Do Tonkin Canes Need any Treatment if Used for Ski Poles?

I'm making alpine ski poles of tonkin bamboo. Do tonkin canes really need any treatment if they will be used for ski poles? Once they are "converted" into ski poles they will either be stored indoors (usually in a dry place together with the skis) or outdoors in cold and dry conditions on high altitude. Low humidity and not many insects, so do the bamboo then really need any treatment? Looking forward to a reply! Thank you very much!

Treatment for Rain Gutters Made from Bamboo

What kind of treatment would you recommend for rain gutters made from bamboo? Let’s assume you want to collect that rain water for your crops, so no toxic chemicals. For this application, is doing nothing equivalent to using boric acid borax?

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⭐ Best Answer:

The better solution is to simply build the attaching system to allow easy replacement of the gutter. Thye should last a year or two here in FL.

Bamboo Surface Treatment

I want to build a bamboo structure in Maharashtra, India with a very moderate rain fall. Would somebody please suggest me relatively inexpensive bamboo surface treatment which will make my structure safe for at least 20 years.

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⭐ Best Answer:

You can treat bamboo with UV blocking polyurethane and it can last for many years. But you will need to re-coat it every year in moderate climates, and re-coat every 6 months in heavily rainy climates. But it does work. I find a gallon of UV blocking polyurethane runs about 40 to 50 bucks in the U.S. And it will coat and area approx. 50 feet long and 6 feet high thoroughly.

Bamboo Turning Black with Outdoor Use

Hi, we are doing a project using bamboo as facade under intense sun and rain in summer (subtropical climate). We did the boric borax solution treatment beforehand already, however under the rain season, some selective bamboos are blackened intensely, why is that and what other solutions/ treatments can prevent such situation from happening?

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⭐ Best Answer:

The blackening you see is almost certainly fungal staining due to high humidity + rain exposure, since boric–borax doesn’t protect against that.

What to do:
Start by cleaning off the surface mold (use mild vinegar solution or lemon oil), then let the bamboo dry thoroughly. Next, apply a UV-resistant sealer, which protects against moisture and UV damage. To prevent recurrence, it’s recommended to re-apply every 1-2 years to maintain protection.

What Determines the Length of Bamboo Internodes?

What determines the length of bamboo internodes? Is it the species only, or are there other factors involved?

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⭐ Best Answer:

The length of bamboo internodes varies greatly from species to species, and the climate and soil it is grown in. Also, bamboo internodes are much shorter towards the base and tip of the culm (stem) compared to the internodal length in the middle of the culm. 

Generally speaking the more nodes, the stronger the bamboo. A bamboo culm is at its strongest at the base (largest diameter, more nodes, thickest walls), that's because it has to support the weight of the entire culm, branches and leaves.

So why are the internodes also short toward the tip of the bamboo? This has two reasons:

1. The branches grow from the nodes. Most bamboo species have little to no branches in the middle of the culm, but primarily at the top, and sometimes near the base. That's why there are more nodes and shorter internodes at the top.

2. Since there is a lot of weight from branches and leaves at the top, it also has to be strong and flexibel. Hence, lots of nodes and short internodes.

How Many Internodes Has an Average Bamboo Culm?

How many internodes has an average bamboo culm?

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⭐ Best Answer:

In BAMBOOS OF THAILAND there are several tables in which the number of culm-nodes and their corresponding culm length above the ground, the number of internodes, their length, diameter and wall width are listed.

Such tables are available of the following species:
Bambusa pervariabilis, Bambusa textilis, three unidentified Bambusa species, Cephalostachyum pergracile, three unidentified Dendrocalamus species, Lingnania distegia, one unidentified Schizostachyum species, and ×Thyrsocalamus liang.

Can Dry Bamboo be Put Into Water for it to be Able to Bend?

Can dry bamboo be put into water for it to be able to bend? I am also building a grapevine trellis, am I able to cement the bamboo poles into the cement, would it last?

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⭐ Best Answer:

No, unlike rattan or willow, bamboo has a hard, lignified outer layer. Once it has dried, its cell walls are set. Water absorption will not restore the pliability of fresh bamboo.

