Ways to use bamboo, dumbed down to my skill level.

I'm gonna document low / no skill bamboo ideas here as I try them. I'm open to ideas, too, so post away. One of my bamboos is supposed to max out at about 3" diameter by 50' tall, but to date my largest culms are about ⅓ the diameter of my wrist by about 12'-16' tall.

1) The ring. Not the first thing I've made, just the first documented.



It was kinda chonky until I started whittleing and sanding. I cut it off of the unworked piece next to it.



I based the size and profile on my wedding ring. (I don't wear a lot of jewelry.)



It fits.



Still kinda uneven. I think I can make a drill into a mini lathe so any future ones could be shaped better. It's green because I used a cotton swab to brush it with food coloring. I tried to shine it up, first with olive oil, then with a "finish" I made from old candle wax and baby oil. Didn't really take much shine, but I figure it'll stay sealed for as long as it takes me to break it.

Maybe I'll show you the towel drying rack sometime. (I... didn't know how to lash. The intersections are... interesting.)

i made a series of little cups from bamboo that i can’t seem to find at the moment, that took nothing more than a bit of cutting and filing - just using the natural sectioning of bamboo segments.

also, years ago i made this two-handed maraca (the loudest maraca ever when loaded with kentucky coffee tree seeds), but i wanted to be able to change out the seeds so it could be quieter or just generally tonally different if desired...so i cut the gourd in half and added a bamboo ring with a peg to lock it in tight. i was lucky to find some bamboo that matched the size and shape of the handle i was using pretty well.

Put the manure to it and it will grow!

2) Bean teepees:



Again, no idea how to lash, but this is still my best teepee. Made it for a friend's little girl. When they moved in, the little satellite dish next to the barrel was mounted on the little metal post in the center of the teepee. They didn't want it, so we took it down and connected a center bamboo pole to the post. Each side pole sits in a little dimple cut in the dirt about 1"-2" deep. Stood all season unchanged.



I thought it was time to up my game, so for this one I found a youtube video that taught how to lash a tripod. It worked great. Had no idea how to lash a hexapod, so I leaned the other three poles into the gaps between the poles in the tripod. I just wound around the outside and tied it off.

Once beans started to climb, it caught more wind. With that much leverage, it shifted. So I staked several of the legs. Wasn't enough. Now that amaranth next to it (You can see it over the left corner of the hose hanger. It's taller than me now.) is held up by a t post, and hitting that is why the teepee hasn't fallen all the way down. It's pretty sad. In the future, I guess I'll build in support from the start. I'm thinking:
a) center pole
b) square lashed supports between each pair of adjacent poles
or
c) a hula hoop square lashed to all the poles

3) Halloween decoration:



Bought a bag of skulls at the dollar tree. I found a website somewhere that gave the lengths of body parts, using "skull" as a unit of measure. That let me get the proportions nearly right. Hot glued the joints.



Sprayed with walmart's cheapest spray paint.



I don't know what website that was anymore. For some reason I do still have the template I made from it.

I lost interest along the way, but if I were making it again, I think I'd use fishing line to articulate the joints.

4) Towel drying rack:

My wife complained that wet towels in the dirty clothes stink after a few hours. We didn't want to do laundry immediately, every time someone showers, so I decided to use some bamboo and make a rack they could hang on to dry, right above the dirty clothes. When they're dry, we just drop 'em. I intended to lash it together, and for it to be free standing. The culms kept sliding out of my lashings. I didn't know how to last right. Also, the legs could've used some horizontal bracing lower down. Finally connected the legs to the cabinets to keep them upright, and wired the non-structural towel bars in place. Works great, but if I ever redo it, I'll try to lash it together, and to have it stand up by itself.

The ring broke yesterday. Made it about a week. Also the color didn't hold if it got wet. It was no longer green.

T Melville wrote:4) Towel drying rack:

Love the drying rack idea! One could make a bit of a bigger one for drying a load of laundry instead of buying it from somewhere. And if one parks it (or them if making more than one) on top of some scrounged pallets, that should help the bamboo rack to last longer since it won't get moist as much. I am looking into that. Thanks for sharing, as well as the pictures!

T Melville wrote:The ring broke yesterday. Made it about a week. Also the color didn't hold if it got wet. It was no longer green.

I was afraid it would break. :( Bamboo isn't very strong across the grain.  Maybe shave a very thin strip, soak it in waterproof glue, then wrap around an appropriatly sized mold?

T Melville wrote:

We didn't want to do laundry immediately, every time someone showers, so I decided to use some bamboo and make a rack they could hang on to dry, right above the dirty clothes.

OK, ever since I was little, everyone in our house had our own coloured towel and our own rack to hang it on. I'm *clean* when I come out of the shower. If I hang my towel to dry so it doesn't go mildewed, it will easily last a week or two of showers. Since I'm not washing it as often, and *never* put it in the dryer (crunchy's not so bad - stimulates the skin), my towels have lasted for decades. So if it was me, I would put that lovely bamboo rack near the bathroom and save a bunch of water and electricity.

My bamboo building skills are pretty low, too. I do a lot of tipi-style trellises with mine. Another idea is to make wattle fences with the bamboo. I don't usually have enough bamboo for as much fencing as I like, but I usually use the bamboo for the upright rods, and use random other branches for the rest. I also use mine for fence posts for fencing that I'm installing for just a few months or to go around young fruit trees as the trees grow.

Here's a garden bed that I used a lot of bamboo on. I used upright bamboo both on the inside and outside to hold in a bunch of alder logs that I slid between the bamboo. On the front end, I also wove (wattle-fence style) the bamboo.

front (woven) side of the garden bed

back and side of the garden bed

A neighbor gave me a 1/2 dozen mini-tomato plants so I needed to give them a trellis to climb. The uprights are hammered into the soil, then the cross supports were added in at least two stages as the plants grew (because I ran out of time at the beginning).

5) Bamboo squash shelf:
I finally learned to square lash! Made the framework nice and stable. Along the X and Y axies. [Spelling?] But, like a moron, I had to go and build this in a three dimensional world. Stupid Z axis! Has anyone else ever noticed how bamboo is round? So two pieces lashed 90° stay pretty close to 90°. But either one (or both) can rotate. That lets other parts get way outta plane. So I made a whole bunch of twine braces and tightened them by twisting a stick in them. I guess that makes 'em turnbuckles? If I went and bought a metal thing at the hardware store to do the job, that would be a turnbuckle. In the end, it's sturdy enough, and it's free standing.

I even did a little floor lashing, kinda. (The left part of the bottom shelf, with the bamboo decking.) Kinda because the video I watched for that didn't show me the ends of the rope for the first knot, only some loops. I didn't want to have to go elsewhere to learn a clovehitch, just to come back and continue to learn floor lashing. I don't know what to call the knot(s) I used, but they held. I got tired of cutting bamboo, so I finished up the shelf decking with wire racks and square lashing. There were a lot of other easier ways I could've stored these, but I wouldn't have learned as much. I already knew how to give up, but now I kinda know how to square lash and floor lash.

T this is awesome - yes I see improvements in your knots and making "stick turnbuckles" is also a great skill to have in your tool-box. Yeah - that Z axis can be a nuisance, but your squash is 3D so I'm glad you persevered.

Did you consider using cross braces out of bamboo lashed on? If you search images for pictures of farm fencing where the gate attaches to a segment of fencing, you will often see a solid wood angled brace in one directions and "double wire with a stick" bracing in the cross direction. I believe that on our fencing, the "double wire" has one strand on either side of the solid wood cross. I'll try to take a picture of ours if the rain slows down.

Importantly, you're learning a critical bit of building "truth" - triangles make things stronger and can be used to prevent "leaning" - I've used that principle from trellises to shelving units to projects large and small.

Jay Angler wrote:Did you consider using cross braces out of bamboo lashed on?

Yes, but I had a vague idea of "How do I get 'em tight enough? Will they do any good if they're too loose?". In hind sight, I don't think that makes much sense. I think if every twine turnbuckle was replaced with bamboo it would've worked fine. I was pretty sleep deprived, I probably wasn't at my sharpest.

T Melville wrote:

"How do I get 'em tight enough? Will they do any good if they're too loose?"

Excellent thoughts to have, but I think it also depends on "too loose in what direction? If you're trying to fit the piece "between" two other pieces, then, yes you need to have the unit "square", take a measurement of the location the brace belongs, allow for the brace needing to be cut on an angle, and think of how you're going to fasten the wood together. One technique I've seen, is to drill though the corner bamboo and the cross brace bamboo and insert a piece of whittled bamboo as a "pin". Or you learn more fancy knots! If you're just going to run the brace on the outside of the shelf, it doesn't have to go all the way from the top to the bottom and it can be lashed to the verticle wherever it crosses. The knot would still have to change a little, but a few extra turns around each piece of bamboo alone as anchors and then connecting lashes in both directions would likely do it.

Again, if Mother Nature would stop crying, I'd take a picture to post, as in this case, a picture's worth a thousand words for sure!

You really are doing great -  and I really do think your shelf as is is awesome!

