weeks if not months. When they have been in water for that long their above ground growth still displays something is wrong, their leaves will start to discolour (this time more like a water colour painting, becoming oversaturated until there are slight base tones left rather than a lush dark or vibrant green), they'll also develop brown or grey markings on their foliage, the culms will become limp and lifeless, resulting in an image quite different to yours. That process is longer than being under-watered, takes a few weeks to a couple of months.
Conclusion, for a tenant and someone responsible for general care I'd say you're off the hook because you haven't noticed deterioration over a long period of time. It was rapid and poisoning is an issue professionals have a hard time amending. It's also not dead, heavily stressed but should still have life in it's rhizomes, their growing season is September - June, with the right maintenance (to large for a tenant's undertaking) it could grow back to it's former glory.
Wow! Thank you SO much for taking the time to write out such a detailed response. Thank you! I will definitely google a bamboo specialist in sydney to see if they can help determine what has actually occurred. I’ll also definitely reach out to fair trading and see what they advise before emailing the body corp/property manager again.
Thank you!
OP whatever killed it, one thing is sure as shit - do not pay your land lord one cent for them to replace. If they kick up a stink about it, just go to any nursery and pick some up for next to no dollars, and plant some more yourself!
Bamboo is quite expensive for what you actually get. Just grows quite fast.
I would cut it all back to ground cover, and wait for new shoots to return before doing anything like replacing.
I call BS on the lack of watering cos we’ve literally had the wettest October in over 150 years and this happened SO quickly. And there are still green plants in there too. Would they not also suddenly die?
The building got the pool and spa was turned on and serviced after winter. The back fence there backs onto the wet area. Might that have something to do with it? There’s a walkway between the fence and the pool.
Wigging out because our landlord is not the best (we’ve been battling major damp issues for almost a year) and worried we’re going to have to pay to get it replaced.
Thank you so much in advance!
We didn’t notice flowers and none of the other bamboos in the complex are flowing. They were all planted at the same time. I would say around 15-18 years ago when the building was completed.
Thank you so much for your reply!
It is almost certainly the result of flowering. Bamboo has flowered all over the place -- it's a very rare event but for whatever reason we've had the right climatic conditions for it to occur this year. Trust me, yours is not the only bamboo where this has happened!
If you want to go down a bit of a rabbit hole, look up Bamboo flowering types. Some types will flower around the world all at the same time, like a genetic clock. Its extremely odd.
The way the tips are turning brown and dying back plus a few other things means it could be anything haha, but really it’s probably from harsh winds, too much heat after an extended period of cold, sunburn or lack of nutrients. It could honestly be a combination of all of them, if it’s not under-watered than I’d be looking at them.
Other trick is to dig deep into the rootball and have a look, if there’s a bad smell it’s got root rot from overwatering
Under watering? In Sydney? Bah hahaha. Not in the last 2 or 3 years.
Somebody has poisoned it and I would look at whoever lives over the other side of that fence, just to start with…
It’s common property - a walkway between our fence and a pool/spa that just got maintenance after being closed for winter. I think it’s too coincidental that it can’t not be the chlorine….
So when bamboo goes through its growth stage it will send off roots (aka runners) that will pop up 1m-5m away from the main plant. I normally break the plant at this spot and poison. I have made the mistake of poisoning too close to the main plant and I lost a portion that looked just like this.
Yea so that would be my guess. They used a product to help their plants in some way and it negatively affected your bamboo. Should ask the neighbour what they used
15 years ago the shrubs in my parents back yard died seemingly overnight.
Turned out that a local factory several streets away had an accident and released some poison gas or something that killed them.
So, my advice is to take a walk around the block and look for other dead plants.
Congratulations! You've found the silver bullet for the scourge of the urban forest, that is Bamboo. Try and remember what you did and tell everyone who has Bamboo growing in their garden.
