Buying Bamboo

Check out a new site about Buying Bamboo. Information to help you find quality bamboo suppliers and provides tips and advice for buying bamboo plants.

Snow in the Bamboo Jungle

A huge storm packed the foothills with snow last night. The snowfall has made for some very unique photo opportunities in the Jungle Supply Bamboo Garden. We were surprised to find some of our tall bamboo plants to be leaning over because of the weight of the snow. Although bamboo does well with strong winds from the side, the extra weight of the snow caused the plants caused the plants to lean over. This storm has reminded us of the importance of ‘winter timing’ when planting bamboo. Any bamboo planted within the last several months is vulnerable to this extreme weather. Check out some tips about cultivating bamboo here.

The bamboo in the above picture is Phyllostachys bambusoides, aka Japanese Timber. It is cold hardy to temperatures as low as 5°F (-15°C), so it will easily survive this weather. Young bamboo plants or tropical species might not be so lucky.

These pictures were taken in Newcastle, California. An area that only sees snow every 5 years or so, but rarely to this magnitude. We send out best wishes to everyone in the area who has been affected by the snow storms.

Bamboo at Phish Festival 8

My girlfriend and I attended Phish Festival 8 in late October, and we had a blast. The event was held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. It was a 3 day event and Phish played a total of 8 sets throughout the weekend. In the main stage area, there were a series of bamboo towers that surrounded the stage. At night the towers spewed out giant flames making for a really exciting visual display.

At night the bamboo towers were light up with different colored lights. The band had lights surrounding the entire area, so the fans got a 360 degree visual display. The bamboo looked especially cool when lit up at night. Check out the pictures below.

The Empire Polo Club is a pretty tropical setting, with well maintained palm trees throughout the venue. The bamboo structures were a good complement to the rich green setting. We’re not sure who provided the bamboo for the event, but they did a good job putting up the displays.

Above is picture of us with a couple of structures in the background. We’re looking forward to the next big Phish event and hope to see more bamboo at similar shows in the meantime.

Bamboo Baseball Bats

Have you ever heard of Bamboo Baseball Bats? Believe it or not, Bamboo Bats are actually a much better choice than traditional Maple or Oak. Maple bats are strong, but have a tendency to shatter, often endangering fans and players. They shatter because they are made from a solid piece of material. The most common bamboo bats on the market today are hybrids that containt both bamboo and maple components.

As you can see form the picture, the bamboo pieces are compressed to create a strong solid core for the bat. A bamboo core provides more strength than Maple or Oak, with comparable balance.

Bamboo, on the other hand, is made by compressing multiple pieces of material under extreme heat and pressure. This method makes it close to impossible for the bat to shatter. Also, players have reported the bamboo bats to have “excellent balance”. Bamboo baseball bats are of high enough quality to be used in Major League Baseball, but the league has yet to start using them. Aside for the obvious benefits, bamboo is a sustainable eco-friendly material. I have not had the opportunity to use a bamboo bat myself, but would love to her comments from those who have.

Read more about Bamboo Baseball Bats.

Cool Bamboo Artwork

I would like to share an interesting piece of Artwork that incorporates Bamboo. This is actually a dried gourd with bamboo rings attached to the outside. The artist used completely organic materials to make a very unique piece of art. I always love to see unique bamboo art, so if you have any ideas or suggestions please leave a comment.

Bamboo Bikes by Masuelli

Masuelli Bamboo Bicycles are manufactured here in California, and are truly a piece of art. The bike frames are extremely strong and can withstand a great deal of punishment. The amazing natural prosperities of bamboo provide these bikes with both strength and a smooth ride. Not to mention, bamboo is an eco-friendly product, and Masuelli Bamboo Bikes rely on 100% California Grown Bamboo.

Bamboo bikes have been used throughout the world for many years and are starting to become more popular in the United States. If you are interested in testing or buying a Bamboo Bike, contact Jungle Supply Co.

The benefits of bamboo bicycles...

• Strong as Steel
• Light as Aluminum
• Rides like a Carbon Fiber Bike
• Unique and Attractive
• Built with sustainable materials

Bamboo FAQ: Bamboo Plant Identification

Q: How do I Identify the Bamboo Growing in my Garden?

Bamboo is a notoriously difficult plant to identify. Most species of bamboo have similar characteristics, with only subtle differences distinguishing the various species. Certain bamboo types are easily distinguishable, such as Black Bamboo or Leopard Bamboo. These varieties have striking color features that make them easy to identify.

You can start by checking out the American Bamboo Society Source List. This source list contains nearly all common bamboo species in the United States. Overall, there are over 1,000 species and 91 genera of bamboo throughout the world. The classification of bamboo falls under the following hierarchy:

KINGDOM: Plantae
DIVISION: Magnoliophyta
CLASS: Liliopsida
SUBCLASS: Commelinidae
ORDER: Cyperales
FAMILY: Poaceae
SUBFAMILY: Bambusoideae
TRIBE: Bambuseae
SUBTRIBE: bambusina

Often times, the best way to indentify is to take the plant to an expert. Our friends at Jungle Supply Company in California are happy to identify bamboo for you. Just email them a picture and they will help you in the identification process.

Bamboo FAQ: How do I control the spread of bamboo?