I've no bamboo,  but I do aspire to have bamboo...
In that spirit,  I'm wondering if lashing with wire might be a useful shortcut.
I have used wire lashing extensively in tying wood fencing to steel posts,  it's very cost effective,  even if one opts for stainless steel wire
For some applications,  I think wet rawhide might be useful.

Recently I have been watching videos on bamboo vinegar.
Because bamboo lacks the turpins and tars of wood,  the vinegar made from it is more pure.

One more reason to figure a way to grow bamboo on my limited land.

Here are a few of my bamboo contraptions

1) Torii Gate made from giant bamboo and a trimmed rhodie branch and cool beer can art I used finish nails to attach to a small cut from another wood project.  Torii gates denote the passage from the mundane to the sacred.  I loved these when I was in Japan and was also inspired to try to incorporate some of the ideas from the book ‘Permaculture, A Spiritual Approach’ by Craig Gibsone and Jan Martin Bang

2) trimming from the giant bamboo made a little wind chime thingy for my Buddah bench corner.  Not much is plantable here due to big doug fir roots and shading, but it made a good ‘people care’ zone and broke up the stuck feeling of this fenced corner.  Hubby made the bench out of reclaimed materials (stump and nice board from neighbor’s trash pile) and the pagoda and bell were leftover catering buffet decor I inherited when the pandemic shut down all the catering operations and the decor was ditched.  Small cedar is in a pot under the ground (so it can move if needed) and a dug up tree root became the cool giant sized mulch around it.  Total repurposing of all componants!

3) apron style support trellis for raised beds

I can't wait to see everyone's ideas. We have about an acre of the stuff and I would love ideas on how to use it. I was told that it was started 40 years ago from 2 5 gallon pots from the nursery. We have cussed ever since we bought the place. Now maybe I can embrace it as something good

I saw where a farmer was making large patches of bamboos but making and empty area in the middle. His goats and sheep would go inside on very hot days to cool off since it was maybe 10F cooler in there. You have to let the bamboos get big so they don't eat it and they will keep it trimmed for you since they both like bamboos shoots.  I may have seen that in Permies somewhere.

We built a squash tunnel out of bamboo we got for free from a neighbor. It lasted through the whole summer, with squash, beans, and cucumber growing on it, until a huge storm in late August took it down.



Here's a step-by-step how-to:

https://www.catintheflock.com/2020/05/a-nearly-free-squash-tunnel.html

This is my first permie post so I’m not sure how to include pictures yet. I use bamboo to make espalier trellis for a Belgian fence of 15 heirloom apples I put in to shield the view of the driveway. I use bamboo as high support poles for my tomatoes  , with a string hanging down from the support pole for each tomato to twist around. My sons use long bamboo poles to rescue various toys that have gotten stuck in trees or on the roof, lol.

Rachel Royce wrote:This is my first permie post so I’m not sure how to include pictures yet. I use bamboo to make espalier trellis for a Belgian fence of 15 heirloom apples I put in to shield the view of the driveway. I use bamboo as high support poles for my tomatoes  , with a string hanging down from the support pole for each tomato to twist around. My sons use long bamboo poles to rescue various toys that have gotten stuck in trees or on the roof, lol.

Rachel, I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of your trellis fence.  I'd like to copy the same idea to make a privacy fence or visual screen for my side yard.  It' would have to be about 30 ft long and about 6 ft high.

6) Fodder





Had to rebuild my machete handle with JB Weld and put a bit of an edge on it. My bamboo keeps it's leaves all winter (most years). My sheep like them better than hay.





I'm still on my first bale of hay. I keep a little out, just in case the bamboo isn't nutritious enough. They barely touch it.



The leftovers can be used for most anything. I think a rocket stove project may be in order.



This is Belle. (Born 3rd day of Christmas (three french hens) > the internet doesn't know the names of the hens > I made my wife a list of names vaguely related. "Belle", being a female name from french literature, won out.)



This is Artie. (Born the 11th day of Christmas (eleven pipers piping) > Again I made my wife a list of vaguely related names. The "Pied Piper" song was by The Changin' Times, Steve Duboff and Artie Kornfeld.

These are some great ideas. I would like to see the privacy fence also. Do cattle eat the bamboo also. All I have is cows and some chickens. Thank you everyone

Saralee Couchoud wrote:These are some great ideas. I would like to see the privacy fence also. Do cattle eat the bamboo also. All I have is cows and some chickens. Thank you everyone

Never offered it to a cow. It's basically woody stemmed grass, I bet they'd eat the leaves and anything young and tender enough.

