Farming Bamboo [Paperback]

Carol Miles (Author), Daphne Lewis (Author, Illustrator), Angela Hooper (Editor), Adam Turtle (Editor), Jean Akers (Illustrator), Megan Ernst (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2007

Farming Bamboo describes how to grow bamboo as a farm crop for shoots and poles in the warm temperate zones of the United States. The second half of the book is an encyclopedia of the larger Phyllostachys bamboos that are suitable for producing a sellable crop. Use the encyclopedia to determine which bamboos to plant on your farm or plantation. Chapters cover topics such as the botany of bamboo, selecting a site, how to source plants, how to design the planting area, soil and nutrition, irrigation, pests, control of rhizomes, harvesting shoots, harvesting poles, livestock fodder, marketing shoots and using shoots. Daphne Lewis had been a bambusero for 30 years. Dr. Carol Miles is a crop scientist working for Washington State University.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Daphne Lewis became fascinated by bamboo in 1981 when she realized that bamboo was a perennial grass that grew both food and wood faster than trees. She began the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the American Bamboo Society in the early 1980's. She founded Bamboo Gardens, the first bamboo retail nursery in Washington State, in 1986. Her business plan was "If I love bamboo, other people must also".; In 1995 her business partner took over the nursery so Daphne was freed to create bamboo not as a privacy hedge sold by nurseries but as a farm crop yielding food and wood. Her aim was eventually for there to be a bamboo industry providing carbon sequestration, fiber, and erosion control as well as food and wood. Dr. Carol Miles received her M.S. and Ph. D. from the Department of Fruit and Vegetable Science at Cornell University. She joined Washington State University in 1994 where she is the Vegetable Extension Specialist based at Washington State University Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center. Carol specializes in vegetable production especially new crops, new varieties, and organic and sustainable production practices. She organized the logical sequence of Chapters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Lulu Press; First edition (October 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435701313
• ISBN-13: 978-1435701311
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #601,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat limited, March 17, 2010

By 

Douglas Nolan (Around the world) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Farming Bamboo (Paperback)

This can at best be called a reference book as the experience and scope of the authors personal experience is admittedly very limited.
It's scope is focused mostly on the Pacific North West.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great comprehensive overview of Bamboo farming, December 12, 2010

By 

Lake Tree Farm LLC "Organic Tree Farmer" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Farming Bamboo (Paperback)

Good descriptions of planting methods, problems, layouts, varieties and end uses of Bamboo. Thumbs up. It encouraged me, so I'll plant 2 acres more this year. More color pictures if Boo varieties and commercial sources of stock would have made a great book even better. Thumbs up!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling perspective, November 16, 2010

By 

Neményi András (Hungary) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Farming Bamboo (Paperback)

This A4 format 'interestingly' edited book with some black and white photos and many line drawings is in part a result of years of experience with growing bamboos in the North West coast of the USA. Enthusiasm and passion for the subject comes through the text, and the book contains several information based on personal experience unpublished elsewhere. It is not an encyclopedia in the classical sence, but gives the reader a thrilling perspective and optimism in the topic. It is intended for those already interested in bamboo and living in a warm temperate climate.