Thursday, December 30, 2010

Leaf litter from bamboo... more or less than the average tree?



As I raked leaves today, it reminded me of a question I get all the time from customers buying bamboo plants - 'Is bamboo a messy plant?' This is usually asked in the context of leaves and other plant litter dropping in a pool or in a landscape that is conspicuously maintained.

Compared to a deciduous tree that drops its leaves every Fall, my experience is that bamboo is a 'cleaner' plant'. Why? Bamboo tends to drop culm sheaths (a large one from a Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' is pictured above side-by-side with my hand), some leaves from the plant (they shed and renew leaves throughout the year) and some dead branchlets that fall off cleanly at the nodes.


Based on my observation in my yard (looking at the row of non-deciduous Photinia bushes we have along the fence) and seeing other similar plants used for privacy, bamboo is equally, if not less messy than the average bush or tree used for privacy.

Bamboo leaf litter drops close to the base of the bamboo plant (most bamboos are pretty column-like in growth, compared to an average tree that tends to grow in a triangular form). Also, tree leaves are lighter, generally speaking, and are easily carried in the wind to areas of the yard where they are not wanted.

One item to note on leaf litter from bamboo, is that it is actually good to leave bamboo leaf litter at the base of the bamboo plant because that leaf litter contains a small amount of Silica which is important for the growth of the bamboo. In a sense, the bamboo plant is re-feeding itself an important element to its long-term growth - Silica.

Is bamboo mess-free? No. But, in my observation over the years it is equally, if not less messy, than many of the common trees and bushes used for privacy, plus its a much more interesting plant. Not that I'm biased...

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
Mad Man Bamboo on Twitter - @madmanbamboo

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Break in the rain... is that the sun?



It was nice today to get a break from the rain. As we came home from a movie, a group of tiny birds were flying around in our Azalea bushes and the bamboo in the front yard (what we called 'Fat little Finch-like birds'; sorry to all those bird watchers for our made up name). I quickly grabbed a camera and got one shot, not great, but can you find the tiny bird?


Also checked out the rain barrel, which is brimming to the top, problem is, I can't find a plant that needs watering, oh well, might come in handy a few months from now.


And, as I headed in, I caught this shot of a very bright sun peering through our 'Alphonse Karr' bamboo. Nice to get a break from the rain and see some blue sky.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
Follow us on Twitter - @madmanbamboo

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Easy tip to detect a running bamboo plant...



It's inevitable that you walk into a garden center or nursery and among the thousands of plants there is a bamboo plant that is either vaguely labeled, mislabeled or or with no label at all. Something I actually witnessed at the local 'big box' store recently. The bamboo plant is beautiful, but why take the risk, if it could be a running bamboo. Well, there is a way you can distinguish a possibly invasive running bamboo from a non-invasive clumping bamboo.


Many running bamboo plants have a vertical groove, known as a sulcus (pictured above), that is on the side of the culm (or cane). Simply run your hand, around the culm, if there is a groove, it is definitely a runner. Clumping bamboo does not have a sulcus, they are smooth all around the diameter of the culm. This method cannot detect all running bamboo, but it can detect most.


Hope this tip is of use!


Sean

Mad Man Bamboo

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook

Twitter - @madmanbamboo

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Bamboo that reminds me of the holidays...


Gotta love Himalayacalamus falconeri 'Damarapi' (aka 'Candystripe Bamboo'). Looks like a candy cane... really gets you into the spirit! Have a Merry Christmas everyone!


Sean

Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco

On the this dreary rainy day, I have been daydreaming about gardens that I have had the good fortune to visit.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to visit the five acre Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The Tea Garden is a real treat and a treasure. There is a modest admission fee, but it is well worth it. I spent the time at the garden with my youngest daughter (who happens to love the outdoors and seems to have an affinity towards gardening like me) and we both really enjoyed our time there.

The garden has several beautiful buildings, including a functioning tea house and gift shop, a koi pond and statuary. The grounds are kept up nicely and has several uses of bamboo including natural, untouched stands to tightly hedged bamboo along short side fencing, and everything else in between.

