My DH is interested in growing bamboo (for crafts and furniture-making), and since we reside in zone 8b, I was thinking that moso sounds like it might be the ticket. I am told that we should have a mature grove in 5 years, and that it's not as invasive as the small stuff. We also have a supplier within Saturday-afternoon driving distance.
I wanted to know if anyone on the board has experience with growing the larger bamboos (any cultivated bamboo, for that matter). I'd like to know what you think of your patch - - do you like it, or wish you'd've never planted it? Does it require any special treatment?
TIA!
~ True grits, more grits, fish grits and collards. Life is good, where grits are swollar'd.
Posts: 379 | Location: zone 8b, MS | Registered: December 22, 2003
I like the larger bamboos. By the time they spread out big enough to worry about, the inside culms (the older ones(are big enough to harvest for sprouts and timber. Then the patch can spread back inwards, after a little bit of addition of organic stuff. When you harvest bamboo, for whatever reason, you stop worrying about it taking over. There's never quite enough to go around. Don't forget about using black and yellowgroove bamboo, too. they make a lovely small timber.
Thanks! I'll have to remember to ask about some of the other ornamental timber bamboos. (Might make good small shelving units, or what other sort of furniture/craft ideas?) I'd looked at some of the striped bamboos, and also the black. Have to check out the yellow, tho. We only have three acres, so we are kind of limited in how much we can plant, but I imagine with DH using it for timber, you're right, we'll prolly use as much as we can grow. We've got a bamboo living room set that we bought while we were stationed in the Phillippines, and it's 15 years old and still going strong. ('Tho I doubt we can grow bamboo of quite that large a diameter.) I know it makes a nice, sturdy lumber.
Now we have to find a free Saturday, and get over to Bamboo Gardens of LA. I hope culms aren't too large and difficult to transplant. You mentioned refurbishing organic matter - do you think they'd do well in a milorganite-type base? (We've got half a small dumptruck load that I was afraid to use on vegetables.) I'm kind of excited to get started on planting some of this stuff.
~ True grits, more grits, fish grits and collards. Life is good, where grits are swollar'd.
Posts: 379 | Location: zone 8b, MS | Registered: December 22, 2003
