Arundo donax: Harvesting and Processing

[Asha]

Hello,
New to this forum and handling Bamboo.
I just moved here a couple of months ago and yesterday I obtained some Bamboo culms from a friend's neighbor. I stood them up in the barn overnight and they are much harder today. I went through the process of tearing the leaves off.
I've been reading the forum for the past two days and learned alot. However, I don't know when is the best time to harvest them.
My interest is in making a table top at this time. Also, some chimes.

Is there anyone that knows this area and the Bamboo that is local and provide me with some knowledge.

When I went to cut them, they looked like oversized corn plants - just to give you an idea of what it looks like.

Thanks

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Asha,
From your description, what you may have is Arundo donax, which is not a true bamboo, but a grass with bamboo-like canes.
I can't find my donax pics but I'll take some more pics of it growing around Austin.
If you have any pics you can upload them here.

And a Google search for Arundo donax --> Images = plenty of pics.

Though `purists' may not want to classify this plant with bamboo, we will embrace it here, as it has many wonderful uses.
Besides, it gets enough of a beating by folks who consider it a weed!

Let me know if what you have is Arundo donax.

Mark

[Asha]

Hello Mark,

Thank you for your response. I will take a photo and upload it so that you can view it.

What is the best tool to cut it with so that it won't split? I am planning on curing it with a propane torch and bees wax.

I am going to search through the forum and see what I find.

Again, thanks!

[Asha]

Hello Mark,

Here are the pics I took of the bamboo I harvested yesterday. See if you can tell what type of bamboo it is.

Been looking at some books. Which ones would you recommend for a beginner?

Figured I better get some more so that my pieces are more uniformed for my table top.

Thanks,
Asha

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Asha,
Yes, What you have is Arundo donax, Common Name - Giant Reed
The materials harvested in your photo appear to be young canes, and may shrivel - develop surface crinkles on drying.
But there's no harm in learning through experimentation. If the table top is kept out of inclement weather, and the results are satisfactory to your wishes, that's all matters.
It is also possible to split the canes wide open into flat strips and weave them into a panel or other shape.

A new section at the Gallery: BambooFlora (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/index.php) has been created to accommodate grasses with bamboo-like characteristics, and a category has been started for Arundo donax. See Arundo donax pics (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=572)

Firstly, without going too deep into the complete story of Arundo donax. (which can eventually be addressed in a New Thread), this plant has been utilized since ancient times for many diversified uses.
However ... Many bamboo crafters, if given Arundo donax to compare with the bamboo species used, would consider Arundo donax as `inferior', because the many bamboo species that we often use may have a denser or woodier inner culm composition.
Not always. Each of the 1200+ species of bamboo has it's own strengths and weaknesses, and each must be evaluated based on it's intended use relative to species that are available.

As first noted, Arundo donax has been proven through the test of time to be quite sufficient for many uses.
In most situations, the bamboo species that are available these days were simply not locally available.
Arundo donax yields copious quantities of canes, so it was only natural to form a living and working relationship with locally available perennially renewable resources.
In the USA Arundo donax is considered as an invasive introduced weed, because no industry has developed utilizing and promoting it's uses.

Harvesting and Processing Arundo donax

Sorry, I don't have much experience with this plant :(

I have never seen a book solely about Arundo donax.

According to an article I read about making reeds for musical instruments like saxophones etc, the grower, I think in Mexico, mentioned they harvest 3 year old canes for this purpose.
I would imagine that a dry or dormant winter season would be the ideal time to harvest Arundo donax

Many of the procedures and techniques used in working with bamboo can be likewise applied to working with Arundo donax

Next time I drive by a wild stand of Arundo donax, which are plentiful in this region, I'll harvest several canes of varying ages and take a closer look at the materials. My own planting is only 3 years old.

Mark

[Asha]

Hello Mark,

Thank you so much for the information and link :p
I will read on and continue with my project.

Asha

[petunialover]

I have graded, husked and bundled quite a few pieces of bamboo, smaller bundles, I'm trying to dry it in my house by the heat vents, will this work or am I wasting my time? Also I have lots more bundles in my garage [unheated, oc] will they ever dry or am I spinning my wheels, I bundle them to straighten them [some curve a bit] or at least get them to Not curve.

TIA,
PL

[Mark Meckes]

Hi PL,
I'm guessing that you are still working with Arundo donax, so your post has been moved to this thread started by Asha about Harvesting and processing and working with this plant.
Hopefully Asha will receive this message a will write back.

I would think that the autumn/winter or dry season is the best time to harvest A. donax.
I still haven't made a trip down the road to harvest some, which I'd still like to do, now that this subject has come up again.
I got rid of our donax planting - 3 cuts of all new canes this summer and it died in the drought. ... I love the plant but I have a special bamboo that wants to grow in it's place and there's an abundance of wild donax growing locally, and, having limited space at home, decided not to grow it.

PL, I suppose the drying rate will be relative to how juicy or succulent your donax is.
As you are from up North, were they 1st year canes when harvested ?

Mark

[petunialover]

They are at least second, possibly third year harvest. My friend is growing it, harvesting each fall and throwing it away, I have some of the first year's crop, it's dry and moldy from being stacked out in the woods and not peeled.

I plan to grow some out in my woods next year only not the donax. I won't be harvesting all each year. I'm hoping for taller stronger, thicker bamboo, real bamboo.

[Mark Meckes]

They are at least second, possibly third year harvest. My friend is growing it, harvesting each fall and throwing it away.
Sorry I should have been more explicit.
Further south the canes will live for a number of years unless there is a sharp drop in temperature. (I'm not sure at what temperature the canes are killed outright but I think it's somewhere in the teens F).
So if the canes can survive for several years they become tougher and even better for craft use.

Further north the canes die back annually.

Mark