Here are some photos of the Tea Garden:

Here is a fountain, which I believe is called a Tsukubai water basin with a nice stand of bamboo which is likely either Phylostachys aurea 'Golden Bamboo' or Phylostachys aura 'Koi'.

Here is a photo of the Tea House where tea is served to visitor. To find out more on this feature, click here.

Here is a picture of a bronze Buddha statue (circa 1790) in the garden. The statue is very large.

The Tea Garden has a remarkable history - it was built in 1894 for the California Midwinter International Exposition. The Tea Garden was designed and later cared for by Japanese immigrant Makoto Hagiwara from 1894 until 1942, when Mr. Hagiwara and his family were moved to a internment camp with thousands of other Japanese Americans during that time.

The Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest public Japanese tea garden in the United States.

If you are ever in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, its worth visiting. It is located right next to the de Young Memorial Museum.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Even more on container grown bamboo...



On my last post I spent some time giving tips on successful container growing bamboo. Of course, I have those nights, when I wake up at 3 a.m., and my mind is going with thoughts, one line of thinking in the wee hours is what I just posted to my blog and what I forgot to mention, that I should have. All that said, here is an extra helping of tips for you to consider when container growing bamboo:

1. Wine barrels: Nearly the perfect container for growing bamboo, except one thing... its wood base will rot and a running bamboo, given the chance, will run right though the rotten wood into the ground below. Not a good thing. A measure of defense is to place a cheap paver underneath. Not a perfect defense, but better than nothing.

2. Get a pot that does not taper at the top: When selecting a ceramic pot, choose one with a 'V' shape. A tapered pot that closes at the top makes root maintenance or outright splitting after 2-3 years of growth a real pain. I recently attempted to extract a Phylostachys bambusoides 'Allgold' out of a tapered pot and guess what, broke it in the process (pictured above) trying to get the root mass out. Why - rhizomes tend to circle the circumference of the pot making a simple pull out of the pot impossible. Using a 'V' shaped pot makes your life a whole lot easier - trust me.

Here's to happy bamboo gardening!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Thursday, December 16, 2010

More on growing bamboo in containers...



Many bamboo varieties are well suited for container growing. Container growing opens up the ability to grow running bamboo, something that I normally suggest in lieu of planting bamboo directly in the ground (not recommended).

Here are a few tips to consider when planning the right container for your bamboo:

1. Know the material - You have to realize up front that bamboo, with a fast growing woody mass, will eventually need to be cut back after 2-3 years. For ceramic containers, this is especially important as the bamboo's root mass could exert enough pressure to crack or break the container outright. Another container option is to use a metal horse trough which is not prone to breaking. Regardless of the container type, its still important to maintain the size of the root mass on a periodic basis to prevent the plant becoming root bound and unhealthy at some point after a couple of years.

2. Container grown bamboo is prone to temperature extremes - With extreme summers and cold, snowy winters, the bamboo root mass is prone to damage. Many people focus on the top growth, but if the root mass gets heat damage from an overheated pot or the root mass freezes into an ice cube (have seen this happen in our mild California freeze), it can really set the plant back. Remember, a damaged top growth recovers very quickly with some warm sun and good soil, a damaged root mass can take the plant back several years. Also, never use a terra cotta pot as it leads to a quick drying out of the soil in the summer, glazed pots retain soil moisture much better.

3. Cover that drain hole - Running bamboo, given the chance will send a rhizome due south through the drain hole in your pot to the ground, not good. The solution: Put a 99 cent paver underneath the pot, a running rhizome can't penetrate it, but it still allows for drainage which is important for bamboo (soggy soil = stunted growth or a complete halt to growth all together).

Container growing running bamboo opens up many landscaping possibilities; use these tips and you can enjoy running bamboo without creating an issue with your neighbors that is hard to handle once out of control. Contained you get to enjoy its beauty, without the downsides of running bamboo.