Dry bamboo can be bend by applying force (to a certain extent) but once the force is removed the bamboo will bend back to it's original shape. Therefore it is always best to bend bamboo when it is still green (recently cut).

For agricultural use and support sticks I wouldn't bother using cement as foundations. Exposed to sun and rain the bamboo will weather anyways. A trellis like this could have a lifespan of 2 years (depending on the species, when it was harvested, etc).

How do You Find the Maximum Height of a Bamboo Arch?

How do you find the maximum height of a bamboo arch if you know its length?

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⭐ Best Answer:

If you want to find the maximum height of the arch, cut a string the same length as the bamboo, and hang it from two points. That is your arch, upside down. You can impregnate the string with wet plaster, wait for it to harden, and then lay it sideways, and use it as a guide to stake, bend, cut, and shape your bamboo. Just pay attention to the bamboo, and don't let it snap.

Also, make sure your cuts are angled to the focal point, which is an imaginary point between the two points your strung your string two, and should be at the base of your arch. The focal point will be in the middle of those two points, along the line of the shortest distance between them.

Are Shoots of the Ghost Bamboo (Dendrocalamus minor 'Amoenus') Edible?

Are shoots of the Ghost bamboo (Dendrocalamus minor 'Amoenus') edible? When boiling bamboo shoots, how many water changes are required?

I harvested Gigantochloa atroviolacea shoots and had kind of a bitter almond cyanide compound odor which dissipated on boiling. What would be the recommended cooking times and water changes to optimize safety and minimise nutrient loss?

On steep rain forest slopes with clay soil in hurricane prone areas, what edible bamboo species would be better for erosion control and withstand uprooting of hurricane force winds? Guadua? I read it spreads out almost like a runner. Does Guadua produce edibility shoots?

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⭐ Best Answer:

I did not find any information saying Dendrocalamus minor is edible, nor is Guadua for that matter (with the exception of Guadua sarcocarpa).

Bamboo shoots need to be peeled and cooked before using. Do not eat bamboo shoots raw as they are bitter tasting and can be hard to digest. Trim the roots, peel the outer leaves (sheath leaves), and remove any tough flesh of the shoots before cooking. Tender leaves can be left attached and eaten. The shoots should be cut across the grain into one-eighth inch slices. If very tender, the shoot can be cut into any pattern.

Cook bamboo shoots in boiling water in an uncovered pan for 20 minutes. Leaving the pan uncovered allows the compounds that cause bitterness to dissipate into the air. If there is any bitter taste to the shoots after cooking, boil them in fresh water for 5 more minutes. Bamboo shoots can also be microwaved, in an uncovered shallow pan of water for four minutes. Bamboo shoots will still be crisp and crunchy after cooking.

By Tariga, Dr. Jonathan Necor, Tariga, Jonathan

Removing Toxicity from Bamboo Shoots

The usual practice to remove toxicity from bamboo shoots in the Philippines, is to remove the skin of the bamboo shoots and grate it in a course grater making strings about the size of spaghetti and boil it for about ten minutes. Then rinse the shoots in cold water and then it is ready for any dish. Is this enough to remove any toxicity in Dendrocalamus asper shoots?

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⭐ Best Answer:

Bamboo shoots of Dendrocalamus asper do contain cyanogenic glycosides (mainly taxiphyllin), which can release hydrogen cyanide if eaten raw. The good news is that taxiphyllin is heat-sensitive — boiling easily destroys it.

The common Filipino method (peel → grate → boil ~10 minutes → rinse) is effective and widely practiced. Discarding the boiling water is essential, since that’s where most of the toxins go. If the shoots are still bitter after boiling, cook them a second time. When prepared this way, D. asper shoots are considered safe to eat.

A study found that boiling D. asper shoots in 5% salt water for 10 minutes reduced cyanogen levels from 0.016 g/100 g to just 0.002 g/100 g, a substantial (88%) reduction, while preserving nutrients.

