Thanks! I've bookmarked and made a note of that link.

>> So, you're the "Bamboozler?"

Yup, guilty.

>> You mean those real FAT bamboo poles we have'ta cut down with a reciprocating saw? That's what you wanna grow?

No, I'd like to grow my own 1/2" - 3/4" diameter culms suitable for stakes, trellises and hoop tunnels. Althoguh I might make a staircase railing from 1" and 2" poles.

I am growing Fargesia rufa now, mainly becuase I saw a cheap small pot of it in Home Depot, and its usual description says 10 feet tall and 1/2" diameter. What I'm seeing so far is less than 1/8". And it has a "graceful" weeping habit of growth: they are naturally arched so they block my sidewalk instead of growing UP and blocking the line of sight to neighbors. If they were this bent and also stiff, they would make great half-hoops for a low hoop tunnel.

Maybe 3 years old is still too young: the culms are still getting taller each year, now around 5 1/2 feet tall.

I might try F. robusta next, it is described as 3/4" diameter. I like the fact that they are hardy down to -5 F (Zone 6). I've seen 0 F winters in my town in recent years, listed in NOAA databases. I;m not eager to nurse a bamboo along for 5-10 years to get it big enough to use, and then die off or drop all its leaves aned sulk for another few yearss.

But my guess is that I should pick a 1.5" or 2" bamboo, and expect it to be stunted in my yard, or during my lifetime.

Rick,
How's this for service?

I received my two spools of waxed twine today!

Wow, way to go!

I hope you like it as much as I do.

Sometimes I cut a few feet and unravel it into 3,4 or 5-strand pieces. In fact, it's so strong that one ply makes a very strong waxed thread!

The wax is so heavy on my roll that I can rub wax off it onto something where I want a better grip, like a slippery butane lighter or tool handle.

Corey

Rick,
Good tip on unraveling the twine!

Thanks! Even one strand or ply is plenty strong, and plenty waxy for many purposes.

I bought some small spools of waxed thread from Maine Thread, but those little spools are so small that I don't use it freely.

Corey, did you ever find the bamboo that you were wanting to grow? My neighbor in Utah has an amazing bamboo in her yard, and she gave me lots of it for stakes. She's on vacation right now, but I'll check in with her when she gets back and find out the name. Hopefully she can remember it. The zone there is 5a, so it should grow for you, too.

I would love to know the name! Once I know the name, I'll keep my eyes open. My plan for the moment would be a slight improvement: Fargesia robusta instead of F. rufa.

One thing: no runners! I can only grow a clumping bamboo where I live.

However, I'm getting flack from a neighbor and form park management, so I'm focusing my available time on beautification instead of new plants.

Thank you!

(This year's new culms are 6-12" taller than last year's, but only slightly thicker. )

April 9 2013 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - June 5 2013

Corey, not sure if they put out runners or not, and I'm not sure that she will know either. They are in a square bed that is surrounded by brick on 3 sides and cement on the 4th. I'll ask though. Seems like she said at one time that it was Davidii (or Davidi) something or other, but I couldn't find any bamboo with that in the name.

That's OK, I can look it up from the name.

I think that, in my first search for bamboo species, I looked for ones that were more cold-hardy than I needed. I didn't even want them to drop their leaves after an extra-hard or unseasonal frost. That's what I got!

Splat!!!

My friend always cuts hers down in the Fall and they come right back up in Spring, growing very tall and sturdy.

>> My friend always cuts hers down in the Fall

Hmm! That's one way to wean out all the skinny culms that are 1, 2 or 3 years old!

I don't really recall seeing any skinny ones. I felt like I could pole vault with them when they were dry.

I keep hoping that mine will keep getting thicker as the clump matures.

Fargesia rufa

Feb 2010 - - - - - - - - June 2010


July 2011 - - - - - - - - - - - - July 2012


March 2013 - - - - - - - - June 2013

If you are looking for clem supports, I have a friend that I use her idea, which is to take the really talk tomato supports, turn them upside down, so the ring sits on the ground, put in a few stakes to hold them down, the take the open end wire and bring together and put a woven wood ball there, so they aren't sticking out and someone get a poke when going by. This way the clem (or any vine type plant can grow up and then grow around the ball.) I wish I still had a few pictures, but seeing as how I've downsize my home, most things like that went into the recycle bin.