New Bambusera needs help in Oregon

[Mark Mortimer]

This is from Debbie, who emailed me after seeing my site. My reply to her follows in separate post:

Hello! I was overjoyed to find your site! I am planning on growing some bamboo as a hedge to block out some traffic sights and sounds. I also would like to grow different types and build different things with them. We are thinking now of building hot tub gazebo’s, children’s play houses, bird houses and fencing panels. Of course we are along way off from anything as we do not even have any bamboo in the ground. Currently we are using it as garden trellis and it is working wonderfully!

Would you have any information as to a good book(s) on bamboo? Also any suggestions as to type that I might have good success with in my area (Salem Oregon)? We have a little over 14 acres with a small creek. I am very interested in trying to get some Timber Bamboo going and develop a “forest”.

I am also interested in anything about the best way to grow, plant, harvest and cut it, cure it, build with it….ANYTHING!!!



I hope to hear from you if you can spare a minute! Thanks so much for having your site!!! Debbie

[Mark Mortimer]

Hi Debbie,
Thanks for your mail, and kind words. Another bamboophile! Great. Be warned, a passing interest in bamboo can easily develop into an obsession!
I have taken the liberty to post your mail on the Bamboo crafts forum.
If you were overjoyed at finidng my site, I like to see how you feel about finding the forum.
You ask about books. The best starting point would be David Farrelly's Book of Bamboo, fairly easily available. A very good all round look at bamboo, covering most things. Also very good is Oscar Hidalgo's Gift of the Gods. Harder to find, ask on the forum, I know some people stock it, such as Will, from Koolbamboo.com.
As for planting, I actually know very little about it. But again folks on the forum will help.
I advise you to join your local chapter of the American Bamboo Society. They are very active and knowledgeable.
Anyhow, you'll probably get more advice from others on the forum.
Regards and happy bambooing.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Debbie, hope the site is helpful, we still have a long long way to go!
Feel free to browse, use the search functions provided, or join in on any of the discussion and ask any questions.
I agree with Mark Mortimer, these are two great `must have' books for every bamboo library.

Here's a link to info about the Book of Bamboo (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/087156825X/104-2306131-7546318?_encoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books) - by David Farrelly (links to amazon bookstore)

And here's a link to a thread at the Forums... Bamboo - Gift of the Gods by Oscar Hidalgo (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=723) - Review by Walter Liese
(with book sources at the bottom of the page)

All the best with your bamboo ventures,

Mark

[KODOAN]

Here's the best place I know for bamboo (and it's in Oregon!):


CAROLE LEE NELSON
LEN E. NELSON

E-MAIL: rkrbamboo@msn.com
PHONE: 1 (542) 396-4356

57098 FAT ELK ROAD
COQUILLE, OR 97423

They have over 140 temperate species of bamboo on about 30 acres of land. It is bamboo heaven!

[ShmuBamboo]

Coquille??? Wow, I have been through there many times, and never saw a bamboo nursery (or suspsected there would be one there). It is not far from from where I live here in central west Oregon. I will have to check them out.

The best place in Oregon for bamboo (I know of) is the Bamboo Garden in Portland. Or rather, the one now in North Plains, just west of Portland. They are the big one online: www.bamboogarden.com Over 300 types of bamboos there. And they have no mites.

Another good display bamboo garden I have been to is the Blue Heron, on the Skaget River in northern Washington State. Over 100 types, in HUGE hedgerows. Interesting place to see species en masse.

Updated: I went to RKR in Coquille and they have a nice large bamboo display garden. However, they are infected with bamboo mites, and they admit it. As was Blue Heron when I was last there, and when I was in Aptos recently, I noticed that Bamboo Giant also has mites now too.

Here's the best place I know for bamboo (and it's in Oregon!):


CAROLE LEE NELSON
LEN E. NELSON

E-MAIL: rkrbamboo@msn.com
PHONE: 1 (542) 396-4356

57098 FAT ELK ROAD
COQUILLE, OR 97423

They have over 140 temperate species of bamboo on about 30 acres of land. It is bamboo heaven!

[Shoot Hunter]

My personal favorite book on growing temperate bamboo would be "Hardy Bamboos; Taming the Dragon" by Paul Whittaker.

[ShmuBamboo]

Yah, Hardy Bamboos is a good book. One of the best bamboo books that I have, with great pictures. It is limited to cold climate bamboos though, and the species and type naming he uses is sometimes different than the ABS names (which can be culmfusing). :o

[gburnstein]

If you find yourself in Portland...stop by the zoo. There you can see a lot of different species growing in the ground...then drive up the road to a t-intersection at the top of hill...look for a picnic gazebo immediately on the left. Walk down through this area...follow road for a few 100 ft and look for a trail on the right that follows down along a stream. Here you will find an amazing assortment of bamboos ...some 10+ years old. This will win you over for letting bamboo run wild and free...

gb

[ShmuBamboo]

Thanks for the tip. I get up to Portland often, and we go to the Rose and Japanese gardens at least once a year.