Free Bamboo!
June 5, 2007 by Deborah Ng
Filed under Eco Simplicity, Reusing and Recycling, Simple Pleasures
No, not for you, for me! My husband and I have been planting trees here and there around our property for privacy and shade. Little seedlings take long to grow, however, and bigger trees are expensive. The other day, one of my neighbors had a sign up in front of his property: Free Bamboo Trees! You see, he has bamboo all around his property and it’s taking over. He’s happy to offer it up for free as a way to clean up his property. Now my husband and I have a way of adding privacy to our property without spending a lot of money.
The only issue of course is the bamboo. It does spread quickly and we’ll have to be diligent about control. If it gets out of hand, we can do the same thing and offer the trees to our neighbors or anyone who wants them for free. Bamboo is also great to harvest for wood floors and cabinets. Because it grows so quickly, you’re not depleting the environment of one of its most treasured resources.
Generous neighbors are a great way to get really cool free stuff!
Here’s a nifty trick to keep bamboo under some control: purchase a 33 gallon plastic garbage bin and cut off the bottom. Dig a large hole and submerge the can. Plant the bamboo inside the can. Enjoy!
I need more neighbors like this. But I had no idea that bamboo was so rampant. I love bamboo floors though the color is so unique. Maybe if you get a huge surplus you could go into a new business venture
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Free bamboo is great except when you what to get rid of it – it’s virtually impossible to kill and very prolific – it will soon be taking over your whole yard.
Not all bamboo spreads!
There are two types, runners and clumpers.
Runners will spread and become rampant, where as clumpers will stay in a nice clump.
If you’re in South Florida, check out my dad’s website. He’s the expert down here.
I love Bamboo and Love the fact that it is fast growing, sustainable and good for the enviroment. Besides it is better suited for cabinets, floors and furniture because of its hardness and natural resistance to warping, rot and insects. We should be planting it allover the country and using it as a main alternative to oak, pine, hickory and maple. God Bless Nature!
I need some of that free bamboo. I will dig it out. Can I have an address or the name of the street with zip code?
i also need some bamboo to use as a base for netting 2 fig trees – please supply name and phone number for me to arrange collection – many thanks mary