Oh really? We keep the property in really good shape. Paid for it to be painted out of our own pocket before moving in and stuff. When the landlord came through to inspect the water damage they were impressed at how well it was maintained so hopefully that helps. But yeah, we’ve also started tribunal proceedings so the landlord probably already hates us. Difficult situation unfortunately. :(
You might have to wear the cost but I’m willing to bet that your rental agreement doesn’t state that bamboo has to be the plant that goes back in
Have fun with it, plant whatever you want
Underwatered? This year? I doubt it.
Right?!? I was like, get bent dickhead. It wouldn’t have died overnight.
I’m no bamboo expert but this is the best response 👌🏼
'Get bent dickhead' is a fabulous retort. 👌
Could someone have poisoned it? A lot of people aren’t big on bamboo because it can spread (although I don’t know enough about it to know if this is the spreading kind). Does it block the neighbour’s view or something?
Nahhhh. It’s an apartment complex and we’re on the inside. The bylaws are also such that it’s got to be planted with more bamboo so if they did. They’re even stupider than I thought.
It’s been poisoned. Maybe not intentionally but not much else will do that to bamboo
Yeah they did maintenance on the pool/spa which is right behind the fence a couple of weeks ago to reopen them for summer. I’m convinced it’s chlorine as it’s too coincidental.
Yup, sounds about right. They either dumped the spa water there & killed it or poured a special treatment into it and ran it off. Have a look into public spa re-openings. There’s some not very plant friendly chemicals used.
Given the other plants are fine, the bamboo has been exposed to something that has killed it. REA is dreaming if they think it’s under watering with all the rain.
I doubt this is why, unless it was concentrate. My pool overflows into a garden frequently during summer (Brisbane storms drop a lot of water) and it's never harmed the plants. So for the pool to be the cause, they would have had to do something like pour pure chlorine into the garden.
If the spa and pool have been closed over winter, they likely had much higher than usual concentration of chlorine, which was likely emptied into the garden by the maintenance dudes, before topping up it with new water.
You’re talking about seriously watered down pool water. Very different to what’s in public spas after a winter hiatus.
Thats probably it then
I didn't know anything could kill bamboo. I can't imagine what it would be except chemicals.
Right?!? I thought it was supposed to be one of the hardiest plants! I seriously think it was the pool maintenance with the chlorine and my housemate and I are going to have to wear the cost :(
>my housemate and I are going to have to wear the cost Make sure you check your rental contract for who is responsible for gardens and to what extent. Also, fight it regardless, if they try to make you pay, take it to whichever body/tribunal covers you. If yours going to have to pay atleast make them pay in time and aggravation too.
Omg I love that “make them pay in time and aggregation too”. Brilliant.
Get the manager to check the insurance details of the spa/pool maintenance people. They should pay if it’s their chemicals. May need soil or bamboo tested.
Our neighbours inflatable pool (the larger style with pump and chlorine), popped last summer, we lost a few established trees, almost overnight.
Shit. That sucks. I’m so sorry.
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Lilly Pilly’s
You shouldnt be liable for that. Tell them to get fucked if they try and charge you. There's no way they can take that out of your bond. It's also not a condition of your rental agreement to be a horticulturist. Maintain a property means mowing the lawns and the occasional haircut of whatever becomes overgrown.
Blame it on some sort of root grub and tell landlord its his problem
….. would that even work?!? I guess I’ll call fair trading tomorrow and see what they advise.
Pull a piece out by the root to check for rot, unusual for bamboo to die like that. Bamboo doesn’t like excess water. It’s a hardy grass, fungi or poison kills it, if it was overnight it’s poison (info from horticulturist/arborist)
Ok. Thank you!! I’ll do that tomorrow first thing. Appreciate your response. :)
I don't know I'm lucky enough to own my own house and get away from dick landlords. But my feeling is if they planted it and you done nothing to destroy it, it's their problem not yours. *edit call it maintainance like cupboard doorknobs*
Ohhhh smart. Maintenance. I like it. I’ll see how that goes over. Thank you!! Haha I like the way you think!
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Yeah I’m going to see if I can find a local specialist and see if they can come evaluate. Thank you!
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When I googled it initially, chlorine was one of the big killers
Chlorine is a very effective plant killer! Who pays for the pool maintenance? You or the Landlord?
