Starting a 5 acre bamboo grove (Sth>Austin TX)

[cybertek007]

I would like to start up a 5 acre grove South of Austin
Like to start with large timber grove
What are your recommendations for this area and what layout recommendations would you suggest?
My plan was to purchase large field divisions about total 30 to 50 plants of 3 or 4 different types
'Giant Japanese Timber'
'Giant Gray Henon'
'Green Stripe Vivax'
'Moso'
What spacing should I use between the plants when I transplant them?
My plan was 20'W X 40'L area per plant with a 20' path between each area.
That would give me a grid of 15 divisions per Sq.acre if I do 40x40=9 Divisions per acre

I guess my question is in 3 years and 6 years how much of the area will be used and how many shoots from the mother division?

Please give any input

Note: Planned on any shoots popping up in the 20' path areas would be transplanted to more acreage or sold as starter divisions
The rest would be for timber harvest only

[Mark Meckes]

Hi cybertek007,
When I moved to Austin in 2000 from the far north, I thought ... hurrray I can grow really big boo now! ... Nope :( ... So far, to find any thing over about 3" (7.5cm) I have to go to east Texas > Louisiana > SE USA.

The problem with growing bamboo to a large size in central Texas is the sometimes long periods of brutal heat combined with long periods of no rain/low humidity.

Spring/summer 2007 has so far been an exceptionally rainy season and if the weather was like this every year, many bamboos could reach their maximum potential height and diameter.
In fact, some bamboos this year have culms that have risen higher than their predecessors due to the favorable conditions.
However the life of a culm till harvest is, optimally +- 5 years so the weather conditions over this period of time will determine the quality and quantity of harvest.

I should note that when we think of "Timber Bamboo" , bamboo of +- 2" (5cm) diameter also has many uses and can become a grove of impressive size.

In addition to the the vageries of the weather, and providing some irrigation when needed for new plantings especially in the first couple of years till their root system becomes established, other factors that will affect the rate of growth of your bamboos are the soil type and topography, which affects the amount of natural rainwater run-off the plants will receive.
Also for example, hillside planting can equate to full sun exposure and dry conditions or conversely a hillside can provide protection from the blazing afternoon sun.

Another consideration here in central Texas is whether your property has any trees.
A good mixture of trees can provide much needed shade to the bamboo, and also tree roots and their leaf litter aids in keeping the soil less compacted, enabling the bamboo rhizomes to grow better in these areas in a mutually symbiotic relation with the trees.

Regarding species suggestions ...
(A disclaimer, my personal knowledge is limited, other opinions needed, and maximum potential depends on many factors as mentioned)

(Link below are to species pics at the gallery Bamboo Flora)

So far, the best performer that I have seen in this area, with diameters reaching about 3" (7.5cm) is ...
Phyllostachys viridis (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=550)
... and cultivars Phyllostachys viridis 'Robert Young' and P. v. 'Houzeau' are also good canditates.

-------

Phyllostachys bambusoides (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=548) (Giant Japanese Timber) is a robust grower but I doubt it will grow to much larger than 2"+ diameter (waiting for proof)

Phyllostachys edulis (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=528) (Moso) My planting in 5 years has barely reached 1" in diameter. :( This species doesn't appear to have much liking to the Texas heat, even with shade and possibly alkaline soil. Still waiting for proof of bigger Moso growing in this area.

Phyllostachys vivax 'Huangwenzhu' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=656) (Green Stripe Vivax)
Don't know how big it could get. I'll guess ... potentially 2-3"

I recently saw a 6yr planting of Phyllostachys vivax 'Aureocaulis' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=661&ppuser=1983) here in Austin which this year stepped up a notch to around 1 1/2 ' diameter.

Phyllostachys nigra 'Henon' (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=529) (Giant Gray Henon)
This and species cultivars benefits with having some shade.
I doubt/need proof that it can exceed 2+" in diameter in this area.

There are other possibilities but this is a start to the discussion.