I will have to try it. Thanks

Rachel Royce wrote:This is my first permie post so I’m not sure how to include pictures yet. I use bamboo to make espalier trellis for a Belgian fence of 15 heirloom apples I put in to shield the view of the driveway. I use bamboo as high support poles for my tomatoes  , with a string hanging down from the support pole for each tomato to twist around. My sons use long bamboo poles to rescue various toys that have gotten stuck in trees or on the roof, lol.

Rachel, for the tomatoes, are those bamboo tripods? I'm having trouble picturing the string action there.

2.1) Bean teepee that'll (hopefully) remain mostly upright.



Still learning. I stood up the same tripod as last year and square lashed the hula hoop to each leg. (Also marked those three legs with black tape.) Added the other three legs one at a time, square lashing into place. Everything was shaped as expected, with the axis vertical. Then I laid the whole thing down and wrapped twine around where all six legs crossed. Also frapped to tighten this "lashing". Standing it back up, the axis is no longer vertical. With it lashed and tightened, I can't bring it back to vertical. If I were doing it again, after square lashing the additional legs, I'd climb a ladder and lash the top with it standing.

The three legs of the tripod are staked.

Saralee Couchoud wrote:These are some great ideas. I would like to see the privacy fence also. Do cattle eat the bamboo also. All I have is cows and some chickens. Thank you everyone

Our calf ate it with great enthusiasm last winter.  It was obvious from the manure that she ate some of the stems as well as the leaves.  I think the sheep flock and goat helped teach her that it was good to eat. She aslo went along popping and eating new shoots out of the ground this spring, something the goats and sheep never really did.  Back when we had muscovy ducks, they ate the leaves as well.  Don't think chickens would eat much, but I might be wrong.

I've noticed the animals' desire to consume the bamboo varies greatly according the season.  I hypothesize that the plant pushes a lot of sugar into the leaves in winter as "antifreeze".  Then draws it out in the spring to fuel shoot and rhizome growth.

@T Melville -  a bit late now, but I would have dug holes for the feet to different depths to get it back to vertical. The problem with the lean could be it falling over due to uneven load, but that will probably only be an issue if there's a bunch of wind helping push it.

I use bamboo for my insect netting that put over my plants.      Works great for me.

T Melville - If I'm understanding you correctly, maybe try lashing the poles together at the top first.  Then stand them all upright together inside the hoop. Separate the 'legs' one by one while pushing the hoop up to where you want it to be once all the legs are as far apart as you want them - adjusting the legs in or out as you go.  Then lash the hoop to the legs.  That might make thing symmetrical and vertical.

7) The sprinkler that watered the middle of the garden died. It was zone one of three, since we transplanted the grape this year. There were four zones before that. Too many rain shadows. Much easier to water from above. But the sprinkler needed to be so high.

So I fixed it. Three bamboo culms, ~six or seven zip ties, one watering zone.

8) Free choice mineral station for sheep

One easy way to make bamboo trellis and teepees: punch rebars on the ground leaving 2 feet of them pointing out. As bamboo is hollow, fit the bamboos in the rebars.
It works great for an A frame trellis.

The bamboos I planted 20 years ago have grown into a sizable bamboo groove with poles of up to 40 feet in length.

I'm still learning how to preserve and use the poles. Two projects I completed recently are a chicken tractor made from bamboo and other existing materials and a compost toilet.

The thing I like most about bamboo is it's flexibility. I'm trying to start tomato seeds and the house is too cold. I tried putting the trays on a heat mat, but the soil surface was still too cool. I figured my  only hope was to trap some of that heat. I had a large plastic bag, but it just collapsed on the pots and I was afraid everything would go moldy. Bamboo to the rescue! Sawed to an appropriate length and tied up with a bit of burlap string and it worked a charm - two days later half the seeds were up. Now I need to start some more!

Sergio Cunha wrote:One easy way to make bamboo trellis and teepees: punch rebars on the ground leaving 2 feet of them pointing out. As bamboo is hollow, fit the bamboos in the rebars. It works great for an A frame trellis.

Great minds think alike! I need some temporary fencing to block deer from getting to a small potato bed I set up. I figured 7 rebar posts would do the job of holding some P dulsis bamboo culms vertically, and I figured I'd split P nigra in half to do the weaving back and forth. Unfortunately, I grow rocks better than just about anything else. I got 5 posts in, but the 6th hit a rock. The picture was from yesterday and shows ~12"x12" of rock. Today, I've uncovered it past the first rebar in the photo and I'm not at the end yet! Too much rain today to get a photo, but I've uncovered 2ft now.

Rocks are a blessing and a curse. I'm sure I'll find a use for it...