GaryD 1,118 Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hi, Recently, we've begun to explore planting bamboo on our place. Our first planting (Gigantochloa wrayii) was across the front fence line - to screen traffic noise, dust and light spill. Today, we visited a place called Bamboo Down Under - on the way to Mt Tamborine. We bought several Chinese Dwarf bamboo to screen morning sun and neighbours from the proposed farm kitchen section of our new pergola set up. Jan also bought a thing called Gigantochloa maxima......which eventually gets to be about 10m high. A little googling reveals some very interesting things about bamboo. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
grassroots 10 Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hi Gary I've noticed you put this post in fodder crops. Do you intend to feed it to any of your livestock? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted November 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hi Grassroots, I read that some species of bamboo are good for cattle fodder but, other than that, my choice of forum was based on the fact that we don't have one for plants that look good and have dozens of uses......yet! Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hofmann 11 Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 I remember thinking what a brilliant idea it was to plant bamboo in that ditch on the creek st blog. Whilst I've no doubt there are many other uses, as a building material it has no equal. Super strong, super light, super flexible and very attractive. Grows like crazy and you don't even have to mill it down. When I left school I was a scaffolder for a number of years and I always wanted to have a go at the bamboo scaffolds in asia but at $1 a day, there was going to be a pay dispute, possibly leading to union involvement. Anyway, the only thing that's stopped me putting it to clients as a possible material is I don't really know how to make joins. It doesn't seem to like to be drilled or screwed as it splits easy which I gather is why they tie it. It seems like it would be perfect to make those domed green houses and pergolas would look great in it. Of course you have to be carefull of the variety. The running ones that take over your whole yard, and the neighbours yard, are what gave it a bad name in the first place. My parents spent thousands when I was a kid trying to get rid of some and never really won the battle. I shudder to think what they put in that yard. Agent orange probably would have been under consideration by the end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted January 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 Hi Dan, I remember thinking what a brilliant idea it was to plant bamboo in that ditch on the creek st blog. Whilst I've no doubt there are many other uses, as a building material it has no equal. Super strong, super light, super flexible and very attractive. Grows like crazy and you don't even have to mill it down. We've only discovered bamboo relatively recently but we're already in love with it. When I left school I was a scaffolder for a number of years and I always wanted to have a go at the bamboo scaffolds in asia but at $1 a day, there was going to be a pay dispute, possibly leading to union involvement. About 10 years ago, Jan and I visited Hong Kong and Singapore. I remember looking out of our hotel window one afternoon and seeing a bunch of building workers on a vacant allotment alongside of the hotel......about ten stories below. About 3.00am the next morning, I was awakened by a noise outside of the window and, as I swung the curtains back, I came face-to-face with a person erecting a bamboo scaffold......right outside the window. The second surprise was that the scaffolder was a woman. She was part of a team of women that was building the scaffolding. I enquired the next day......they are very quick and the whole thing is tied together.....not a scaffold clamp in sight. Oh.....and no safety harness.....or OH&S representatives and no union disputes. Anyway, the only thing that's stopped me putting it to clients as a possible material is I don't really know how to make joins. It doesn't seem to like to be drilled or screwed as it splits easy which I gather is why they tie it. It seems like it would be perfect to make those domed green houses and pergolas would look great in it. I have yet to make anything from bamboo (other than tomato trellises) but I've seen photos of bamboo structures made by Japanese craftsmen that suggests that it is very versatile. Of course you have to be carefull of the variety. The running ones that take over your whole yard, and the neighbours yard, are what gave it a bad name in the first place. My parents spent thousands when I was a kid trying to get rid of some and never really won the battle. I shudder to think what they put in that yard. Agent orange probably would have been under consideration by the end. We bought clumping varieties.....and, so far, they are performing beautifully. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hofmann 11 Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 If you could get some of that giant stuff that ends up 100mm diam. or better you could do some amazing stuff. It looks like your projects are going to be fairly ongoing so a free versatile building material would come in very handy. Heres a video on the knot. By the way, bamboo could make for some attractive bracing on your pergola. http://www.ehow.com/video_4807673_tie-japanese-knots.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hofmann 11 Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 way better knots here http://www.scribd.com/doc/8749775/basic-book-of-knots-and-lashings Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hofmann 11 Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 Here's some full details on how to build a structure with it. http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/earthquakes/Bamboo/Bamboo.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drewb 11 Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 if you are interested in different bamboo's I went and visited these guys and was blown away with the choices and colours. http://www.bambooland.com.au i have bought a ghost gray and a baby buddha. we have plans later to get one of the 100mm dia varieties latter on. cheers Drew and Bec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DaveOponic Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 This is a geodesic dome I am making to cover my swimming pool to keep leaves out.... bamboo leaves mostly that border one end of the pool. The finished diameter will be about 4 metres, so this photo is the top one third of the dome. The black ag pipe forms the dome structure. Pipe is not strong enough on its own to support the weight so I have attached bamboo with cable ties. I intend to cover it with either shade cloth or plastic sheet. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hofmann 11 Posted January 21, 2010 Report Share Posted January 21, 2010 Cool Davo, It looks like it might double as a spaceship too. I gather it's going to be permanantly fixed and you just swim inside it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DaveOponic Posted January 23, 2010 Report Share Posted January 23, 2010 No. The pool is rectangular (40 x 15 feet) and one end is under a fence of bamboo and a huge tree that drops 100 leaves a day. I intend to mount the dome on rubber wheels that straddle the pool. Most of the time it will remain at the leafy end of the pool to keep the leaves out. The second purpose of the dome is to provide shade so that we can swim in the pool in the heat of the day. (Brunei is in the equatorial tropics - the sun is intense in the middle of the day) It is actually I prototype for a much stronger dome (made of steel conduit) that would also have a hammock suspended from inside and a water slide could be attached/hung from the inside of the dome. PS.... domes should never be made less than 300mm in diameter (lol ) Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hofmann 11 Posted January 23, 2010 Report Share Posted January 23, 2010 Geez thats a lot of work for a test run. You must have a couple of house boys thrown in with your contract over there. Either that or you eat a **** load of wheatbix in the morning. You gonna go natural with the pool? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted June 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2010 Hi, Late in 2009, we planted bamboo along our front fence line and down the eastern side of our new pergola area. They're growing like topsy. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
morrie 11 Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 hi i've got a couple of bamboos, oldhamii, budda belly and a thin black one that was sold as a clumping but turned out a runner - a bit of frantic digging to get it all (now in a pot) we eat the shoots of the oldhamii and try and use the poles (its about 20+ m high now) for as many things as we can but i've discovered that in our small suburban back yard its a bit labour intensive. the shoots need a lot of boiling to flush out the bitter taste and the poles arn't much good if they are not treated to stop rot and borers. the leaves etc take forever to decompose as well. end up giving the poles away on freecycle just as well i like the stuff!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted August 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Hi Ian, We planted Gigantochloa wrayii across the front fence line - to screen traffic noise, dust and light spill. We've also planted several Chinese Dwarf bamboo to screen morning sun and neighbours from our farm kitchen area. We've also got one Gigantochloa maxima. I love bamboo and I'd like to plant a lot more of them. While they've all continued some growth through the cooler months, I'm expecting some serious growth during the wet season (our summer). Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Metallidog 10 Posted October 20, 2010 Report Share Posted October 20, 2010 I'm really glad I read this post. When I was a kid my grandfather always had bamboo growing. He loved the stuff. Now this thread has got the wheels turning in my head. I've googled bamboo and am convinced I'm going to plant some next spring. Hooked on Aquaponics Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Hi Metallidog, Recent rains and the onset of warmer weather has really kicked our bamboo along. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted November 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2010 Hi, Our bamboo have continued to grow like weeds. We've had these a bit over 12 months now. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted May 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Hi, Our bamboo have continued to thrive. We've trimmed those at the end of our pergola area and they grow back very quickly and the foliage becomes finer. We've used it as mulch on our raised beds and it works more effectively than anything we've tried previously......and it's free. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pugo 16 Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 Well, for me I have seen bamboo used for almost eveything living here in asia, the wife uses it as a clothes line, I see roofs made of it. and yes scaffolding around build here is only done with Bamboo. I hear some was trying to use it a piping for an Aquapoincs system, But I really don't think it would last very long as the inside is prone to rot if exposed to the elements. At anyrate Bamboo is very useful, I like the pictures keep them coming.. I think I have some good PDF's about bamboo let me know and I can send them to anyone who wants it.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted December 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hi, Do any of our members have experience of propagating bamboos? We have lots of them that could be split (or whatever it's called) to produce more bamboos, but I know little about when and how to go about it. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GaryD 1,118 Posted October 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 (edited) Hi, About four years ago, we planted bamboo across our front fence line. Aside from its other benefits (screening traffic noise and providing some privacy), these amazing plants shed loads of leaves and twigs. I use a lawn mower to chop the trash up. We use it for mulching our plants, as bedding for our chickens and quail.....and to mix with nitrogen-rich materials to produce a premium compost. The really good thing about this material is that it is weed free.....essential for composting. Gary Edited October 20, 2013 by GaryD (see edit history) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SamBurton 133 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I really want to grow bamboo, for screening, mulch and fodder, but I'm afraid it will get out of control and all my neighbors will hate me again. I wonder about growing clumping bamboo in wicking beds. Thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeRich 20 Posted April 7, 2016 Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 What exactly is eating bamboo besides panda bears ? I've always been interested in practical building and landscaping methods. Lots of different kinds it seems . We have 3 kinds on property but unsure what kinds. Often wondered how good it may work in irrigation systems... Only thing I've made with one so far is a fishing pole. 😀 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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