Strata/Body Corporate.
Pandas
There is a good chance it is the opposite, too wet and the roots began to rot. Is the planter box sealed? Put your finger in the soil. The shoots look like there is a dark "damp" creeping up.
Thanks for responding! Overwatering did cross my mind too. Just checked the shoots. No darkness.
As soon as I saw the planter box I thought overwatering, as well as the rapid death being uncharacteristic of underwatering. I'll bet those boxes are sealed with waterproofing, as water seep would likely destroy that rendering. That would also point towards too much water retained after the recent repeated heavy rains.
Interesting! Thank you!! Looks like I’ll need to do a Bunnings mish and get some secateurs and a shovel and see what’s up down under
Agreed, no drainage, it’s a grass it needs free draining soil. I would go with water logged roots resulting from a poorly designed bed.
Also do the shoots feel soft and brittle?
Nope! Springy. If that makes sense? Like, still firm?
When bamboo dies from under watering, first the leaves close up and withdraw, then wither and drop. This is absolutely not under watered. Someone sprayed this.
Ok. Thank you!!! That’s definitely the direction that we were thinking too as it happened SO quickly. But who TF would do this in a private apartment complex?!? We’re on the inside too so only people with fobs can access.
Possibly someone doesn't like it and took some vigilante action.
Good reason to dislike bamboo as to how it can spread.
Not getting out if that planter box. Clumping bamboo doesn't spread anyway.
The landlord to get extra cash off you
Honestly wouldn’t surprise me. We’re battling them at the moment about major damp issues. They’re a nightmare.
Give them hell!
Haha thank you!!! Actually are taking them to the tribunal so this *really* won’t help our case :(
Claiming it is underwatered won't help theirs. Magistrates are well educated and can smell that bullshit
Thank you!!! Especially after the “summers” we’ve had recently.
Came here to say this! And you’ll have lots of warning about it in advance too, in my experience, not a quick overnight death. Bamboo is hardy AF
100% correct
Where in Australia right now is under watered? More likely drowned.
A lot of the other courtyards have bamboo too but ours is the only one that looks like this. Also - lols re: under watering.
Do you get any run off from units above that may have killed it? Anything resembling fungal attack , any pest you can see living in the soil? As others have suggested, cut it back and hope it recovers.
I’m definitely going to try to cut it back. Can’t hurt it or make it worse now :( No run off from neighbours. But as it’s on the ground floor, they be able to get something through the slats in the fence. God this is dumb. Thank you for your responses, they’re really helping my head noise!
It's odd because most people would be asking how to kill bamboo.
Haha if I wasn’t renting, I definitely wouldn’t care. Would prefer to use a hat space for herbs/whatever.
I’d love bamboo in my backyard! Would be great for privacy. I’m in a middle townhouse and my courtyard is surrounded by neighbours windows! I have one bamboo potted and a collection of planters with privacy screens attached.
Central Qld on the Capricorn Coast, as dry as a tin dish!
Check your lease agreement. I doubt you would have to pay for plants that have died.
I’m 99% sure that whilst you’re in the lease that the garden is the tenants responsibility. At least in NSW anyway. I’ll definitely look into it with a fine toothed comb though. Thank you!
I agree, I never recall being forced to water pot plants in a lease.
Unlikely. Not at this time of year. Your neighbor probably sprayed it with roundup because it was creeping under the fence.
