Bamboo sprouts going into pots!

Bamboo has been on the top of the list to get started on the homestead. We both have been wanting our own bamboo forest and after several failed sprout attempts, and our Guinea fowl eating the first sprouts we had, we FINALLY got some healthy sprouts!

This is a species of Black bamboo, which will darken to jet black culms with green leaves when fully grown. It is a slow spreading bamboo, and makes a great privacy border. They will grow to about 2.5" at their base and will reach heights of 25-30 feet. These will have edible shoots and will make an excellent renewable building material for many uses in the garden, animal housing, fencing, and decorative uses.

We got 15 sprouts out of 36 this time, and will be continuing to attempt to sprout more over the next couple of months. After the got about 2" we got them in small containers and there they will stay until they begun to grow multiple shoots, and have a good sized rhizome.

I have always had a fondness for bamboo. It is such a versatile resource and there are so many species to choose from. If you are looking to grow your own, just make sure that they are hardy to the coldest tempretures in your area. Not many bamboo can survive extreme cold, but some cold hardy species exist. They take a little bit of care in their first year of life, but once grown, they are a hardy plant with a great value for your homestead.

The next sprouts to try will be a timber grade bamboo, reaching up to 70 feet high and 6 inches around! Once they are propagating, we will have a near infinite supply of lumber for countless uses. Whos to say you wont see us in a bamboo house in the future? Who knows!

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