Like butta...

Got this from a reader of my Bamboo Geek blog...

Hi Mad Man Bamboo,

We have almost recovered from repotting my Black Bamboo which I should have attended to last year. It was very hard work for two seventy year olds. In the end my darling husband sawed the congested roots into two pieces, it was extremely hard work and... took two sessions spread over two days. I am happy to say that both parts are repotted in larger pots now and look well, after a little intensive care.

Could you please give advise for next year, the middle part will be just as dense. How would you recommend we divide it, without risking a visit to 'intensive care' ourselves?

I would be so grateful for your wisdom and experience over this matter.

All best wishes,

Helen

My response: Dear Helen, This is a great question and thanks for reading my blog. After dealing with sore backs I "wisened" up and bought a Sawzall and use a long wood cutting blade on it. It cuts through rhizomes like butter and has been a back and time saver for me.

Sean

Bamboo and the sustainable city...

An interesting question to pose to cities seeking to become sustainable. Should bamboo be added to approved tree lists used by city aborists? No doubt that having a vigorous tree canopy has many air quality and heat island offsets. But what about bamboo? According to the Environmental Bamboo Foundation, bamboo minimizes CO2 gases and generates up to 35% more oxygen then equivalent stand of trees. 1 hectar of bamboo sequesters 62 tons of CO2/year, where 1 hectar of young forest sequesters 15 tons of CO2/year. Check out the Environmental Bamboo Foundation website for more information on the environmental benefits of bamboo.

Sean

Photo of Phylostachys aurea 'Holochrysa' by Gerhard Bock. www.gerhardbock.com

Bamboo and the environment

Thanks to Gerhard for passing this CNN video on. Its about the environmental benefits of bamboo and a woman and her son in Bali showing its potential as a sustainable timber source and active and natural cleaner of air and water. Enjoy!

Sean

Bamboo 101 with Joe Orlando of Fox 40 News

Bamboo 101 - Joe Orlando of Fox 40 News interviewed me this morning regarding my bamboo business and bamboo in general.

Enjoy!

Sean

Bamboo in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney

As linked below, Gerhard Bock has posted a really nice tour of Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. He asked if I could post and well... of course! These are really nice photos of bamboo that we don't see in our climate in northern California. Thanks, yet again, to my friend Gerhard, for sharing. Enjoy!

Sean

Lots more bamboo photos at http://ozbock.blogspot.com/2010/01/bamboos-in-sydney.html

Adventures in "The Land Down Under."

Friend and fellow bamboo afficionado Gerhard Bock shares his adventures in "The Land Down Under." I asked and he is willing to share some of the really cool bamboo photos during his trip. The graffitied bamboo is, pretty in a way, and check out the rich black coloring on the Gigantochloa atroviolacea. Thanks to Gerhard for sharing these spectacular bamboo photos.

Check it out - http://ozbock.blogspot.com/2009/12/sunday-122709-arrival-in-sydney.html

Photo by Gerhard Bock

Chinese Walking Stick Bamboo

This is Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda "Chinese Walking Stick", a fairly rare bamboo from the rainforests near Sichuan, China, that is used by locals to make walking sticks. The nodes look like two cymbals pressed together. This is a running bamboo that likes afternoon shade and does well in pots. In the ground its max ...height is 20 feet with 1.3 inch diameter culms. This photo is from my personal bamboo collection and was taken by Gerhard Bock.