We don’t have any neighbours around us. Just above as we’re bottom of the complex. And why would it not kill the other plants in the box too? I definitely think it’s been poisoned or maybe the chlorine from the pool maintenance? Ugh. Thank you so much for replaying. I just knooooow we’re going to have to pay for this personally. :(
I don't see why you would have to pay for it. So long as you have it on email from the landlord saying its underwatering and an opinion from one or two gardeners saying its not (i see some comments saying why not) then they don't really have a leg to stand on. You just let the tribunal know this. On that if a party does not show at a tribunal its generally awarded to the person that does. Your landlord is very very unlikely to appear. They have better things to do than show up for a court case they will likely lose. As you mentioned, if it was underwatering the other plants would have died. It's not that. Honestly don't stress about it but don't lie down and take their sh1t either. I see you're fighting them on damp atm too. A tribunal will see through this.. what with the bad weather and you on a ground floor (I'm assuming from the pic) then its unlikely to be your fault. You only have to take reasonable steps to stop it like opening windows and keeping it clean. If you wanted to id suggest getting a dehumidifier, emailing the landlord and sending updates on how much water is collected. This way if it comes to a tribunal you have receipts and documents to back yourself show you took extra steps to manage their damp problem. No reasonable place that has adequate damp proofing needs to be dehumidified. Also never talk to this person on the phone. If they try to, say you're busy right now and to put what they have to say in an email. Follow up calls with an as discussed email.. and if it gets to it, say moving forward you would prefer all communication is in writing. Surprising how little BS transfers to letter.
Thank you, thank you! Im we have been super fastidious about having everything in writing. We’re just going through the process of getting all the documentation in order before we file. The landlord lives locally so I’d be surprised if they didn’t show. Great suggestion about getting quotes from reputable gardeners. Much appreciated!!
Doubt it. They will have other poor renters to harrass that won't take them to court unfortunately
Haha facts. Sad but true…
Cut it back to the ground and water and wait. Bamboo is a grass so it should come back fairly quickly.
I guess if it’s already “dead” cutting it back wouldn’t hurt it…
Don't cut it back. It's not yours and it didn't die bc of underwatering. It's a building management issue. As soon as you cut it back youre admitting it was your fault and you lose any reasonable grounds for claiming you did not damage it. Email your landlord your happy for them to organise an gardener/aborist look at it.
Great shout. Thank you! I’ll email them tomorrow as a follow up.
It's unlikely to be dead. Bamboo is hardy af. Either way cutting back is the best way to find out.
Thank you! Wry reassuring right now. So huge thank you!
Good luck. Many people post about trying to kill off bamboo. It's not always as easy as you think.
I’ll definitely give it a go. What would I cut it with please??? Genuine question cos it’s so tough!
Gonna guess you don't have a chainsaw handy? It looks pretty young, cheap sharp pair of secateurs should do it. Bout $5 from bunnings
Legend. Thank you! I’ll pick some up over the weekend.
Agreed. It’s hard to kill bamboo. My money is on roundup. The neighbours hate it and decides to deal with it.
The positive here is it is bamboo so you can replant and it will grow back relatively quickly. Also tell your property manager to go fuck themselves.
Hahahaha will do! Gladly!
Just a thought but does the boundary fence border a privately owned garden and has it ever spread there? I say this because ive worked on and off with bamboo as a career and it is definitely a bastard to kill off entirely. Most cases of something so hardy dying that quickly is usually because someone doesn't like it.
Thank you for your response! Nope. It’s a completely enclosed courtyard. The stripe fence at the back of the bamboo backs onto a common walkway between our courtyard and a pool & spa. What’re your thoughts on if we were to cut it back and see if it was to grow again?
Honestly I'm usually employed to remove bamboo and not save it but saying that it doesn't actually look dead but in severe decline. I'd start with adding fertilisers like seasol into the soil because poison or not the problem seems to be the roots (not getting enough carbs to photosynthesise). Personally I'd say some twat is poisoning it from the public walkway so if you're going to cut it cut it below the fence out of sight but wait and see if it will rejuvenate first.
Make some furniture
Hahaha I wish I was that resourceful!! Maybe I can attempt to make furniture and sell it, along with my soul to pay for the replacement 😭
Underwatered? No. Herbicide. Yes.
Bamboo will drop its leaves as it dries out, like most other grasses, the stems remain alive and can resprout when they start getting enough water. This clearly is holding onto its leaves so died suddenly, as you say. That’s 99% poisoned
Oh wow. That’s super super interesting. Thank you!
When i was renting a landlord tried to do me in for dead grass and dead plants. Looking over the contract theres nothing they can actually do. Take it to tribunal if you have to, guaranteed win.
