Mark Meckes
3rd June 2001, 09:16 AM
1993, (Georgia USA) - The edge of a grove of Phyllostachys heteroclada (syn P .purpurata) `Solidstem' was going to be excavated.
There were many new shoots, only 4-6 weeks old and they all needed to be cut down.
It seemed a shame to discard everything so I cut off the bottom 2-3 feet and air dried them in open covered shade.
The culms shrunk and distorted.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/data/2/thumbs/1Mvc-075f.jpg See larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/showphoto.php?photo=559)
Dried young culms
http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/data/2/thumbs/1Mvc-076f.jpg See larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/showphoto.php?photo=560)
Close-up of dried young culms
Some of the culms developed cracks, but many stayed whole because of the solid nature of the culms.
These are all from culm bases.
They are quite strong.
They will have uses for projects not exposed to the weather.
Mark
There were many new shoots, only 4-6 weeks old and they all needed to be cut down.
It seemed a shame to discard everything so I cut off the bottom 2-3 feet and air dried them in open covered shade.
The culms shrunk and distorted.
http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/data/2/thumbs/1Mvc-075f.jpg See larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/showphoto.php?photo=559)
Dried young culms
http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/data/2/thumbs/1Mvc-076f.jpg See larger pic (http://www.bamboocraft.net/workshop/showphoto.php?photo=560)
Close-up of dried young culms
Some of the culms developed cracks, but many stayed whole because of the solid nature of the culms.
These are all from culm bases.
They are quite strong.
They will have uses for projects not exposed to the weather.
Mark