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  • #1

    Painting the ends of bamboo canes

    Hi all,
    I'm not really sure if this warrants it's own thread.
    I've checked the search function and could not find any topic on this..
    .. quite simply, I'm curious to know if anyone paints or coats their bamboo canes at the ends to preserve and prolong the life of them, and what they use for it ?
    I have some green colour cuprinol lying around and will likely experiment painting the end of a cane or two to see how it adheres to the bamboo. Obviously it's the part of the cane in contact with the soil that deteriorates most quickly and I don't think its worth painting more than 10 inches up the cane...

    Research seems to suggest that bamboo is pretty good at thickening over time and creates it's own natural barrier against rotting.
    Usually I get 2-3 seasons of use out of my bamboo canes which I buy from a garden centre and I don't mind replacing old stock occasionally, but you can usually make things go further with a little thought and effort, if you know what I mean.
    I had to buy a lot of canes this year for my runners and felt the pinch, despite foraging hard for lengths of wood on site and off site I wasn't able to find sufficient quantities of them for the amount of veg that I grow.
    I will likely trial lightly sanding the end of a cane to key it and try a variety of different options such as :

    Cuprinol
    Old paint I have lying around
    Cold applied roofing bitumen (applied with paint brush)

    Given that , on the whole, paints and preserves are pretty toxic, I'm in two minds as to whether I want these coming into contact with my much valued and precious organic soil beds. Granted that this is probably more of an anxiety than a real concern.

    Any suggestions and thoughts are as always welcome.
    Thanks for reading.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    I lift the canes when no longer needed and store them undercover in winter.
    Split ends are trimmed off - shorter canes are used in the GH.

    When I need more canes, I cut them out of a clump of bamboo or the hazel in the hedge.

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    • #3
      I've never painted my canes. I do try and store them undercover in the Winter though. They do get an old drinks can put over the top end while in use. This is since my husband fell on one which gave him a hell of a bruise. Also the rattling of the cans in the breeze keeps birds away (in theory).

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      • #4
        I've also seen inverted pot plantpots stuffed with straw too, acting as earwig traps. I imagine old drink cans could be used in the same way.
        I have a few very small pot plantpots which I pop over the end of my hazel canes which stops me from poking my eyes out.
        "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

        Location....Normandy France

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        • #5
          Interesting insights everyone, thanks.
          I do store my canes in the rain proof shed when not in use.
          I'll give the paint idea a go and report back.

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          • #6
            If you're determined to do this, fill a pot with the "paint" and stand the canes in it. You don't need a paint brush.
            How about yacht varnish or melted wax.?

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            • #7
              Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post
              When I need more canes, I cut them out of a clump of bamboo or the hazel in the hedge.
              I am keeping some Ash in our hedge for sinilar reasons, I keep it coppiced down and every year it sends up some good straight stems which are long enough for my needs and so far are lasting well.
              • 1 like

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              • #8
                I have a bunch of black bamboo growing in an uninviting corner of my wilderness - planted as a £2 Wilkinson special about 10 years ago, its now about 10' high and 15' across - so now I can harvest 15 or so canes every year, which is plenty for me.
                • 1 like

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post
                  I lift the canes when no longer needed and store them undercover in winter.
                  Split ends are trimmed off - shorter canes are used in the GH.

                  When I need more canes, I cut them out of a clump of bamboo or the hazel in the hedge.
                  Originally posted by nickdub View Post
                  I have a bunch of black bamboo growing in an uninviting corner of my wilderness - planted as a £2 Wilkinson special about 10 years ago, its now about 10' high and 15' across - so now I can harvest 15 or so canes every year, which is plenty for me.
                  I thought about this and I think it's a great idea to grow bamboo and if it goes well I will gain a supply of canes every year, meaning I don't need to be so sentimental about the ones I've already got.
                  It also means I can place the pots where I want them and gain some much needed privacy, which is ideal.
                  I've taken a cutting of some bamboo which is already growing in pots in a neighbouring plot on my allotment, and I've planted it out into a small pot with some potting compost and blood fish and bone mixed in.
                  Photo is showing the cutting with a root system, so I'm hoping it will take and I will be able to take multiple root cuttings from this as time goes on..
                  It's complete trial and error at this point.
                  Attached Files

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                  • #10
                    Approximately two months on and the bamboo does not seem to have done much..

                    I'm over-wintering it in a greenhouse and still no idea what to expect here. Time will tell I guess. I may check the taproot at some point to see if there has been any growth at all.
                    Attached Files

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                    • #11
                      Some of my bamboo canes are 15-20 years old - a little brittle now.

                      I soak the larger end - which is inserted in the ground - in Creocote every year About 5 minutes - depth approx 25cms.. There is occasionally used car engine oil in the mix..yes bad I know.

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                      • #12
                        I don't. I give the greenhouse ones a soak in the Fluid that Cannot be Named before putting them away every other year or so. Otherwise it seems daft to me to go to all the trouble of organic gardening to put potentially toxic things that close to the plants, especially as canes are cheap and last fairly well.

                        I put little plastic drinks bottles over the top ends sometimes. Type depends on what the small person is drinking. When he hits 18 it'll probably be beer bottles...

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Forage420 View Post
                          Approximately two months on and the bamboo does not seem to have done much..

                          I'm over-wintering it in a greenhouse and still no idea what to expect here. Time will tell I guess. I may check the taproot at some point to see if there has been any growth at all.
                          They look fine - should grow on no problem - just don't plant them anywhere where they might become a nuisance if they grow vigorously.

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                          • #14
                            ^I agree totally with Nick. Come the spring they'll start growing vigorously.

                            Keep them clipped back to where you want them to grow, even if you don't actually need to take any canes. If you don't, they are liable to get out of control. Not easy to get rid of if you decide you don't want them somewhere you've put them. It'll make multiple roots for you eventually without any effort on your part...

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Madasafish View Post

                              I soak the larger end - which is inserted in the ground - in Creocote every year About 5 minutes - depth approx 25cms.. There is occasionally used car engine oil in the mix..yes bad I know.
                              Sounds good idea. My problem is with tripods for clematis and passiflora in pots. It's a pig when they snap.
                              Riddlesdown (S Croydon)

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