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Oh frost, leave my bamboo alone (or 'How to hedge a bamboo plant without touching it!')



The ravages of winter have indeed shown its effects upon some of my clumping bamboo plants. Clumping bamboo starts to shoot from late July through late October. Some culms harden in time and survive the late Fall/Winter frost largely intact, which is the case for most. For those culms that shoot in late October, they are still tender and very prone to frost damage.

Often the damage manifests itself by freezing the top part of the tender culm, freezing off to an internode that is hardened off enough. The result - a hedging effect on some of the clumping bamboo. This is consistent year-t0-year with varieties like Bambusa ventricosa 'Kimmei' and Himalayacalamus falconeri 'Damarapi'. Hence, both have grown to nice tidy hedges, naturally, with no pruning from me. Pictured above is a Himalayacalamus falconeri 'Damarapi' culm tilted over from the frost.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Friday, December 10, 2010

A real beauty... Semiarundaria yashadake 'Kimmei'



What a nice surprise coming home from work today (lately its been too dark to enjoy the garden when I get home). Last weekend, I split up an overgrown Semiarundaria yashadake 'Kimmei' that was on the side of the house and was in full shade.

Semiarundaria yashadake 'Kimmei' is a running bamboo that can take full sun and grows up to 25 feet tall. I originally acquired this plant for its ability to take bright shades of red when exposed to sunlight.

Since the plant was in a shady corner, it was its usual yellow with green striped culm color when I split the mother plant last weekend.

When I came home today, I looked out the window and did a double-take. Very nice, bright red coloring on the culms. Very exciting to see! Above is what it looks like right now.

Enjoy!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Bamboo on rooftops in San Francisco



I was amazed at my last trip to San Francisco in June that from our hotel view (Mission and 4th St.; near the Metreon and close to Market Street) seeing two rooftop gardens with bamboo planted. Why? Rooftop gardens help cool the floors beneath, helping to reduce cooling bills and reducing CO2 emissions. The challenge for most urban rooftops is to have some afternoon shade to protect the plants and you also have to deal with high winds. In San Francisco's case, having temperate weather all year long helps accommodate a wider range of varieties. Here is a photo of the view from our room.

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Monday, December 6, 2010

Behind the name... Phylostachys bissetii



One of my favorite running bamboo varieties is Phylostachys bissetii. It a very green, dense hedge bamboo that is as aggressive as Golden Bamboo, but so much more beautiful. It is also known to be one of the first bamboo varieties to shoot in the spring and can take extreme temperatures well below zero degrees and is known for good wind tolerance..

It's an all-time favorite in my book - fast growing and very beautiful. Its a classic bamboo, green and lush, yet practical. Its a great bamboo for a pot or container.

As with most bamboo, it has a story. This plant was named after David Bisset who was Superintendent of the Barbour Lathrop Bamboo Garden (a US Department of Agriculture Plant Introduction Station) at Savannah, Georgia from 1924 to 1957. It was introduced in 1941 from Chengdu, China.

Mr. Bissetti helped run a rather impressive public bamboo garden that is still in operation today. Here is some more information on the original bamboo garden now named the Savannah Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens:

The garden's collections began in 1890 when Mrs. H. B. Miller planted three giant Japanese bamboo plants. By 1915 they had formed a bamboo grove, which drew the attention of noted botanist and plant explorer David Fairchild. In 1919 Barbour Lathrop, a friend of Fairchild's, purchased the site and leased it to the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for $1.

Lathrop traveled extensively throughout China and Japan collecting specimens for the garden; the USDA also collected and planted specimens. In 1979 the USDA closed the site. It was deeded to the University of Georgia in 1983 and now forms part of its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Today the gardens contain more than 140 bamboo varieties, said to be the largest bamboo collection open to the public in North America. Most specimens were planted in the 1920s. It also contains 35 palm species in an effort begun in 1998 by the Southeastern Palm and Exotic Plant Society, as well as collections of vines and daylilies. There are two display gardens:
Cottage Garden - a trial garden where perennials, annuals, and bulbs are evaluated.
Xeriscape Garden - demonstrates low-water landscaping.