Well, spring is just about here. The most common complaint that people express about bamboo is its rapid growth. In order to enjoy the plant's beauthy, growers must use control methods to keep the plant from spreading. There are two types of bamboo, runners and clumpers. Running bamboo is the stuff you have to watch out for. Your best bet is to install a bamboo rhizome barrier. This method requires that you dig a trench around the perimeter of the plant and insert an plastic panel. Read more about controlling bamboo here. If this sounds like too much work, it is usually sufficient to plant near a fence or retaining wall. Just expect to kill off new growth every year in the spring. Happy planting!

Bamboo FAQ: How Fast does Bamboo Grow?

How Fast does Bamboo Grow?

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world (fastest growing plant on land that is). They say it grows so quickly that you can hear it. Under optimum conditions, bamboo has been recorded growing up to 46 inches per day. That's nearly 4 feet! The plant will reach its maximum height and girth after a single season of growth, which can be close to 100 feet tall and 8 inches wide. A bamboo plant produces about 5 times more "Bio-Mass" than your average tree. Learn more about bamboo!

Recipe for a Cold Bamboo Shoot Salad

Here's a great recipe for a delicious cold bamboo shoot salad. Bamboo shoots can be purchased at specialty and ethnic markets. Ideally, you want to buy fresh shoots, but this is not always possibly in some locations. If you can't buy the fresh shoots the canned version will suffice.



Ingredients

• 100g bamboo shoots
• 100g yellow savoy cabbage leaves
• 100g lettuce
• 3 carrots
• 3 spring onions
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 radishes
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 slice of root ginger
• 2 teaspoons each of vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
  
• Half teaspoon of chili sauce

Procedure

Boil the bamboo shoots and rinse in cold water. Cut the cabbage, radishes, carrots, and lettuce into thin slices. Cut the tomatoes into eights. Chop the spring onions into 1 inch lengths and crush the garlic with salt. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the onions, ginger, and garlic for three minutes while stirring frequently. Pour onto a plate when finished to cool quickly.

All the ingredients can now be placed into a large bowl. When the oil mixture of sesame oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce has cooled to a lukewarm temperature you can add it into the bowl. Mix well and enjoy!

A Few Reasons to Choose Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is a great alternative to other common hardwood floor options. When it comes to hardwood flooring, bamboo an exotic and beautiful choice. Not only is it durable, but is also resistant to moisture and insects. Most importantly, it's eco-friendly. In fact, the United States Green Building Council's LEED program will award points for the use of bamboo flooring. Here are few reasons you might want to choose bamboo for your next remodel. 

1. Resistant to bugs and insects. 
2. Strong and durable. 
3. Keeps out moisture, 
4. Attractive, natural finishes. 

5. Bamboo is the best choice for the environment!

Complete Bamboo gets a Makeover

So I wasn't 100% happy with the original design of Complete Bamboo. I decied to use one of the backup designes I was working on a few months ago. The new design is much more eye-catching and way more efficient from a web design perspecitive. The content is also laid out better. There are still a few features to add and bugs to work out, but overall I'm happy with the finished product.

The Benefits of Bamboo Fabric

Bamboo fabric is a great alternative to traditional textiles found in the US, such as cotton and polyester. The popularity of bamboo fabric has been growing rapidly due to the simple fact that it is superior to traditional fabrics. It is stronger and more absorbent than cotton, making it useful as clothing. It has the appeal of natural fabrics like hemp or wool, but does not cause allergic reactions. Bamboo clothing will suck up moisture from the skin and allow it to evaporate. Actually, it holds 3 times its weight in moisture making it a highly desirable fabric for socks. It is soft to the touch and does not require chemical additives to increase softness. The commercial and household uses of bamboo fabric are practically unlimited. It can be used for anything from clothing to bedroom linens to furniture upholstery, and more!

Studies have shown that bamboo fabric also has mild antibacterial properties. The plant's natural protection from germs is retained in the fabric and converted into a valuable benefit to humans. This keeps unpleasant odors from building up in the fabric and can even kill potentially infectious microbes. Here are just a few of its unique benefits.

• Lightweight
  
• Strong
• Naturally Soft
• Holds 3X its weight in moisture
  
• Antibacterial Properties
• Produced Organically

So what's keeping you from buying bamboo fabric? Well its not cheap in the United States...Yet. The vast majority of bamboo fabric production takes place in China. The Chinese have been producing bamboo fabric for centuries, and are developing new ways to streamline its production. Americans have only recently become interested in bamboo as an alternative textile. Not only is it an improvement from traditional textiles, but it is also great for the environment. A bamboo grove provides an incomparable level of environmental benefit than say...a cotton field. Bamboo grows rapidly without the use of pesticides or non-organic fertilizers. In fact, a bamboo grove can colonize an area, pound for pound, 5 times faster than a typical pine forest. So looking to trying out bamboo fabric the next time you buy new linens. You won't be disappointed...And neither will our planet.

The Bamboo Press - Complete Bamboo is Online

CompleteBamboo.com was launched today. This will be a great resource for anyone interested in growing or learning about bamboo. We hope to cover many more topics in the coming months and add a whole bunch more content. The bamboo species list which is currently in the works will be perhaps the most comprehensive on the web. A huge thanks goes out the Jungle Supply Company of Sacramento, California. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. There is still plenty of work to be done. Check back often...