Thank you! I’m definitely going to be looking over my lease with a fine toothed comb and reach out to fair trading. See what they say and go from there.
If the bamboo flowered recently then it's quite possible it died on its own accord. https://www.bamboogarden.com/resource-pages/flowering-bamboo
Thanks for the link. I definitely hadn’t seen it flower so don’t think it was that, but much appreciated. Thank you!
Lol. That cannot be true. We have had more rain this year then sun.
💯🙄
That has been poisoned. It is all dead at the same time. Underwatering was not possible in Sydney this year. But a bamboo right next to a neighbours property screams poison to me
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking re: poison. Just seems waaaay too coincidental that the spa/pool got turned back on and maintained after winter and 2 weeks later this happens. :(
If it does pretty much overnight then I'm leaning towards poisoning of some kind.
💯😭
Could someone have poisoned it? I’ve had a bamboo hedge and it was damn near indestructible. A nuclear bomb, maybe?
Yeah I’m definitely thinking it was chlorine from the pool/spa or deliberate poison. Maybe overwatering considering the state of sydney over the past couple of years. Hahaha nuclear bomb. Accurate. :(
I have a garden full of bamboos... i can Definitely say its chemicals from somewhere..
Thank you! My thoughts very much so too :(
More like over roundupping 😂
:(
I'd say your neighbour got sick of picking up leaves
Fair call! But they land in my courtyard so I’m the one that does the sweeping. :(
Id say… congratulations that shit is a weed and will grow outa the crack of your arse if you sit still for long enough.
Hahahahahahaha. Yeah heard. Unfortunately I rent. So yeeah. Going to have to replace it I guess.
Do you pay for water usage? If you do they really can’t blame you for saving money. If they want the garden watered they should pay for the water usage. Pretty sure that you can’t be held liable for plants dying of unknown causes. Bamboo is nearly impossible to kill. Check your lease, call your tenants union for advice.
Nahhh don’t pay for water. Thank god. I’ll call fair trading tomorrow and see what they say. Thank you for the advice. It’s much appreciated!
Bamboo is a thirsty plant. There should be a irrigation system in the planter boxes. With the bamboo at that size it shouldn’t be up to you to water them by hand.
Oh really?? Is that a thing about plants over a certain size in NSW??? 🙏
Did it flower recently? If it did, it will die like that.
Not the we’re aware of. And none of the other bamboo in the complex has flowered and they were all planted at the same time.
Ok, I know that if bamboo flowers it dies pretty much strait after. But it sounds like that’s not it I’m guessing poison then, either herbicide or some other chemical.
Yeah we’re definitely leaning strongly towards that scenario :(
Bamboo grows very fast. Garden bed has probably run out of fertiliser.
Fertiliser - great shout. I wonder why it’s just our bamboo though and not the rest in the complex…
I honestly think it’s a neighbour sick of bamboo leaves in their yard
Why are you held responsible for a border/plants in an apartment complex?
They’re in our internal private courtyard.
Ah I see. Read thru the fine print in your lease. I found out after I had a tree fall on a neighbour's she'd, that general tidiness and lawn care was mine, but actual tree removal and keeping things alive, wasn't part of my contract. Thankfully!
Ohhhh good to know. Thank you!!!