Currently, the
Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens is currently run by David Linvill, part of the UGA Cooperative Extension.

Couldn't find a good photo of it, but did find this YouTube video that shows off the plant nicely.

This bamboo has simple beauty to it and is a nice overall running bamboo variety. Every plant has a story, even the most modest of them all.

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Bamboo: The odd and unusual

Today, I was milling about the garden with not alot of focus, but with camera in hand. I'm always surprised what I can find when I examine things closer. Here is a collection of oddly growing culms alien-like rhizomes and other oddities.


This photo is of Phylostachys dulcis 'Sweetshoot Bamboo' - there is nothing growing out of the top opening of the nursery container, but there is a fully formed culm growing out of the bottom drain hole with an unusual 90 degree angle.


This photo is of an odd bamboo rhizome from a Bambusa beecheyana 'Beechey Bamboo', exposed with some aerial roots showing. Reminds me of some alien plant life that has landed on earth in a 1950's sci-fi movie.


This photo is of the cymbal shaped culms of Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda 'Chinese Walking Stick'. In China, they make actual walking canes from this plant.



This is Bambusa mutabilis with aerial roots showing. Reminds me of a deep jungle plant, almost one you'd imagine among the dinosaurs.

Bamboo photos that evoked some good imagination on a grey winter day.

Enjoy!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Friday, November 26, 2010

Now accepting pre-orders for bamboo plants; Spring 2011


Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'Christmas is around the corner, which is hard to believe. For me, its that time of year to start thinking about the re-stocking of bamboo plants for the Spring season which we are already working really hard doing so. This year's inventory will be much larger and we will be carrying alot more of the really popular varieties as well as alot of unique ornamental varieties.

With that in mind, we are now accepting special orders for
bamboo plant that will arrive her in late March, early April.

Why special order now?

1) You guarantee you'll get the types of bamboo plants you want because we set them aside for you and only you, tagged with your name.

2) We can meet almost any size order by special ordering.

3) We will honor 2010 pricing for this special order. Take advantage of lower prices now.

We highly recommend special ordering on the following popular varieties:

Clumping

Bambusa multiplex "Alphonse Karr", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. textilis "Weaver's Bamboo", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. tuldoides "Punting Pole Bamboo", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. oldhamii, 5 gal. - $39
Bam. oldhamii, 1 gal. - $13
Bam. ventricosa "Buddha's Belly Green", 5 gal. - $39
Bam. ventricosa "Buddha's Belly Kimmei", 5 gal. - $39
H. hookerianus 'Teague's Blue Bamboo", 5 gal. - $39
Borinda's and fargesia species as well.

Running

Phylostachys bissetti, 1 gallon - $12
Phylostachys nigra, 5 gallon - $39
Phylostachys viridis "Robert Young"

We can also special order unique varieties that are not commonly found, most are $39 for a 5 gallon plant, with some exception. Generally speaking, we can get most any variety you are looking for, just ask.

How do I place a special order?

We will be taking special orders through
March 6. Simply e-mail me at sean@madmanbamboo.com with the varieties you want and the quantity of each. I will reply back with a quote. To place a special order, we ask that you pay 50% up front with the remaining balance payable upon pick-up of the plants. We can accept the 50% payment by check,PayPal or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover). We will begin collecting special order deposits in February, but you can start sending your orders by e-mail right now.

Plants will arrive in late March/early
April 2011 and we will contact you for pick-up.

We now can accept credit cards!

For our customers convenience, we can now take credit cards on-site and online. Cards accepted include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.


See a bamboo plant you want? Make an appointment!

We are available by appointment on the weekends. No obligation to buy, you get a one-to-one consultation, a tour of our bamboo garden and if you want you can purchase from our large inventory of bamboo plants. Call or e-mail us to set up your appointment.