Regarding initial planting spacing, plant size and spacing is often considered in relation to budget, area of planting and how fast you want to get the area to fill in.
One could plant as far as 12ft apart or less.
Essentially even a mature grove isn't one single connected rhizome network but a number of rhizome networks of differing ages from young and vigorous to older decaying, just as the above ground culms recycle from young to old.
In a mature grove the rhizomes do not all produce top growth or survive to provide sustenance to the grove as there is just as much underground competition between rhizomes to get access to available moisture and nutrients.
But with new plantings one wants to establish as many rhizomes as possible, and management of a grove through selective thinning to achieve the best proportion of healthy culms and their accompanying rhizomes comes later.

The biggest issue for you at the moment is in species selection with the highest possiblity for success.
Regardless, there will be some element of risk involved till the species that you try out prove that they are more than capabable of surviving but thriving.

Cheers,
Mark

[cybertek007]

The site has lots of trees and follows a riverbank that has plenty water.
Water can be pumped for irrigation and a misting system could run during the high temperature hours this would give a rain forest effect (Computer Controlled)

I know that i have a lot to learn that is why I am asking for advice
Putting aside the Texas Climate and the bamboo species could you give more information on Large acreage planting strategies!

As before I can Plant the Bamboo I need to Plan the layout for maximum yield

If I was going to dedicate multiple 40X40 areas or 20X20 area or 10X10 area
Should I plant multiple 5 gallon containers (how many? per area dimensions)
Or am i better off planting a couple of Field Specimens of larger sized canes?

My limited knowledge says the larger the mother plant the larger the new shoots are so less time is needed to get to maximum size,of coarse at a higher cost
I understand I will still have to let the cane mature for 3 years in both cases

So if I plant (4) 5 gallon size plants in one 40x40 area
and plant (4) 60 gallon size plants in the other 40x40 area
They both will take the same time to get adjusted to the move around a year
And the both will start to shoot new canes at about the same rate
The time it will take the 5 gallon plants to = the 60 gallon plant diameter
would be 7 to 8 times the in years No???

The 3 gallon plant might be a have more canes due to there size to space ratio
I would think I would save time and have sizable timber harvest sooner with
the larger field dug divisions

Not to mention the plant is mature\Hardy and able to recover from relocation

The land i have in mind also has plenty of expantion area for future acres
and in the second or third year i would like to invest in the a wider verity of bamboo species

But as i see it the mature large grove areas are most important Key to
Profitability
As Texas and the US in general have limited number of main supply groves
The faster that gets established the better chance of becoming
a main part of the supply chain you have

Or am i Thinking way to big for the amount of knowledge i have acquired

Am i missing something

Looking for people to ground my thoughts here (I Don't offend easy)

I have lost my but in the stock market
Blown lots of money on invention ideas
Why not try agriculture (bamboo is still in its commercial infancy)

Seemed like the right place to start (Bambapreneur Plantation)

Its only money, You cant take it with you ,When you go.

Maybe i can be buried in a bamboo coffin
First having me and the coffin pressure treated with Boarax to remove the starch so the bugs wont eat me or the bamboo (I can be a mummy)
Note: Need to Plant Golden Bamboo! Year 1 (Cause this just may kill me)


Would really like to Thank You for the time you All put into this site
It is one of the best out there

Note: I am also a transplant from PA also have same schooling background
moved here in 99 from NYC

My interest in bamboo started from a house we purchased near the Alamo draft house on Anderson with lots of bamboo screening
do you happen to know what kind it is?
I Can't tell they all look the same to me
Guess that is one reason i should re-think jumping into this!
LOL :-)

[Mark Meckes]

Hi,
You should try and check out this event coming up this weekend:
15th Texas Bamboo Festival/August 25-26, 2007 (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2474) at Zilker Botanical Gardens, Austin
This event only happens once a year so it's a good opportunity to find out more about bamboo and meet people with various interests in this plant.

I can better culmpose an opinion here and will reply with comments soon.

Regarding the bamboo on Anderson, I haven't seen it, but the species most commonly growing in this area is Phyllostachys aurea (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showgallery.php?cat=503) - Golden Bamboo
It was one of the early introductions into this area from many decades ago and has proven itself through the test of time to be a plant of "enduring quality" for this area.
If you are unsure you can post pics in the Bamboo species ID? (http://www.bamboocraft.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=147) forum.

Mark