The Bamboo Shoot Chronicles: Research and Recipes

By Tariga, Dr. Jonathan Necor, Tariga, Jonathan

Are the Outer Leaves of the Bamboo Shoot Edible?

Are the outer leaves of the bamboo shoot edible, good for compost or bamboo broth, or useful for anything besides throwing away? It seems that the vast majority of the shoot is not good for eating.

I have several other questions as well. First, when I buy canned bamboo shoots, the canning liquid is both edible and tasty. Is this true of the water used for boiling, or must it be thrown out? Is it useful for anything else?

What is the best way to identify an edible variety of bamboo growing wild?

And what are the most commonly sold (in nurseries) types of edible bamboo (that is, which types of edible bamboo would one be likely to find for sale in a nursery)?

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⭐ Best Answer:

Outer sheaths of bamboo shoots are not edible — they’re tough, fibrous, and often contain more toxins. Best use: compost or mulch.

Boiling water from fresh shoots must always be discarded, because it collects the bitter cyanogenic compounds you’re trying to remove. This is very different from canned bamboo brine, which is safe because the shoots were pre-detoxified before canning.

Identifying edible bamboo in the wild: Nearly all young shoots are technically edible after proper peeling/boiling, but bitterness varies by species. Always discard the first boiling water, and when in doubt, cook longer.

Most common edible nursery species: Dendrocalamus asper, Bambusa oldhamii, Bambusa vulgaris, and in temperate regions, Phyllostachys edulis (Moso) and Phyllostachys aurea, among many others.

Is Guadua angustifolia Edible?

I wonder if Guadua angustifolia is similar to the Chinese kind of bamboo and if it grows all over Latin American nations? Which Latin country can harvest and export bamboo shoots? I am asking 3 questions here. Can anyone help?

Growing Bamboo for Biomass in Greece

Hello, I am Panagiotis from Greece and I am interested in growing bamboo in my country. I want to use it for biomass so I need a type of bamboo that produces a lot of mass. I was thinking of something that I can plant at 1 x 1 m apart so I can plant a lot of them. Are there any suggestions to what bamboo species I could use?

Comparing Biomass of Beema with Guadua Bamboo

Do you know how Guadua compares to "Beema" (Bambusa balcooa) in India propagated by Growmore? Beema bamboo is very thick with a small hole so I'm trying to find reliable 3rd party info on the biomass of a culm when we start harvesting, presumably at the end of year 4.

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⭐ Featured Answer:

Beema Bamboo is the solid bamboo compared to other types. “Beema” is a special breed variety by Dr. N. Barathi of Growmore Biotech Ltd., which has a potential to grow very fast and yields very high biomass due to the fact that the wall thickness of “Beema” Bamboo is 3 times more than other bamboo. The carbon content of “Beema” Bamboo is between 46 to 48%. The dry matter production of “Beema” Bamboo under optimum condition reaches 40 to 50 tons per acre or 100 to 125 tons per hectare. The total carbon accumulation every year, after 5 years of growth is from 18 tons to 23 tons per acre, which is equivalent to 69 tons to 80 tons per acre respectively.

Due to this fact, “Beema” Bamboo acts as a “Carbon Sink”. When “Beema” Bamboo is grown individually in the gardens and parks, it sequesters 400 to 500 kg of carbon dioxide every year, thereby reduces the Carbon dioxide in the surrounding places. “Beema” Bamboo generates 70 to 80 CER per acre / year, which is equivalent to 175 to 200 CER per hectare every year.

Carbon sequestration also can be obtained by generating electricity from the renewable biomass of bamboo. One acre of Bamboo produces sufficient biomass to produce 45 MW of electricity through gasification method. Apart from providing 45 CER as Carbon credit directly from the power generation, the process of Pyrolysis generates 7 ½ tons of carbon as bio-char. When the bio-char is supplied to the soil it is eligible for 28 CER as Carbon Credit. The application of bio-char to the soil enhances the crop productivity, improves soil tilt, fertility, water retention. The bio-char in the soil reduces the fertilizer quantity required as well as improves the soil quality of adverse soil resulting in growth of dense vegetation which additionally reduces the soil erosion.