See you soon!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Thursday, November 25, 2010

How and why bamboo plants get named the way they do... "Teague's Blue"



I'm always fascinated by how plants, specifically bamboo plants, come by their common and scientific names. Always been curious why Himalayacalamus hookerianus "Teague's Blue" was named the way it was.

According to some research by San Marcos Growers, the variety came from a co-founder of the American Bamboo Society named Ken Brennecke. Mr. Brennecke obtained it from the Ponto Nursery in 1985 and subsequently passed a division along to San Diego Horticulturist Bill Teague. Mr. Teague's plant apparently grew well and he passed several divisions along to friends. From there the story emerged that this special variety of Blue Bamboo came from Mr. Teague and the the name "Teague's Blue" became associated with this variety.

Mr. Teague was instrumental in getting the Quail Botanical Gardens established in San Diego County, was an early American Bamboo Society member and was well respected as a horticulturist. Mr. Teague just recently passed away, but what a beautiful plant to have your name associated with as a lasting tribute. To read more about Mr. Teague's life, read here.

To me, it's a fascinating story, and amazes me the path plants take in the horticultural naming process. Sometimes very deliberate and some times, like in this case, in a somewhat evolutionary way.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Bamboo, cold temperatures and frost



In California, when it dips below 30 degrees in the Central Valley, can't help to feel a bit worried about plants and frost damage. I know, I know that's a warm spell in the Winter for you fellow readers on the East Coast.

Today, I got a call from a customer wanting advice on what to do with her bamboo plants when temperatures dip below normal and the specter of frost comes around.

Here are a few tips to help plan accordingly and hopefully ease some of the anxiety:

1. Know the temperature tolerance of the bamboo variety. I'm sure your saying "Its easy for you to say!" But there is a good source to look this information. Go to www.bambooweb.info. It's a great resource that list characteristics for bamboo varieties like height, sun tolerance and temperature tolerance.

2. Be prepared. If a nighttime temperature get within a couple of degrees of causing damage or you want to protect new tender shoots on a clumping species, be ready to protect the plant. I have found the best defense is to deep mulch around the base of the plant to protect the root mass and to have enough frost blankets (sold at most garden centers) on hand to wrap up the plants. Even a good bed sheet is better than nothing. I do not recommend using plastic sheeting. Or if it happens to be a potted bamboo plant and its mobile, temporarily placing it under an eave or close to the house also helps offer protection.

3. Don't panic. Unfortunately there are freak cold snaps and sometime you can't protect your bamboo plant due to height or girth which makes wrapping impractical. If the bamboo plant does sustain damage, it will start with leaf burn (and drop) and move its way to culm damage. Here is the beautiful part of it, many many examples over the years have shown that even bamboo that is nearly frost burnt to the ground, will come back once temperatures warm in the spring. No guarantee, but it does happen more often than you think. But, for significant damage to occur like that, it takes several days of exposure. And the key to limiting damage was deep mulching around the root mass.

Pictured above is my imperfect wrapping of some newly shooting Bambusa beecheyana and a recently propagated Bambusa ventricosa "Buddha's Belly Bamboo." I wrapped them for different reasons and the temperatures aren't low enough to do any significant damage, if any. But felt compelled to "baby" them. It's overkill, but it makes me sleep better, what can I say!

Hope this is helpful and stay warm!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Bare bamboo culms...




With winter approaching, it always funny to see these bare culms up in the air, leafless, almost looking dead. These are on clumping bamboo (in this photo - Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo and Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Bamboo') that shoot in the late Summer/early Fall (opposite of their running cousins that shoot in the Spring). These new culms will harden over the winter and once temperatures sustain above 80 degrees, they will begin to leaf out, around May. With these culms shooting above the wall, the plant will create a nice privacy and sound barrier to the street behind us.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Awesome fall red on a bamboo plant...



