Fertilizer for bamboo crafts

[Mark Meckes]

This last winter, a herd of deer sheltered in my bamboo groves (8-10 deer were seen at a time).
The snow came down early and stayed all winter.
Food was scarce for wildlife.
Anything above ground, within reach, was browsed by deer and rabbits.
Any evergreen bamboo leaves, and their branches were eaten back to stubble.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/data/516/thumbs/1Mvc-071f.jpg
Fertilizer for bamboo crafts: Courtesy - deer and rabbits (http://www.bamboocraft.net/bamboo/showphoto.php?photo=555)
As this picture (taken April 2001) shows, all parts of the groves, and especially the pathways, were covered with deer and rabbit fertilizer (produced from bamboo leaves).

This is raked back into the groves, and now the deer-chomped, bare bamboo is beginning to sprout new leaves. (Spring is is the air and the deer have left for greener pastures)
Provided that the bamboo has a healthy rhizome system, and adequate growing conditions, and they are initially cared for, many bamboos can provide wildlife sustenance during lean times, and will still increase their growth to produce craft materials.
Mark Meckes

[Derick]

Dear Mark a fascinating photograph of sustainable fertilizers. Perhaps one day a photo collection of fertilizers in bambu containers. nature always has provided !!!!!!!!!!!.
Regards
Derick Calderon
Guatemala

[Mark Meckes]

Hello Derick
My bamboo was planted on glacial rubble, (boulders, rocks, pebbles, mixed with gritty clay).
It has flourished, only because of the gradual addition over the years, of organic matter. (tree leaves, garden weeds, horse, (deer and rabbit) manures, and additional soil).
In this cold temperate climate, the bamboos become more deciduous and replenish their leaves annually, providing lots of leaf litter.
As the bamboo grows and matures, it needs to develop rhizomes deeper down so that it can keep its' larger culms upright.
With these added nutrients and organic matter, the bamboo has gained enough strength to work its' way into the glacial rubble.
The rhizomes benefit by the cool moist `root-run' provided by the rocks, which also provide them protection from the likes of voles (which like to tunnel through the lighter organic soil).

How much (yield of) bamboo that is harvested over a period of time is proportional to what is given back to the grove.
But it should also be considered that for certain craft applications, strength of the bamboo material, not yield, is the prime objective.
Bamboo can be grown in `poor conditions' that produce smaller but stronger culms, and bamboo grown in very fertile conditions may produce larger, but more succulent culms.

Mark