Application of bio-char as soil amendment creates virtually a permanent carbon sink for over 1000 to 2000 years.

Making a Bamboo Fish Mouth Joint

This video shows how to make a clean fish mouth joint using only a drill and a hole saw. It’s a simple step-by-step process that takes less than a minute to complete. Perfect if you want a fast and accurate fit. (The video is in Spanish, but the steps should be pretty self-explanatory.)

Guadua Bamboo Rhizome Morphology

I read about two different rhizome positions of Guadua angustifolia (nearly vertically positioned rhizome with collective feet and horizontally positioned rhizome).

Here in Ethiopia, North East Africa, there is mountain bamboo that has a similar rhizome position (nearly vertically positioned) with collective rhizome feet. I want to compare Guadua angustifolia and Ethiopian mountain bamboo in their rhizome morphology, but I become confused with the two different rhizome positions of Guadua angustifolia mentioned.

I need clarification about rhizome forms of the species. I would appreciate it if you can show me pictures as well.

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⭐ Best Answer:

I'm not exactly sure what you mean with vertical vs horizontal positioned rhizomes but I assume you are referring to Guadua's underground growth habit. So, I think the question should be: Is Guadua angustifolia a running or a clumping type of bamboo?

There is quite some confusion about the rhizome structure of Guadua angustifolia as Guadua species are classified as clumpers, however the reality is quite different...

The long-necked rhizomes can easily extend between 1 and 2,5 meters before turning upwards into a new culm, and outdistancing some bamboos with leptomorph (running) rhizome systems. Rather than "clumping" bamboo, Guadua bamboos are more properly characterized as having a pachymorph rhizome system with a diffuse habit (or "open clumpers") – though even this often understates the matter.

Guadua Bamboo Rhizome Morphology

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Using Bamboo Underwater for Floating House Design

I am working on a floating house design and would like to use bamboo as a floating foundation. Now my questions are:

1. How long will bamboo that is partially underwater last?

2. Is there a difference between permanently underwater and alternately underwater?

3. How can you best process the bamboo to stay in good condition for as long as possible?

4. Is there a difference if the house is in fresh or salt water?

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⭐ Best Answer:

Bamboo can work as flotation if it’s treated and either kept always underwater or always above water.

1. How long does bamboo last when partially underwater?

• Partially submerged (splash zone): This is the worst case. The alternation of wet/dry cycles with oxygen exposure accelerates fungal decay. Untreated bamboo here often lasts only 1–3 years.

• Fully submerged: In low-oxygen water, bamboo can last 10–15 years or more in freshwater. In fact, waterlogged archaeological bamboo has survived centuries.

2. Permanently underwater vs. alternately underwater

• Permanently underwater: More durable, as oxygen is limited and fungi cannot thrive.

• Alternately underwater: Much shorter lifespan due to swelling/shrinkage, UV exposure, and microbial attack at the waterline.

3. How to process bamboo for best longevity

• Proper harvest: Use mature bamboo (4–6 years old).

• Preservation methods:

  • CCB (safe and fixating insect/fungal protection).

  • CCA (stronger preservative if environmental regulations allow).

• Physical protection:

  • Resin/epoxy coatings.

  • Wrapping the submerged section with a waterproof membrane.

• Design principle: Keep bamboo either always submerged or fully above water. Avoid the alternating splash zone whenever possible.

4. Freshwater vs. saltwater performance

• Freshwater: Main risks are fungi and bacteria. With treatment, bamboo can last a decade or more if fully submerged.

• Saltwater: Adds marine borers (shipworms, gribbles). Untreated bamboo may be destroyed in months to a few years. Strong protective coatings or hybrid floatation systems are essential.

Practical Recommendations:

• If using bamboo for flotation, make airtight pontoons (bundled bamboo sealed with resin/tar, or enclosed in a membrane).

• In freshwater, treated bamboo pontoons can be serviceable for many years.

• In saltwater, consider hybrid designs: bamboo combined with plastic drums, ferrocement, or other durable floatation elements.

