Switch cane?

[cowboy]

Joe: That's where I started several months ago - burn it , ain't good fer arra's...

[joewaco78]

Haha... You got me jealous... I am tryin to wrack my brain to think where they could be hidin.. But I cant find a lick of river cane here.. Leastways.. Not on the river haha..

[joewaco78]

Sorry bout the pic, I was shakin so bad I couldn't keep it steady. We found some japanese boo earlier but couldn't cut it. These however the ranger wasn't sure about so I find out in the next few days whether I can cut it or not. I would like to be ready if I can.

So is this the arrow boo I have been looking for?

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[cowboy]

I think you nailed it this time Joe . That's exactly what I cut in LaPorte (everyone knew it as switch cane down there) but have found it it's more likely to be Jap arrow boo - good enough! Don't cut those young shoots with the slick nodes and no litte clusters of twigs sticking out, they'll shrivel up on ya as they dry. Hope you can cut all ya want .

[Pat B]

A good selling point to the ranger about cutting the cane is you only want mature canes and they will be dying anyway so you will actually be thinning the patch helping it will continue to thrive.   Pat

[joewaco78]

Well, I saw the park ranger today and asked again. His boss said a no go. If it was just a little further he would'nt have a problem with it. So I asked if there are any just outside the limit his boss said. He pointed me in a direction! Hope to have good news soon!!!!

[joewaco78]

Looks like I spoke too soon! I saw the BOSS today and we got to talking and explained to him how many and what age I would cut, and he said it didn't sound like a bad idea afterall since he was planning to cut the older ones anyway! THanx for the idea Pat B. It really DID sell him on the idea! So now I have cane whenever I need it!!!! And yes it is japanese boo. I asked him about it! Woohoooooo I am very excited!!!

[cowboy]

I'm glad to hear that Joe! I know how it is trying to get permission, sometimes you get it - most of the time ya don't. But when ya do it seems like ya get more than ya can handle - it all comes out even in the end.

[DanaM]

joe do you need my address I could trade you snowballs

[mullet]

  Joe, A better selling point and I stumbled onto it is,, Find the tallest shafts and just cut the top 4' that is good arrow size, and leave the rest. I sent some like this to Art B to make some arrows and he said it was the easiest he had worked.

[Pat B]

Never hurts to ask. The least they can say is no. By explaining what you want it for will usually strike someones interest and break down their defenses. Sometimes it works...sometimes not.       Pat

[joewaco78]

Nope, I am good Dana. We have plenty of snow here still!

I am actually happy and surprised I found it in the most unlikely of places! I wasn't even looking!!!!! I just saw it and snapped a few photos to see what it was!

And no, it never hurts to ask. But I do believe he wouldn't have agreed if I hadn't had a further explanation of what I wanted it for and how I was going to go about harvesting it. He seemed very happy about me having some information of what to do. I believe otherwise he would've assumed I planned to just hack everything down!(And there is quite the little treasure stash there) So now i have plenty to play around with! And it will keep coming back again and again! Sure wish I could import this stuff to texas and grow it!

[cowboy]

I might've missed something Joe, but where are ya/ where did you find this stuff?

[joewaco78]

Right now I am visiting in Oregon hahahaha. Me and my lady were taking a walk in a park just enjoying and we stopped at a duckpond and boom.. Looked over and went wow... Thats alot of boo, got closer and all the the shoots were slim and very strong, I couldn't even snip a lil piece with my lil gerber. So I snapped a pic. I was still super excited about finding BLACK japanese arrow boo not 10 minutes earlier. But that one I know I can't cut as they don't have much of it yet. Beautiful stuff though. I will try to get a pic asap for ya.  I will be back in tx by about next weekend with hopefully around 30 or so cuts.

[Pat B]

Maybe the head guy will allow you to take a root cutting/division to take with you...just don't tell him you are taking it out of state.  
    Look up "bamboo" on line. There are sources for all sorts of bamboos. Your USDA hardiness zone map is a useful piece of info when ordering exotic, or any plants for that matter. Most bamboos are tropical or sub-tropical so if your area gets very cold it will limit the varieties of bamboo you could grow. Pat