Anthony Breaks

On the topic of "wood" ollas:  I was just researching using bamboo as an olla.

My research suggests that bamboo is very good at holding water, too good in fact.  Some processing is needed for the bamboo to slowly pass water like low fired clay.  But.....

There are treatments to help bamboo take water based stain for things like furniture, so it is possible.

The shape of bamboo is so perfectly suited to irrigation, I am surprised it isn't already a thing.

I had a thought that a section of bamboo might make a good Olla.  I can't find anyone using bamboo that way but it seems easy, cheap and natural enough that it would be worth a try.  Bamboo might not last as long as pottery but self sourced bamboo would be basically free.

I imagine using a single section of a large diameter piece of bamboo or two sections of a thinner culm with the middle node punched out.  The bamboo could be inserted vertically or if roots are shallow... perhaps nearer to horizontal but with enough tilt to hold water.

The research I have found suggests that bamboo is not very porous and might act more like a bucket than an olla.  It might require some treatment to pass water appropriately.  That could be a heat or steam treatment, a soak or abradement of the tough waxy outer coating.  Compared to firing clay for a traditional olla...  any of that processing like that for bamboo would be less energy intensive.

I struck out in my searching but maybe someone out there has done it or seen it done?