Building a Dome with Green Bamboo

[Sebastienne]

I built a 40ft diameter/ 13 ft tall dome-like structure out of 18ft tapered, dried, purchased bamboo. The members are bent and lashed, the structure has been standing for 6 months. I have to recreate the structure in a new location. I was told that if I harvested bamboo (used green bamboo) it would be much easier. I harvested 35 ft lengths last week (they varied from 2.5 in thick to 1.5 in thick pieces) , I cut them down to 25 ft, saving the tapered end, and began reconstruction of structure yesterday, using all the same techniques, the bamboo cracked, split, fell apart -- what went wrong? If i replace the broken members will all of this bamboo fall apart over the next few weeks? What is the fast sure way of doing this correctly? Thanks, Sebastienne (I can send pictures of success and failure in the next posting).

Sebastienne

[Sebastienne]

I was amazed at how this particular stuff lost its strength, it bent the way flowers that have been in the vase too long bend as they die -- almost creasing -- as though it was a little rotted or something ... is this because it sat for a week after being cut, did it need to be bent as soon as it was
cut and then dried in a fixed position?

[CaroleMeckes]

Hello Sebastienne and wel'culm' to the Bamboo Forums.

It sounds like some of the bamboo that you harvested was bamboo just grew this season.

This bamboo is not ready yet to be used and is not strong at all.

The very best green bamboo to harvest are the older culms that have lost their leaves at the top. (kind of like some people who lose their hair at the top of their head as they age). These are the strongest poles.

Other green poles would also work fine - but not the newest ones.

Generally it is said that poles that are 3 - 5 years old are the best ones to harvest. How to tell is a little tricky - but if you observe the colors of the culms, the younger ones are usually more green and as they as age the green colors softens. It the culms remain in the grove longer, they lose all the green color and turn beige.

Carole

[Sebastienne]

Thanks Carole -- I had done the research about the best age for bamboo and knew that 3-5 years was the good time period. I did not know exactly how to tell which pieces were which age so thank you for those indicators. The stand itself has been around for at least 15 years ... so we would have to be pretty unlucky to have harvested all new growth ... right?

I wonder as we look at our pile, if we will be able to tell which pieces are the right age now that they are cut????

(The leaves are all cut off and the pile has been cut for about 9 days, so the color of all of it is changing some there are a few very dark green pieces ... we will stay away from those --) Any other indicators once the pieces have been cut?

[CaroleMeckes]

stay away from the dark green ones - they are rotting.
It would be good to sort those out of the pile and then you could see what you have left - which should be good.

Often the new canes are at the edges of the grove - as it tries to expand it's territory.

Carole