How to Cultivate Lumber Bamboo
The bamboo industry is on the rise as more people discover the wonderful abilities of this plant. Bamboo can make anything from hardwood floors to soft bath towels. Bamboo makes such a great lumber product because the plants can grow up to six inches a day and fully mature within four to six years, as opposed to other lumber trees, which can take up to 150 years to mature. Grow your own bamboo and enjoy it as a hardy garden plant or a simple means of attaining strong, eco-friendly lumber. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Scout out a proper location for growing the bamboo. The location needs at least partial shade, but bamboo grows larger and faster in at least six hours of full sun a day.
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Calculate the space your bamboo plot needs. Each bamboo plant needs at least four feet of space between it and its neighbor. If you want to grow enough bamboo to sell the lumber to a large retailer, you need acres of land. For smaller, private plots, you may just need a few square feet of space. Create a map of your area; calculate the square footage in the area (multiply the width by the length of the plot) and determine how many four foot squares are in your plot. This tells you how many bamboo plants you can expect to grow in the allotted space.
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Uproot all the weeds and stones in the area. Loosen all the soil and remove as much debris from the area as possible.
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Test the moisture retention of your soil. Bamboo plants enjoy soil that does not retain too much water. Soak the fresh soil and let it dry for two minutes. Pick up a handful of the soil and crush it in your palm. Watch for any water that leaks out. If a great amount of water leaks out, replacing the soil. Release your grip on the soil and examine its shape. It should spring back into a fluffy pile of soil. If it stays in the shape of your enclosed fist, change it, because the soil content will be too high to sustain your bamboo plants. High soil means a lot of water retention, which can kill your bamboo plant.
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Place your bamboo stem, or rhizome, into a 2- to 3-inch-deep hole. Bring the soil in around the roots to support the rhizome securely.
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Water your bamboo plant generously after planting. Continue to water your bamboo plants at least once a week while they grow. Water more often if the leaves of the plant start to curl. This is a sign of dehydration.
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Add a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch around each bamboo rhizome. This keeps the shallow roots of the plant warm and protected.
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Tips & Warnings
Instead of throwing away old roots and sticks you find while you till the soil, add them to a compost pile. When they decompose, they make a nutritious compost for your bamboo.
