Structural Bamboo

[jbest]

I'm very new to the bamboo world so I have a lot of questions right now. My primary interest in bamboo at this point is for building permanent and semi-permanent structures. Just a few weeks ago I started building a 20 foot yurt using pine/fir lumber. I would much prefer to use something like bamboo for my next one - so I'm looking for information about what species would be best and how to grow them. If anyone can recommend a book, that would be great!

My guess is that I would need 1.5-2 inch poles in 8 foot lengths for the walls and 2-3 inch poles in 10 foot lengths for the roof. I'm currently in NM but by the time I will be able to do anything with bamboo, I'll be back in TX and would like to grow some in either Denton or W. Texas in the Lubbock area. Any suggested species? How long from planting to harvest? Any special treatment of the poles before use (drying, firing etc)? More questions to come...I promise!

Jason

[Eric Ellman]

Jason,
I'm even newer to bamboo than you, so you won't get any response to your questions here.

I do want to join the thread though as I'm also in Texas, working in the colonias of Hidalgo, Starr and Cameron Counties on wastewater treatment and reuse issues.

I'm VERY interested in exploring opportunities for treated wastewater to grow crops with a value-added potential. Bamboo seems like a natural way down here in the Texas tropics. Whether it be for structural use as you are doing, or for some of the stunning crafts I've seen on this site.

Should anyone know of others who have already gone this route -- either growing bamboo in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment, or irrigating it with treated wastewater -- I'd love to hear from them.

Interested as well in following your own efforts, Jason. Best of luck to you.

Eric

[jbest]

Eric,
I was actually planning to grow my bamboo using greywater. If you haven't read it already, you might be interested in "Create an Oasis with Greywater" by Art Ludwig. It's short but full of information about basic greywater systems for residences. He has some other publications about greywater use for industries and communities.

You might also be interested in a company called Living Machines which is here in Taos, NM. http://www.livingmachines.com
They have developed a process for treating greywater using bacteria and plants. Their solution is targeted at industries, communities and other larger-scale installations.

If you come across any information about the water requirements of certain species that can grow in TX, I would love to know if those line up with the amount of water I expect to use. I'm not sure if bamboo would be suitable as the primary plant for filtering the greywater since "marsh" plants seem to be the choice there (rushes, reeds, cattails etc) but it could be the final recipient of the water.

Jason