Harvesting Bamboo - When is the best time/Season?

[Darrel]

Kevin Lang wrote:
If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, then now is not really the best time for harvesting as the culms are full of sap in readiness to push those new shoots up out of the ground. Mid winter is the best time to harvest for timber.
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Kevin,
It's still not clear to me that the timing question has been resolved.
In Japan, harvest happens in Winter... but is it because it's during the dry season or because of dormancy?
Here, in Northern California, the dry season begins about now, and that corresponds with the new shoots having just reached full height.
One theory is that the sugars have been used to create the new shoots, and now may be the best time to harvest the old culms.
It's also a good time to evaluate the grove because the new shoots are visible and it's easily seen where there's a need for sun and proper spacing.

Any thoughts?
Darrel deBoer

[kevinrl]

Darrel, I think that your theory that all of the sugars have been used for new shoot creation etc is the most valid. Because that is what the borers are after when they try to wreck the culm, and if the harvest is at a time of least sugars
etc then the better chance to keep the grubs out.
But also the less moisture in the culm the better.
Please note that I am talking about tropical bamboos, clumping types, the ones that shoot in summer, not the spring shooting temperate runners.
I did not know where the original poster was or what sort of bamboo they were thinking of using.
In the area where I live, SE Queensland, Australia, we have (already) had the growing season, the new culms are now full height, and the ground is drying out alarmingly fast.
So I am now watering just to keep the leaves looking good, but some of the new culms will not put out leaves until the spring warmth.
Regarding the period of dormancy for the running bamboos of Japan, they may appear to be dormant, especially the culms and leaves show no signs of any growth, but there is frantic activity underground, as the root system is expanded. But still that would be the best time to harvest as there is no sap flowing to nourish new culms.
Now we will all be confused.
Kevin