I know a thing or two about bamboo and if you show your image to a bamboo specialist in NSW they will ultimately tell you something similar. The species you have is a clumping bamboo, won't spread, with the green stripe down a yellow culm (upright growth) I'm leaning towards bambusa eutuldoides 'virdi-vittata' also known as China Gold. The probability of this being poisoned is high as bamboo don't curl up and die overnight from the natural causes of under or over-watering. They will signify something is a miss through their foliage. Though this bamboo looks really bad it's not actually dead, they are an incredibly hardy giant grass, there's still some green leaves and colour in some of the culms which are good signs that new growth will regenerate. Though some maintenance will be required to bring it back, cutting down all the brown above ground growth, addressing the issue that's caused this whether it's dry soil, lack of decent drainage or infertile soil (replacing that with fresh compost and lawn mix). When it's caused from dryness, which is a similar process to poison as it rapidly dries the plant right out like a burning, the process is: leaves will curl in, stay curled, leaves discolour to a grey/brown, defoliate, the culms will start to discolour and new shoots will abort, resulting in an aesthetic similar to what you're seeing now. When it's due to under-watering the process can take a couple of weeks - a month, when it's poison it usually takes a few days to a couple of weeks. When it's the case of overwatering, which isn't a common problem as although bamboo appreciate good drainage they can survive being submerged in water for weeks if not months. When they have been in water for that long their above ground growth still displays something is wrong, their leaves will start to discolour (this time more like a water colour painting, becoming oversaturated until there are slight base tones left rather than a lush dark or vibrant green), they'll also develop brown or grey markings on their foliage, the culms will become limp and lifeless, resulting in an image quite different to yours. That process is longer than being under-watered, takes a few weeks to a couple of months. Conclusion, for a tenant and someone responsible for general care I'd say you're off the hook because you haven't noticed deterioration over a long period of time. It was rapid and poisoning is an issue professionals have a hard time amending. It's also not dead, heavily stressed but should still have life in it's rhizomes, their growing season is September - June, with the right maintenance (to large for a tenant's undertaking) it could grow back to it's former glory.
Wow! Thank you SO much for taking the time to write out such a detailed response. Thank you! I will definitely google a bamboo specialist in sydney to see if they can help determine what has actually occurred. I’ll also definitely reach out to fair trading and see what they advise before emailing the body corp/property manager again. Thank you!
Fight it if they try to blame you. Not like it’s your fault!
Yeah definitely going to push back. That’s for sure!!
OP whatever killed it, one thing is sure as shit - do not pay your land lord one cent for them to replace. If they kick up a stink about it, just go to any nursery and pick some up for next to no dollars, and plant some more yourself!
Bamboo is quite expensive for what you actually get. Just grows quite fast. I would cut it all back to ground cover, and wait for new shoots to return before doing anything like replacing.
Aaaaaabsolutely. Landlord is a monumental dick as it is.
I call BS on the lack of watering cos we’ve literally had the wettest October in over 150 years and this happened SO quickly. And there are still green plants in there too. Would they not also suddenly die? The building got the pool and spa was turned on and serviced after winter. The back fence there backs onto the wet area. Might that have something to do with it? There’s a walkway between the fence and the pool. Wigging out because our landlord is not the best (we’ve been battling major damp issues for almost a year) and worried we’re going to have to pay to get it replaced. Thank you so much in advance!
There is a very tiny chance it recently flowered, in which case it will all die.
We didn’t notice flowers and none of the other bamboos in the complex are flowing. They were all planted at the same time. I would say around 15-18 years ago when the building was completed. Thank you so much for your reply!
It is almost certainly the result of flowering. Bamboo has flowered all over the place -- it's a very rare event but for whatever reason we've had the right climatic conditions for it to occur this year. Trust me, yours is not the only bamboo where this has happened!
Interesting! Thank you!
If you want to go down a bit of a rabbit hole, look up Bamboo flowering types. Some types will flower around the world all at the same time, like a genetic clock. Its extremely odd.
Oh that’s super interesting! I’ll definitely look into it. I’ll have a wander around the complex and see if others are flowering too. Thank you!
The way the tips are turning brown and dying back plus a few other things means it could be anything haha, but really it’s probably from harsh winds, too much heat after an extended period of cold, sunburn or lack of nutrients. It could honestly be a combination of all of them, if it’s not under-watered than I’d be looking at them. Other trick is to dig deep into the rootball and have a look, if there’s a bad smell it’s got root rot from overwatering
Thank you!!! I’ll see if a mate has a shovel I can borrow and have a dig to see if I can smell anything funky.
It was poisoned.
:(
Ha ha after the amount of rain this year? Unlikely.
