Selecting Bamboo for Harvest

Recognizing Mature Bamboo

Selecting bamboo for harvest is a very important part of proper bamboo plantation management and will influence to a large extent the future durability and quality of the bamboo poles. Recognizing mature bamboo and knowing which bamboo culms to cut will contribute to bamboos resistance against insects attacks, fungus and microorganisms.

Proper selection of bamboo culms for harvest is based on:

• Age of the bamboo stems
• Color of the bamboo stems
• The presence lichens and mosses
• Absence of imperfections (cracks, twists, etc.)

Age of the Bamboo Stem

Bamboo gradually changes from the outside, which allows us to recognize 4 very defined stages: shoots, young stems, mature stems and old stems. These mentioned stages can be recognized in the external characteristics of bamboo.

When selecting bamboo for harvest, the age of Guadua bamboo should be at least 4 years old but not more than 7 years. Once bamboo is older than 7 years, it gets dry and gradually loses it mechanical properties, which means it is not capable for any use except for fuel and charcoal. Young bamboo (0-2 years) can easily be recognized by the color and the presence of culm sheaths, while old or over-mature bamboo contain an excessive amount of fungi and mosses on the bark and have a different color.

Color of the Bamboo Stem

When the color of the stem changes from clear and shiny green to a gray and dark green color, and the traditional white bands of each knot have almost disappeared and are replaced by hardly perceptible gray bands, then the bamboo shows clearly evidence of its maturity and can be selected for cutting and extraction of the forest. At the same time the color of the foliage becomes less green and shiny than the younger bamboos. When bamboo stems turn completely white or weathered it is over-aged and too old to be used.

Young and Mature Guadua Bamboo Stems

Lichens and Mosses

Mature guadua is characterized by the appearance of small circles or specks of white colored fungus (lichens). These lichens partially cover the trunk of the mature guadua, with diameters of up to 3 cm. If the guadua is developed in warm and excessively humid climates, then in addition to the lichen, moss will be present. When Guadua starts showing these lichens, it is ready to be cut since the bark has the optimal resistance degree and it usually has an age of at least 4 years. These stains become more defined and whiter when the bamboo gets older.

Bamboo Lichen and Moss

Imperfections

It speaks for itself that bamboo stems with splits or cracks, bents, diseases or presenting insect infestation (small holes) are not suitable as a construction material. A few examples below: