jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 22, 2014 10:40:25 GMT -5
Got down to 3F but strong wind killed the tops of this wind break of bamboo on the right in photo. Other varieties that are not so cold sensitive and taller can be seen still w/nice green color. The browned bamboo will loose all it's leaves and be naked sticks till new shoots come. This bamboo is rated to -10F but the wind killed this grove. That stand is over 20 years old. To the right of the dead bamboo is the 2 acre plant nursery. The bamboo protects it from the NW killing winds that Montana sends down. Protects me too when i am doing winter work.  |
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
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Post by quartz on Jan 22, 2014 11:08:40 GMT -5
Weather on right now says more to come, keep the fire burning. How long will it take for that to grow back to present size?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 22, 2014 11:53:40 GMT -5
Weather on right now says more to come, keep the fire burning. How long will it take for that to grow back to present size? Bamboo shoots. It grows to full height in one cycle of the moon. Then it never grows any more. Like asparagus, it comes up quick. It sits around and does nothing for 11 months. Then about April it grows 1 foot a day if it is 30 feet tall or 2 feet a day if it is 60 feet tall. Strange plant. There are still a ton of viable roots. And new canes will come up amongst those dead ones in about 3 months. When the canes are coming up i have a 60 inch mower that i pull behind an ATV that quickly cuts around the groves in April any that come up outside the grove perimeter while it is shooting. The shoots are very soft and the mower gobbles them up. 30 foot tall bamboo can send a new shoot up 30 feet outside the perimeter and 60 foot tall bamboo can send up new canes 60 feet away. So the mowing process is very important. If you wait 3 months then you have to get the chain saw after them and it will wear you out. The roots make cool jewelry. The black roots are the black bamboo that froze so bad. I swap black roots to a jewelry maker for high end stuff he makes out of it.( not like my stuff below)  |
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 23, 2014 2:10:44 GMT -5
I have been looking for clumping black bamboo for years and can only find seed. Any chance you have some in your area you can harvest and trade for some rock?
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575 
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Post by grayfingers on Jan 23, 2014 9:05:40 GMT -5
Wow, sorry to hear/see the set back. Glad they will grow back quickly. Have you made any bamboo instruments?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 23, 2014 11:55:00 GMT -5
Wow, sorry to hear/see the set back. Glad they will grow back quickly. Have you made any bamboo instruments? That was me Bill. With a good tan. That would quasidextrous. LOL. Good one. The visiting landscapers make bongs out of them. And i have had martial artist get the solid stem bamboo to make a certain weapon. I think Magellan was killed w/one blow on the back w/one of those sticks. Supposed to have some type of energy in them. We use for lot of stuff but never machined it. I have fooled around with the root. This is not mine  |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 23, 2014 12:11:48 GMT -5
I could set that bamboo on fire and it would rival those California fires with the high flame.
When cutting canes to clean up a grove we pile them to burn. Cut them to about 4 feet and burn them when green(for efficient bombs).
The hollow cavities explode violently at a rapid rate giving the effect of auto gun fire fight sound.
I often leave a pile to burn when visitors come. Sneak out and light it and come back to the house and pretend to know nothing about it.
Some gals from Israel were visiting my wife over Christmas. We had a bonfire with those canes. They were mesmerized. Told them that
was a typical Christmas Eve celebration. They got hook lined and sinkered. We laughed all Christmas Day
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Jan 23, 2014 12:32:24 GMT -5
Good thing the gals were not packing heat. . .haha.
That root carving is like the Tim Burton version of the Travelocity gnome, I like it.
Seriously though, maybe you could host a bamboo knap-in/music festival. . .these guys rock!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 23, 2014 13:01:16 GMT -5
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2014 13:41:01 GMT -5
Wow, sorry to hear/see the set back. Glad they will grow back quickly. Have you made any bamboo instruments? WTF?? That is crazee. Those solomon's guys will eat your brains too (well they did 100 years ago.) Seriously, they live where food is plentiful so lots of spare time to invent and learn novel instruments. I live in the wrong place. |
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Jan 23, 2014 14:14:17 GMT -5
Scott, they will still eat you in New Guinea. . . (if they decide you are a Sorcerer)
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jan 23, 2014 14:57:39 GMT -5
My cousin was a missionary in New Guinea. That is a good place to send 'The Wild Boys'. Otherwise stay away.
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