Snapped this great photo of Phylostachys bambusoides 'Castillon' today. It seems that every year around this time, as temperatures cool, the culms turn a nice shade of red on the side it gets sun. This bamboo is a runner, can take full sun but looks best in some afternoon shade in Sacramento. A ten year in-ground grove can get up to 35 feet tall. Mine is in a large pot. Nice color on this bamboo!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Alphonse Karr, what a nice bamboo variety!



Was cleaning out my Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' and Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Bamboo' today. I'm tired, but was able to propagate some nice plants from all that labor. Here is a photo of some of the culms, especially striking is the striping on the 'Alphonse Karr'. What a nice variety all around!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA

Friday, November 5, 2010

Bamboo plants, fall inventory. We can ship plants in the U.S.



We have lots of bamboo plants, both running and clumping, to choose from. We can ship 1 and 5 gallon bamboo plants to most of the U.S., except Hawaii. Many of the varieties can take temperatures below 0 degrees!

Here is a list of what we have currently:

Clumping Bamboo

Bambusa textilis 'Weaver's Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $95)
Bambusa multiplex 'Hedge Bamboo' - $22 Special for 5 gallon
Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' (5 gallon; $39)
Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' - $22 Special for 5 gallon
Bambusa beeceyana 'Beechey Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $75)
Yushania Boliana (5 gallon; $39)
Borinda Fungosa (5 gallon; $39)
Himalayacalamus hookerianus 'Blue Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Himalayacalamus hookerianus 'Teague's Blue' (5 gallon; $39)
Fargesia murileae 'Umbrella Bamboo' (5 gallon; $30)
Fargesia denudata (1 gallon; $12)
Thamnocalamus crassinodus (1 gallon; $12)
Faregsia nitida 'Fountain Bamboo' (5 gallon; $30)

Running Bamboo

Phylostachys glauca (5 gallon; $20 or 15 gallon; $75)
Phylostachys heteroclada 'Water Bamboo' (5 gallon; $20)
Phylostachys nigra 'Black Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Phylostachys nigra punctata 'Giant Black Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Semiarundaria yashadake (5 gallon; $20)
Phylostachys bissetti (1 gallon; $12)
Pseudosasa amabalis 'Tonkin Cane Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Chimonobambusa tumissidinossa 'Chinese Walking Stick Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $70)
Phylostachys bambusoides 'Castillon' (15 gallon; $95)
Phylostachys nigra 'Bory' or 'Leopard Skin Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $95)
Phylostachys aurea 'Koi' (1 gallon $12)

See a bamboo plant you want?

E-mail us on what your interested in and we can provide a quote for the plant cost plus shipping costs.

If your local, you can also visit us by appointment. Just call or e-mail us.

Thank you!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo Nursery - Rocklin, CA

_______

Where to find us......

Phone: (916) 300-6335



Saturday, October 30, 2010

Oh dreadful wind... leave my bamboo alone!


Casualty of the fall winds. Since clumping bamboo shoots in the late summer and fall, they are still pretty tender and can see new culms snap during high winds. Luckily, this is the only one I have found off of a Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo'.


Sean
Mad Man Bamboo

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Bamboo poles used in Hindu ceremony called Hanuman pujas


I am honored yet again to donate some fresh bamboo poles for a Hindu ceremony. I didn't initially ask what it was for the first time (two years ago). But asked this time out of curiosity (and appreciation for other cultures) and here is how the ceremony was explained:

"...the bamboo is used to fly a red flag of the devotee or Hindu god name Hanuman. This is a ceremony to offer prayers and special sweets to this particular god which is done in the home. At the end of the ceremony ( Hanuman Pooja) the red flag will be placed on the bamboo and will be mounted in the back or front yard of the residence. This ceremony is very common in the West Indies specifically where Hindu reside Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica, Surinam Fuji etc…"

I also found a blog that explains the ceremony more ("Hindus perform Hanuman pujas to either give thanks to God for continuous good health and prosperity or to remove any difficulties, grief, sorrow or a likelihood or impending unhappiness in one’s path. Hanuman pujas are only performs on Tuesdays and Saturdays." - click here for more.