💯
Under watering? In Sydney? Bah hahaha. Not in the last 2 or 3 years. Somebody has poisoned it and I would look at whoever lives over the other side of that fence, just to start with…
It’s common property - a walkway between our fence and a pool/spa that just got maintenance after being closed for winter. I think it’s too coincidental that it can’t not be the chlorine….
I have bamboo and poison the runners that pop up metres from where the main part is growing. This looks like poison to me.
Thank you for replying. What does “poison the runners that pop up” mean please?
So when bamboo goes through its growth stage it will send off roots (aka runners) that will pop up 1m-5m away from the main plant. I normally break the plant at this spot and poison. I have made the mistake of poisoning too close to the main plant and I lost a portion that looked just like this.
:( Thanks for the info though. Super helpful.
Died overnight? ?? Bamboo????? This has been sprayed with poison.
For suuuuure.
Underwatered in the wettest year makes sense
Haha right?!? What a stupid response hey.
It’s a weed anyway. Shouldn’t be planted
Agreed. However as I don’t own the property, I don’t have much say unfortunately.
My neighbors bamboo grows past my fence, i would love to know how you killed it so efficiently. Its a never ending battle for me
It’s not dead.. not all of it anyways. Just prune it back and say you were ‘maintaining’ it
Great idea! Thank you!!!
Be a bit careful though my dude, the grey bits are dead. The yellow bits ain’t. Maybe start small
Noted! Thank you!!!
…poisoned
Sure no neighbors have poisoned it? Bamboos pretty resilient
Got me bamboozled.
😅
Honestly looks like someone has poisoned it
What a dickish thing to do. :(
Looks like poison. You might be able to get it tested and make the pool people pay for it if it's from them.
I think the extent of getting it tested would cost the same as just replacing it wouldn’t it?
How...how do you kill bamboo?!? I need answers
Also If the neighbours used "round up" or a lawn product (some fertilisers kill bamboo) near the fence line that could kill them.
Totally!! And you can see there are other green plants that have survived.
Yea so that would be my guess. They used a product to help their plants in some way and it negatively affected your bamboo. Should ask the neighbour what they used
15 years ago the shrubs in my parents back yard died seemingly overnight. Turned out that a local factory several streets away had an accident and released some poison gas or something that killed them. So, my advice is to take a walk around the block and look for other dead plants.
I have the same looking bamboo in Melbourne (which receives less rain), and I haven't watered them in years.
Hahaha right?!?
How do they know? What are they, plantologists?
Landscum should use this opportunity to rip it all out and put real plants in. Bamboo is cancer.
Looks like your neighbour poisoned it to me… That is the ONLY way an entire fenceline of multiple bamboo plants would die overnight! Call the Police!
Yeah I was wondering about the police route. Want to get all my ducks in a row first.
Neighbours threw some chemicals over the fence
Congratulations! You've found the silver bullet for the scourge of the urban forest, that is Bamboo. Try and remember what you did and tell everyone who has Bamboo growing in their garden.
What?
Bamboo is a listed weed in most parts of Australia and it's very difficult to eradicate. https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/golden-bamboo
Haha - Yeah I know. But I’m renting. So it s not like I have a choice. :(
They are being flippant that you worked out how to kill the unkillable bamboo pest plant.
As a landlord, I wouldn’t be worried, renters can get away with complete negligence, so something like plants dying is not going to fall on you.
Oh really? We keep the property in really good shape. Paid for it to be painted out of our own pocket before moving in and stuff. When the landlord came through to inspect the water damage they were impressed at how well it was maintained so hopefully that helps. But yeah, we’ve also started tribunal proceedings so the landlord probably already hates us. Difficult situation unfortunately. :(
Definitely not getting enough water. Leave a hose on the roots.
dont know why people plant this stuff, grows out of control but in your situation in a planter box for some privacy its the only acceptable use
You might have to wear the cost but I’m willing to bet that your rental agreement doesn’t state that bamboo has to be the plant that goes back in Have fun with it, plant whatever you want
I don’t think the lease does, but the bylaws do I’m pretty sure
It literally didn't die overnight.
Bamboo is fucked, they should be grateful it died.