Most of the Phyllostachys species tend to have edible qualities. While some can be eaten raw, others must be cooked, changing the water at least twice to remove the bitter taste. Usually, the new shoots of edible bamboos appear in the spring (March, April, and May) in the United States. During that period, there is a 3–4 week window of opportunity for cutting them.

Bamboo is a grass, which is extremely varied. It belongs to over a hundred genera, covering over 1000 different species, and ranging in size from less than a few feet to well over 100 feet in height. It is one of the most tremendous living resources in the world. Its strength and durability lend it to many uses – from use as a structural building material to a food source. Bamboo is made of long cellulose fibers that run parallel to each other over the entire length of the stalk.

If you have eaten the affected product and are experiencing the following symptoms, you should seek immediate medical care. Symptoms may include general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms.

Bamboo is notoriously difficult to identify more specifically than the species, unless there is something particularly remarkable about it. There are, by some estimates, as many as 2,000 kinds identified so far. Contacting a local chapter of the ABS and asking for help is probably the best idea. Be ready to answer a few questions.

Taking care of bamboo is easy. If it seems to be doing well enough without care, anything you add will be an improvement. Any fertilizer (but not weed-n-feed types) that is sold for grass would be appropriate, though manure from any animal, compost or fish fertilizer would be just fine. Many bamboo people recommend organic, slow-release formulas. Bamboo needs quite a bit of water so if you have a long dry spell during the summer and the leaves curl, it’s past time to water.

Bamboo is usually propagated by digging up part of a clump of existing bamboo and moving it elsewhere (see the next question.) The vast majority of propagating is done that way and it results in most plants of most varieties in the U.S. being clones. If you divide a bamboo plant and put it in a new location, it usually doesn’t do much for the first few growing seasons.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of the deer tick, Ixodes dammini. These ticks are approximately the size of the period at the end of this sentence and are brown or black. They are found in the woods and brushy areas and transmit the bacteria to humans and dogs through a bite. Lyme disease is difficult to detect, diagnose and treat. The symptoms, which are often flu-like, include joint pain, fever, headache, nausea and fatigue.

Dennis Gross ate 102 of 'em in 2003. Everyone always says, "I can beat that" but it's impossible. He's not a big guy. He's looks just like the Japanese kid on Glutton Bowl who ate 33 hot dogs in 5 minutes. He's just a tiny well muscled little boy. This is about the time dj's say something "witty" like "Say there's a guy named Tom there -- do you call him a Peeping Tom?" Then I say "hardy har har" or a nice Ed McMahon "heyoooo".

In the spring time, a vegetative root of bamboo, called the culm (essentially its trunk) begins its growth (from where is was stored as food in the roots of the previous year). As the bamboo culm grows, branches develop at the nodes (the number of branches at the nodes is an important taxonomy characteristic in identifying bamboos – though there are variations). The life cycle of bamboo is more or less defined and regulated.

The best way to find someone is via the ABS chapter closest to you. There may not be a chapter in your city, but the chapter may be able to give you the name of someone near you. Here’s the list of ABS chapters.

The first thing to say is that small green stems in small vases filled with some rocks and a little water sold as Lucky Bamboo across the U. S. are not bamboo at all. They are not even a grass and none of the advice you might read on the ABS site will pertain to Lucky Bamboo. The plant is actually a member of the Dracaena family, usually D. sanderana.

If you are a beginner you probably should try to find a bamboo nursery somewhere near you. A local nursery would be familiar with your climate and soil conditions. If you can’t find one, then you can contact one of the suppliers close to you, who are willing to ship bamboo, and ask for advice. Be sure to tell them your hottest and coldest days, what your soil is like and how much rain you get.

Nancy Bess, Arts & Crafts Coordinator, provided this answer. “I am a basket maker and use a little bamboo in my work; however, I have watched lots of Japanese craftspeople at work, so I’ll share what I have learned. Also, there is a new book that is out now from Carol Stangler. Called The Craft and Art of Bamboo (Lark Books, ISBN: 1579901913), it covers lots of the questions having to do with tools and procedures. I know she interviewed the Lingens who are fence builders.

Bamboo flooring is hardwood flooring made from bamboo stalks. BAMBOO DIRECT FLOORING is an engineered product that utilizes state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment to process bamboo strips into multi-layered, tongue-and-groove pre-finished bamboo floor planks.

It's true! The eviscerate is sold to rendering plants for a protein additive. Dog food would be an example of a product that might have Culver Duck eviscerate in it. The blood is sold as blood meal for gardening purposes. The feathers are in high demand for down. The fat is sold for food service. Culver Duck fat is comprised of mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. That in itself would be enough to warrant the demand; but, the flavor of duck fat is indescribably delicious.

This plant is a member of the Lily family or Liliaceae and is not a bamboo. There are several different types of this plant, but the most common is Dracaena Sanderana. For years it has been a common charm for "good luck" when opening businesses in the Asian community. The current Asian and Japanese trends in home decoration has led to the popularity of "Lucky Bamboo". For information about this non bamboo plant please do a web search.

Bamboo’s durability, warmth, and beauty make it one of the most unique and desired flooring materials. Though there are over a thousand different kinds of bamboo, a true grass, not all are suitable for use in flooring. The Moso variety is a common choice for flooring. Once the Moso poles reach about a year in age (40–50 ft high), their main growth stops and they begin to mature. In years two and three, the bamboo hardens and matures. Then, at year 4, the Moso variety is harvested.

There are bamboos that will grow, though perhaps not thrive, where the winters sometimes reach -20° F. The ABS Species Source List has a list of cold-hardy species. Here are interesting articles about growing bamboo in New England, in the Northeast US and temperate bamboos.

Transplanting is hard work and involves digging a large chunk of root ball out of the ground. Never transplant bamboo when it is shooting. Dig bamboo either very early in the spring before there’s any chance of shooting or wait for the growth period to be over late in the autumn. You should look for a clump of culms that has come up in the last year or so and which includes at least three or four healthy-looking culms. A good size for the clump would be at least two feet in diameter.