I am happy to see my bamboo used for such a purpose.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Bamboo for Friends Contest is back!


We're at it again! Suggest our Mad Man Bamboo Facebook Page to your friends and get a chance to win a $40 gift certificate good for a bamboo plants and other bamboo goodies.

It's easy, use the 'Suggest to Friends' link at the top left of our Facebook page. After you send the suggestion to your friends, post the number on our Mad Man Bamboo Facebook Page. For every person you suggest, we put an entry in the hat for you. We choose a winner at 9 pm on January 31.

Good luck and Suggest Away!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
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Coffee, a treatment for pests on plants, including bamboo


David, a fellow bamboo connoisseur, sent me several articles on the use of coffee to prevent pests. The Bambusa multiplex series of bamboo is particularly susceptible to sooty mold at the nodes which attracts ants. This often happens during warm humid evenings and is a nuisance, but does not harm the plants themselves. I'll usually manually remove it by blasting the mold (and ants) off with a high pressure water stream.

Another alternative is to use coffee to repel the ant in the first place.

Read more on this method using coffee here.

The nice thing is, if your not a coffee drinker, like me, places like Starbucks give them away for free, you just have to ask.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335

Friday, October 22, 2010

Still lots of bamboo to choose from... get yours by appointment

'Teague's Blue Bamboo'It's a great time of year to plant bamboo. Planting it now gives the plant several months to develop its root structure and gather enough energy to shoot in the spring (for running bamboo) and the following late summer (for clumping bamboo). As we close out the season, we have lots of bamboo, both running and clumping, to choose from. Here is a list of what we have:

Clumping Bamboo

Bambusa textilis 'Weaver's Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $95)
Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Kimmei' (5 gallon; $39)
Bambusa multiplex 'Hedge Bamboo' - $22 Special for 5 gallon
Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' (5 gallon; $39)
Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' - $22 Special for 5 gallon
Bambusa beeceyana 'Beechey Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $75)
Yushania Boliana (5 gallon; $39)
Borinda Fungosa (5 gallon; $39)
Himalayacalamus hookerianus 'Blue Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Himalayacalamus hookerianus 'Teague's Blue' (5 gallon; $39)
Fargesia murileae 'Umbrella Bamboo' (5 gallon; $30)
Fargesia rufa 'Sunset Glow' (1 gallon; $12)
Fargesia denudata (1 gallon; $12)
Thamnocalamus crassinodus (1 gallon; $12)
Faregsia nitida 'Fountain Bamboo' (5 gallon; $30)

Running Bamboo

Phylostachys glauca (5 gallon; $20 or 15 gallon; $75)
Phylostachys heteroclada 'Water Bamboo' (5 gallon; $20)
Phylostachys nigra 'Black Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Phylostachys nigra punctata 'Giant Black Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Semiarundaria yashadake (5 gallon; $20)
Phylostachys bissetti (1 gallon; $12)
Pseudosasa amabalis 'Tonkin Cane Bamboo' (5 gallon; $39)
Chimonobambusa tumissidinossa 'Chinese Walking Stick Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $70)
Phylostachys bambusoides 'Castillon' (15 gallon; $95)
Phylostachys nigra 'Bory' or 'Leopard Skin Bamboo' (15 gallon only; $95)
Phylostachys aurea 'Koi' (1 gallon $12)

See a bamboo plant you want? Make an appointment!

We are available by appointment on the weekends. No obligation to buy, you get a one-to-one consultation, a tour of our bamboo garden and if you want you can purchase from our large inventory of bamboo plants. Call or e-mail us to set up your appointment.

See you soon!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo Nursery - Rocklin, CA

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Where to find us......

Phone: (916) 300-6335

E-mail:
sean@madmanbamboo.com

Website:www.madmanbamboo.com

Blog:http://bamboogeek.blogspot.com/

Twitter: Search "@madmanbamboo"

Facebook:
Mad Man Bamboo Nursery Facebook Page
(click on "Go to Facebook.com")