COLOR IN BAMBOO

I've recently tried to recall when & how it was I developed an interest in growing bamboo.  I really believe it was many years ago on a trip to Colombia, South America.  It was there that I was exposed to some real GIANTS of the bamboo world & the impression of the beauty & strength of this plant has stayed with me ever since.

Bamboo comes in all shapes & colors.  In my "garden" I have bamboo which grows only a few inches larger than a foot in height, with other bamboo species more than 50 foot tall.  As well as green, I have bamboo in the colors of gray, yellow, white & even black.  With bamboo, there really is ... "something for everyone".

Some of my favorite bamboo is in the genus Phyllostachys. [Sorry ... I have never found a "common name" mentioned.]  Two examples from my bamboo collection are shown in the photo included & both offer a good idea of some of the "colors" found in the larger bamboos.

The green bamboo on the right is Phyllostachys Vivax. The clums (cains) have a brilliant green color, with a small white stripe at each segment.  The yellow plant is Phyllostochys Viridis 'Robert Young' ... named after some bamboo scientist,
NOT the movie star, who was later in the TV show Father Knows Best.  The latter bamboo emerges for the ground each spring as a light, lime green color & as the clum grows, turns yellow, with some segments having a bright green stripe.

As you can see, I have "color" all year long on my four acres of land thanks to my bamboo.

IT'S JUST BAMBOO

This photo, which shows the growth of the first bamboo to come up here on my property this year & which I discussed in my last post, is starting to "slant" as it gets taller.  Normally bamboo grows (mostly) straight up when it emerges from the ground. I have had bamboo where one or more stalks in a flush of bamboo will be ... "off kilter".  I have not seem so many clums all behave this way previously.

Since we have had such an early start to our warm Spring weather this year -- it's still officially Winter on the calender -- it is causing this bamboo to start it's growth cycle early. My theory is that the position of the sun in the sky may have some effect on the posture of the bamboo; as if the clums (stalks) are "reaching" toward a sun, which would normally be higher on the horizon, when the new shoots sprout in the TRUE Spring !!  For now, that's my semi-professional bamboo grower explanation for the "leaning bamboo".

Of course, if at some point I decide I don't care for the look of the curving bamboo -- assuming it will not straighten up, ah, "normally" -- well then, I can always just cut it down & wait for the next seasons growth.  After all ... it's just bamboo.

THE NEW BAMBOO

As it does every Spring -- or even this year, when it is still officially Winter -- the MOSO Bamboo is the first species of bamboo in my collection to send up new growth to start the bamboo growing season. The warmer than normal temperatures & frequent rain we have experienced this year in Central Arkansas have been ideal for this bamboo to begin sending up new cains ... officially called "clums".

This photo shows an area where I previously cut & removed the "old" clums of bamboo.  Since so much of any bamboo growth is directed underground, the previous "cleaning" of this bamboo grove does not effect the new growth.

While I planted this bamboo at this spot several years ago, the bamboo really has not increased dramatically in size. I have added the work glove to give some idea of the plants actual size as it comes from the ground at this location.  I will provide some up-dated photos in the near future as this batch of bamboo continues to grow this Spring.

BAMBOO TIME -- AGAIN -- IN ARKANSAS

Spring time is when the majority of bamboo species begin their yearly growth.  Unlike trees & bushes in the garden, bamboo grows to it's full height & diameter in it's first growing season. Growth in coming years will only be to replace leaves. The stalks of bamboo will not get bigger or taller.

With the non-Winter we have had in Arkansas -- & in just about all the other parts of the U.S. -- the growing season for everything on my property has started earlier than in other years. [Question:  Will this Winter, with it's lack of cold weather & snow, be the "new normal" ??  Check back next year.]

Because in most years the first bamboo growth can begin (usually) in mid-March on my property, I have started making daily visits to the South end of my land.  This is where the species of bamboo -- common name MOSO ...  which is the first bamboo to sprout new growth in my yard in the Spring -- is planted.  With the warmer weather conditions, the first small "heads" of this bamboo are already poking through the earth. Certainly, earlier than "normal" at this time of the year.

All of the bamboo I grow -- 12 species -- is "cold hardy".  The green, gray, yellow & black colors of the bamboo really help to add "color" to my Winter time landscape.