Filling Bamboo Joints with Cement

I saw some info about creating strong bamboo joints when using Guadua in building construction, especially adding cement to the joints. I recall threaded rod and hardware being used, and possibly rebar as well. I would love to see more detailed info and/or videos about that. Perhaps there are some good videos on the site already that I have missed.

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⭐ Best Answer:

Filling bamboo poles to reinforce the joints has shown very limited results. The problem arises from the fact that the cement mixture has water in it. So when injected in the bamboo cavity the bamboo sucks up part of the water from the mixture and the bamboo fiber swells up. When the cement or concrete sets it hardens and the bamboo dries. So it shrinks again. Pulling itself loose from the cement core and leaving a capillary opening between the bamboo and the cement. In addition to that, cement is very good at taking pressure-loads, but terrible at tensile strength (pulling). And it is heavy. So making a lightweight construction with bamboo does not seem to make much sense if you want to use heavy cement or concrete joints. Usually the motive for using cement is that it is cheap, and the builder (not being specialized in bamboo building but in general building) knows cement, but lacks the knowledge of using it in combination with bamboo.

There are better alternatives. One of them is using bamboo fiber with a matrix. A matrix is just a glue of some sort that fixes the fiber in place, mostly polymers made by chemical industry. Unfortunately good matrix-es usually do not come cheap and mostly are not very eco-friendly. But technically they are good and reliable. Basically what you do is building an exoskeleton of bamboo fiber held in place with the glue around the connection. Pretty much like you would make a cast around a leg when someone has a broken bone. The best results we had with a pre-woven strip of about 5 cm wide wrapped around the column in a cross overlapping pattern in MANY layers and then saturating it with the polymer. The best result are achieved when assuring both chemical AND mechanical bonding between the matrix and the bamboo. Mechanically is easy: roughen up the contact surface. Chemically is harder. But usually when you use a matrix that is properly absorbed by the bamboo fiber it should be ok. Keep in mind that the outside layer of the bamboo is not just hard by itself, but is hard because it contains a high level of silica. Making it more weather resistant, but also more anti-adhesive. Scraping it of before you apply the fiber and matrix might be a good idea.

Bamboo Architecture Unboxed

By Stamm, Jorg, Vahanvati, Munir

What is the Best Bamboo Species for Making Floors?

I am considering bamboo as a flooring material. Are some species better than others for bamboo flooring? Love your site. So informative. So readable. Keep up the good work!

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⭐ Best Answer:

Choosing the right species for bamboo flooring is crucial, because the strength and hardness of bamboo fibers varies greatly between species. Generally, the best timber bamboos come from the genera Guadua, Dendrocalamus, Bambusa, and Phyllostachys.

The most widely used species in Asia is Moso (Phyllostachys edulis), while in the Americas the preferred species is Guadua (Guadua angustifolia). Both are excellent flooring bamboos, but they differ in fiber density, growth habits, and availability. You can see a comparison of both species here.

It is also worth noting that Moso Bamboo is among the hardest bamboo species in the world, making it highly suitable for flooring applications where durability is critical.

Bamboo as Reinforcement in Concrete

I am working with others developing a new kind of town and it would be consonant with the sustainability goals of the project if bamboo could replace some or all of the steel rebars in the concrete construction planned for all the buildings in such towns. Is there any experience, research, testing, or certification of bamboo concrete reinforcement?

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⭐ Best Answer:

There are a lot of test results available online for reinforcement of concrete with bamboo, here are a few of the most important references:

Image © Professorship of Architecture and Con- struction Dirk E. Hebel, ETH 3) Zürich / FCL Singapore

• Study on Bamboo as Reinforcement in Cement Concrete

• A Comparative Study of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete Beams 

• Research and Development on Bamboo Reinforced Concrete Structure 

• Experimental Investigation of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete Slab 

• Bamboo as Reinforcement in Structural Concrete Elements

• Building Bamboo Reinforced Masonry in Earthquake-prone Areas

• Investigation on Behaviour of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete Member

• Bamboo Reinforced Concrete Construction

We also had an interesting discussion about using bamboo for reinforcing concrete on our Facebook page: