bamboo plantations

Why bamboo?

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The distinct advantage bamboo has over tree production is its speed of establishment then subsequent continuous cropping.

Bamboo requires more stages to produce board products, eg flooring. However, its physical properties are high compared to hardwood.

Biochar from bamboo is superior to wood because of its greater surface area.

Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant. It pulls Co2 from the atmosphere and turns it into bamboo. Once pyrolyzed, it is a highly valuable soil ameliorant, while sequestering as carbon, the Co2 absorbed during the bamboos growth phase

Additional products such as hydrogen, ammonia can be captured during the pyrolizing process.

Growing Moso, P. pubescens in an existing eucalypt (dry sclerophyll) forest project

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2 metre high Moso in 300 mm pots, were planted out onto one acre occupied by widely spaced (15m2) eucalyptus trees, obtaining water from great depths. The bamboo survived in spite of minimum input, bordering on neglect.

After 5 years the culm diameter was 50 mm. Subsequently, with more regular food and water and a further 3 years, culms emerged at 100mm in diameter.

Rhizomes spread throughout the thin layer of top soil and leaf litter which contains surprising fertility.

Observation

Once the available nutrients are used the bamboo will quickly decline in vigour.

If older culms are not culled the grove will go into decline. That is, once you have established a bamboo grove it needs ongoing management to become reliably productive.

With timely water and food, Moso can be co-cropped within an open eucalyptus forest. However. Long term the additional water and nutrients will most likely adversely affect the existing trees, some of which have been in this spot for a couple of centuries.

A more densely foliaged species of tree may not allow sufficient light through to a developing grove.

Plantation Species

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CLUMPING

Supplied to order. Established cuttings in 200 mm – 255 mm pots

Bambusa balcooa
Minimum temp -5C
Height / width of culm; 25m / 15cm

Dendrocalamus asper – Asper
Minimum temperature -5C
Height / width of culm; 20 – 30 m / 8 – 20 cm
! Will grow at 1500m altitude in the tropics

Dendrocalamus latiflorus
Minimum temperature -3C
Height / width of culm; 17m / 15 – 18cm

Dendrocalamopsis oldhamii – Giant Timber Bamboo
Minimum temperature; -9C
Height / width of culm; 10 – 20m / 7.5 - 13cm

Guadua angustifolia
Minimum temperature -3C
Height / width of culm; 7 - 25m / 7 -15cm
! Likes humidity

RUNNING

Supplied to order. Established plants

Phyllostachys pubescens - Moso
Minimum temperature; -8 ~ -15C
Height / width of culm; 20m / 15cm

Phyllostachys bambusoides - Madake
Minimum temperature; -18C
Height / width of culm; 15 – 20m / 5 -12cm.

Bamboo Growth Cycle

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Acknowledge: Koichiro Ueda and Junko Braun

Species selection

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Moso (Phyllostachys pubescens)

One species perhaps a few, will really flourish on a specific site location given the climate and soil quality.

It is useful to grow a selection of species to extend harvest season, provide bamboo for various end uses, to insure against catastrophe; eg, flowering.

Modifying inputs such as nutrients and water will maximise species suitability. Marginal species should not be heavily invested in.

Soil

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Charcoal from bamboo

A well drained soil is really important for growing bamboo. An exception amongst running bamboo is Phyllostachys purpera, which has rhizome adapted to growing in soggy conditions. Some clumping species will take up more water than they need. These species will not establish in water logged situations, but planted on mounds they will establish over a few years, then opportunistically suck in far more water than required for healthy growth. Excessive water will most likely, adversely affect the strength of the timber, but produces more biomass. If the climate suits the growth of large clumping species, they can be grown to drain wet areas.

So, in most cases, a well drained soil is really important for growing bamboo.

Fertility of the soil has a marked affect on productivity.

In most cases drainage and fertility can be improved.

Drainage

Mounding, down hill ripping, surface drains.

Fertility

The addition of, nutrient charged, biochar to the soil should be seen as soil infrastructure. Expensive up front, but once in place and stabilized, gives long term. Less fertilizer is required. Char is a buffer between the bamboo and adversity caused by sudden changes in growing conditions, its vast surface area a store house of nutrient and microbiological activity.

The site

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Bamboo rhizome and root system binds the soil and stops erosion. Sloping country can be used for growing bamboo, freeing up flat land for other crops.

If at all possible, shape the site with contour drains to manipulate all of the available water, either from direct rainfall or runoff flowing onto the property. At the same time, providing for access and ease of maintenance for harvesting etc.

The objective being to keep the active water either slowly moving through the soil, towards the ridges, or runoff directed to storage dams for later use.

Contour ripping to direct water into the sub-soil.