Around the same density of a mid range hardwood. About 770 Kg/M3.

Please refer to our contact us page for location and opening hours.

Collection during business hours is welcome as all products are stored or produced on our farm. Please allow sufficient time to process orders.

We prefer direct deposit but also accept EFTPOS, Visa or Mastercard. Cheques are also welcome, credit card transactions will incur a 1.1% surcharge. We can also accept cash if attending our Belli Park location.

FAQs Archive - Page 5 of 6 - Bamboo Australia

Q: What sizes do they come in?

Standard sizes in the 4mm to 50mm range is 2440 long x 1220 wide with the grain running along the length of the sheets.

Q: Where can I buy quality plant stock?

From our Belli Park parkland. If in WA or TAS, the most important point to remember is to check the credibility of the vendor. Whenever buying bamboo, ensure that the seller knows exactly what they are selling. Generally, the nursery trade knows virtually nothing about bamboo. At the moment for example, there are nurseries promoting "panda bamboo". It's isn't even a bamboo! Supermarkets are selling Dracaena sticks as “Lucky bamboo” whilst another common mistake confuses Lip Stick palms as a bamboo. It is really only the bamboo specialists who have experience, and the expertise to provide a fair idea of the growth habits of what they sell. The best rule of thumb is to only purchase bamboo from someone who can positively provide the botanical name of the species sought and also, make sure the plant has an ID tag attached. Another point to remember is the quality of the rootstock. I always make a point of choosing plants that have their roots protruding from the pot. If the roots are as thick as a matchstick then this is a good indication that there is sufficient root mass to support the plant. Discreet enquiries should be made to ascertain whether the plant may be reliant on chemical fertilisers. It is the policy of Bamboo Australia to use only natural fertilisers in the nursery and on the clumping species in the groves. Try to buy stock that has been raised on natural fertilisers such as the old favourites, blood & bone or any of the variants of Dynamic Lifter (pelletised chicken manure) which is available at all major hardware stores and nurseries. Always be cautious of International seed vendors. It is a common practice to give one species many names to sell more seed. Remember the golden rule. Buy only from a specialist.

Q: What Species Do I Choose?

This is where we open the can of worms on probably one of the most debated questions relating to bamboo. Australian bamboo nurseries now have a large range of sufficient quantities of running and clumping species to suit all buyers, whether they are collectors, landscapers, farmers, environmentalists or permaculture practitioners. At the outset you must determine your reason for wanting to grow bamboo and then run through a process of elimination to select a species that is adaptable to your climate, your pocket and give you the result you desire. Before a species is selected, the end use of the product must be determined. If a grower wants to grow primarily for timber, it is wise to select a species that has minimal branches. The cost of branch removal is a significant post-harvest expense and is best avoided. When the primary crop is shoot production, it pays to grow the species that will produce shoots that will meet the buyer criteria. It is financially prudent to grow a wide variety of species that can supply a continual shoot harvest over an extended period. Unfortunately this is not always possible due to regional climatic conditions. Considering the large range of species we stock and 25 years of experience, we can now offer our expertise in selecting a suitable species to suit most buyers requirements be it a back yard screen, broad acre plantation or commercial screening project. During the years a lot of myths and fallacies have evolved regarding the much maligned running species. Even a lot of the popular garden show hosts and propagators rubbish the runners. These myths are propounded, completely oblivious to the fact that the very species they are denigrating can yield huge volumes of timber poles and edible shoots when professionally managed in the rural environment.

Q: What is a Bamboo Pole?

A bamboo pole is called a culm. It is the telescopic extension of the emerging shoot and grows to full height at a rapid rate that can exceed a metre a day. Perhaps the most noticeable characteristic of bamboo is the segmentation of the culm into distinct nodes or joints with intermediate smooth sectors called internodes. In the great majority of cases the culm internodes are hollow but in all cases the nodal junction is solid allowing for the transverse distribution of nutrients and water. The external surface is polished and extremely hard being coated with a protective screen of wax and silica. Peripheral culm tissue is a dense matrix of elongated cellulose plant fibres cemented together by a substance called lignin to provide a strong and very flexible pole. Poles have multitudes of uses but must be left in the grove or stand for at least 3 years before they are harvested for the timber. When harvested they are preferably stored vertically in the shade to dry. Young culms harvested and exposed to the sun will shrink and/or crack and are susceptible to borer attack.

Q: Are all Bamboo Shoots Edible?

Bamboo shoots are mostly edible and are very nutrient rich although the flavours can vary widely.

FAQs

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