BAMBOO

[shotgun]

WHEN TO CUT BAMBOO TO USE FOR GARDON STAKES

[CharlieBear]

What kind of bamboo, how large is it across? Bamboo is a large family of grasses (what bamboo means in chinese). Some get very large across like black bamboo and can be used for stakes. Others never amount to anything. Generally you cut it at a size you can use when there is still enough time before winter sets in that it will dry well for the followng year's use.

[garden5]

Well, I would say when they are tall enough and strong enough. I'm sure you would be able to tell merely by looking at them.

[Fig3825]

My thoughts exactly, garden5. When I go on a bamboo hunt, I search the neighborhoods for the tallest I can find and use a machete to make quick work of them when I need stakes. Once hefty slice and TIMBERRRR! There are 20' tall pieces all around my neighborhood in peoples yards and they let me cut a few here and there. 20' stalks make nice 10' stakes when cut in half.

[soil]

cut them whenever you need them, bamboo will grow back