I, too, could use some help in this regard, as my now three year old scheme to plant golden bamboo in elevated containers is, mostly, coming to naught. Most of the plants did well for a year or so but have, by now, mostly petered out, etc. (fyi containers were insulated, mulched, etc.) So, rather than containers, I'm now aiming to tear out a 2' wide strip of my cement patio, and plant some hearty bamboo into the ground, which, hopefully, will grown to at least 12ft high, concealing my rear-yard neighbors chain link fence and patio beyond, without running and sprouting in my next door neighbor's yard. I'm looking for the densest screen possible, with the year round beauty of bamboo. From perusing these posts, so far it seems like Bambusa multiplex is a good candidate. What about fargesica robusta? Any other suggestions? Any input appreciated. Thanks.

R - bulbs like tulips, hyacinth, daffodils ..... need to go through a process called vernalization, which is required if the bulb is to bloom after the process. Some bulbs will come to you having already completed the process - some won't. Ideally, the bulbs would be potted and arranged in the pot at an appropriate depth in the late fall, then kept at temps lower than 42* but above the freezing mark. I've had very good luck with potting up the bulbs in the fall, then simply leaving the pot resting on the garage floor through the winter. I usually toss a little snow on the soil 2 or 3 times during winter so the soil doesn't dry out completely. I then bring the bulbs in sometime after January's end, or set them out during warm spells in the spring so they can bloom ahead of their counterparts in the ground. Bone meal is essentially insoluble/inert in containers, so there is no need to add it. You can mix a little granular fertilizer into the soil when you pot the bulbs, but that better serves the next generation of blooms, rather than those already itching for a chance to show their stuff. "Insulating" the pot only serves a purpose if you're using the insulation to trap an extraneous source of heat. If you put a gallon of water in the freezer next to a Dixie cup of water, they both reach the same temperature in the end - one just reaches it faster. Also, if you put 1 Dixie cup in the freezer w/o protection and another inside of an insulated cooler, they both reach the same temperatures, eventually. If your pot sits on the ground, insulation can help marginally IF the bottom isn't insulated. Then, geothermal heat from the earth can be conducted through the pot's bottom into the root mass where it's trapped by the insulation. You can see, in this example, it would be a good idea to insulate the top of the soil/pot as well. or most of the advantage is lost. Just remember that you can 'trap' heat from the ground or sidewalls of a heated building, but you shouldn't inhibit the pot's ability to gain that heat by placing insulation between the pot and source of heat. Al

Thanks! I thought I was doing something wrong. Also a little concerned that they won't get enough of a start to last through the hot days of summer....but that's another issue!

Sorry for the late reply, HU-243901113. I don't regularly fertilize my Jiaogulan plants, but do occasionally water them with some 'Foliage Pro' in the water, which is what I water my citrus trees with. My first year growing them I kept them in a near total shady spot, and they grew very slowly. When I moved them to a sunnier spot they grew much faster, but too much sun wilted them badly. I now keep mine in a spot were they get the morning sun, and afternoon shade when the day is hotter. They have thrived in that spot. I started/grew Jiaogulan plants last winter in a SunBlaster Grow Light Garden kit I got off Amazon, and it worked OK. I also have put them in a window where they grow, but not as fast as when outdoors. Most of the Jiaogulan roots in the pictures above died this past winter (I should have moved them to a more protected area when the prolong super cold temps came), but they produced a lot of berries last year which I harvested for seed (berries are not edible by the way). Those seeds germinated and I now have replacement plants just as good as the ones above. When they sprouted, the vines had 3 leafs, but now they have matured into 5 leaf Jiaogulan plants. I don't think I'd be willing to sell any of my plants. I got my starter plants from Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens Herbs, and highly recommend purchasing plants from him. I have purchased plants elsewhere. Not all Jiaogulan plants taste them same, some are bitter, some sweeter, some have no flavor at all. The bare root plants I got from Hollis were most vigorous and had a pleasant taste. I use mostly the leaves for tea, as most of the beneficial properties in Jiaogulan are concentrated in the leaves, from what I have read. I don't *think* the roots or flowers are edible (haven't confirmed they are), but I have read in Jiaogulan resource books that the berries should not be consumed. . Good luck!