However, one planting of bamboo does have me mystified to some degree. It has always appeared to be more sensitive to freezing temperatures & does not ... ah, "normally" ... due well in our Arkansas Winters.  But, since we have not had a Winter per say, it's growth this year does not seem to be affected.

 I don't have a specific name for this bamboo & I do not know exactly what species it is.  It is a "clumping bamboo", meaning it does not send out "runners" any further than the base of the plant.  Also, it's growth is always in late Summer/early Fall, making me believe it is a bamboo from the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed from those in Arkansas.

I acquired this bamboo at a roadside plant nursery in Florida, many years ago. There was not a complete identification for the plant, just a tag listing it as "Bamboo".  Well ... DUH.   Still, I liked the color -- it's yellow, with green stripes -- so I bought the plant & divided it into two groupings when I returned home & put it in the ground.

Most years, I would have many brown leaves & dead stalks with this bamboo at the beginning of March, all due to the cold weather of our Winter.  The bamboo would then spend much of the Spring & Summer "recovering", aided by all the cutting & trimming I would have to do to remove the dead growth.

This year both plantings of this bamboo show no dead stalks or leaves. No doubt our lack of freezing temperatures this Winter have been more to the liking of this bamboo. It will be interesting to see how the weather conditions of this past season manifest themselves in the future growth of this plant when the true "warmer weather" arrives.

JIMMY BUFFETT SINGS ABOUT MY LIFE

I've been a fan of Jimmy Buffett for many years. I've written about my feelings previously.  Of course, I liked him & his music before he made it BIG & everyone now knows who he is.  Good for Jimmy, but I still like his (much) older song's & music; his tunes that often seem like they were written with my life in mind.

I've been spending a lot of time recently on my FACEBOOK pages, adding old photos & information to the new "Timeline" feature of FACEBOOK.  It's fun to add black & white photos, many of them almost 50 years old.  [That certainly is a "timeline".] 

One photo I found -- from LONG AGO -- gave me mixed thoughts about adding it to my FACEBOOK pages. I have not been fully supportive of my own emotions in making the photo available to my friends who view my pages.

So ... instead I am going to "publish" it here -- on my blog -- for the world to have access to the photo & then decide later if the photo -- & the story behind it  -- is worth sharing on FACEBOOK.

Yes ... I realize many of my FACEBOOK friends look at my blog, but still the photo will only reach a few people I share FACEBOOK with.

Here it goes ------

Circa 1968 ... this is a photo of me ... with MY WIFE !!!  As Jimmy Buffett sings ... "I got married too early ... cost me much more than a ring".

For now ... just the photo.  Later, "the story" behind the photo -- & the wife -- will appear either on this blog ... or FACEBOOK ... or both.

Yep ... Jimmy sings about MY LIFE.

DUST COLLECTORS

It's a good day for indoor activities & I am taking advantage of it.  Despite the sun & bright blue sky's, the temperature has just now inched it's way above 32 degrees & the forecast is for it to not get too much warmer.  Later today the clouds are to arrive, bringing with them the first measurable snow of 2012.  Oh joy.

Each time I have ventured outside today, I have made sure to wear something warm, to shield me from the cold & especially the wind, which no doubt increases the feeling of cold due to the wind chill factor. [No ... I was not wearing a PLAID coat.  Sorry, don't have one.]

I am cleaning out the closet in my home office; tossing out stuff I don't need, can't remember why I had saved, &/or just moving stuff to gain more room ... for paper/pens/markers, etc.  You know the drill.

On the top shelf of the closet I found some "awards" I have received in my ... "previous life", which would be when I held down a job & when I was a bit involved with a few activities not just centered on me, which is the (selfish) life style I have now.

I'm not sure what I will do with the "awards".  I certainly don't plan on needing them any time soon to add to a resume.  I don't really want to put them on the wall or take up space on any shelves.  They may take a trip to the burn pit, since they serve little purpose at this point in my life.

I am including photos, just so my readers will know what I was "given" to recognize some sort of "achievement" I obtained:

 Ah ... good old MAYBELLINE.  The company got almost 34 years of my life & is the reason I have  ended up in Arkansas.  The above "award" was for leading the implementation of electronic invoicing with Target Stores.  Faster payments.  [Quicker deductions as well.  Oops, bummer.]

 I'm two for two, with another MAYBELLINE "award". I can't remember if there was any "cash" accompanying these certificates, but both where probably the highlight of my final years at the company.  I got this one for helping with the new distribution system. It was mostly downhill for me after that.

 When I lived in Memphis, Tennessee, I was a regular volunteer for the local blood donation company -- LIFE BLOOD.  I gave over four gallons of blood before I relocated to the Little Rock area.  I would get phone calls at work telling me my blood type was needed & it was a great excuse to go to my boss to let him know I was taking the remainder of the day off & going to donate. [I had to "rest" after giving blood. Too strenuous to go back to work. Plus, I got cookies.]

The final find on the top shelf of the closet is the above plaque I got from the Board of Directors of the condo complex I lived in & which I served as Vice President on the board for 15 years. [Unlike politicians, I had no desire to be President of the board.  Too much work involved.]

I've got all these "dust collectors" in a pile on one of the office tables.  I'll decide in the next few days -- after the big snow ...?? -- what to do with them. 

IT'S A "SPRING TIME" ... BAMBOO POSTING

I often wonder how the "visitors" to my blog -- with so many foreign countries involved -- actually "find" this site & if those searching under the word BAMBOO, are often disappointed to find the blog with the name Bill's Big Bamboo, actually has very few postings regarding bamboo.  Got plenty of turtles & cats, however.

One of my blog "fans" -- well, maybe the ONLY one -- commented the other day on Facebook as to the   infrequent postings on my blog; me not writing as often as I had done in the past. He was spot on & I do blame that on Facebook.  It's easier for me to do more frequent & much smaller "comments" on Facebook -- which go out to an initial audience which has been "selected & approved" --  as opposed to more lengthy blog postings, which may or may not, reach an intended audience.

Never fear, I will continue to post on my blog, both views & feelings I need to express & distribute, as well as pure nonsense, with no redeeming value.  Here today will be an example of those extremes.

With the weird weather we have had in Central Arkansas this Winter season -- NO snow/ice (other than a "dusting" of snow in early December) along with mild temperatures -- I have been paying attention to my bamboo groves for signs of sprouting of this years bamboo growth.  The first bamboo to send up shoots ["clums"] is the "Moso" bamboo, which in most years will come through the ground in March.  Other species of bamboo I grow will continue their cycle of growth/sprouting well into early Summer. With the temperatures we have been having, I have been inspecting the groves for any early bamboo growth.  One never knows what Mother Nature will do.

February is normally the time of year -- whatever the weather conditions -- when I start to "clean" many of the locations where bamboo is growing.  This involves cutting out any dead wood, thinning out areas & removing smaller bamboo shoots.  It's the "pre-growth" time to beautify the area & bamboo groves.

 Yesterday was a cool, cloudy & damp day.  Not my favorite conditions to work outside, but then not much of the weather for the past few months has met my "requirements". Still, I was able to cut, trim & haul quite a bit of bamboo out of one of my main growing areas.

 The cut bamboo is taken to the back lot & burned in the fire pit.  Surprisingly, even fresh cut, green bamboo, burns quickly, not having to be "dried" before it will catch fire.  Another added "benefit" is the exploding sound -- think "organic firecrackers" -- from the moisture in the bamboo segments, heating & expanding.  It's my revenge against the neighbors barking dogs.

 Bamboo also burns "hot" ... which is helpful on cool days to warm the hands.  The smoke -- again for neighbors -- adds a nice smell, especially to my clothes, which go right into the washer when I am finished.

 When my body warms with the manual labor, it's time to strip down the layered clothing.  Naturally, a PLAID SHIRT is a vital part of my yard-working wardrobe.

I'll have to check with my friend Bubba, on how to properly wear suspenders. [He wears his all the time, mostly with a "back-up belt".  At least that's what I think he does.]  Obviously from the way my sweater "bunched up" at the waist line, I should have worn my suspenders UNDER my sweater.  [Help me out here, Bubba.  I'm a rookie !!]

As long as the rains stays away -- but, it's in the forecast ... again !! -- I'll continue to work on my bamboo groves & get them ready for Spring ... whenever that season officially arrives.