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Asian bamboo plantations: The next palm oil?
Over the past couple decades, the world has woken up to the enormous potential of bamboo, and to its remarkable sustainability. Western demand for bamboo has been skyrocketing. Meanwhile, Asian farmers are doing what they can to keep up, and to cash in. But bamboo...
Bamboo in the mountains: Reaching record elevations
If you're looking for clean air and easy access to winter sports, the mountains are a great place to be. But what about your bamboo plants? Will they be too cold up there? Or is it OK to grow bamboo in the mountains? Many bamboo varieties grow perfectly well in the...
A History of Hemp and Bamboo in the State of Kentucky
The history of bamboo weaves a rich and colorful tapestry that drapes across several thousand years of Asian culture. It's as iconic and ubiquitous as the Chinese dragon or Japan's rising sun. But once in a while, we come across a thread of bamboo history that takes...
Is bamboo lucky? Gardening for good fortune
In America, we cross our fingers for good luck. In Germany, they press their thumbs. Other cultures look for four-leaf clovers, carry severed rabbits' feet, or hang horseshoes. And in Asia they plant bamboo. The world over, people are always seeking lucky charms to...
The 1,000 Bamboo Villages Project
If the passion for bamboo is contagious, then I might say we are currently in the midst of a global bamboo pandemic. But don't worry, unlike the other pandemic, this is something to celebrate. Bamboo construction is taking off, bamboo textiles are coming along, and...
Bamboo of South America: Ornamental and economic species
Famously the home of coffee beans, cocoa, and a profusion of potatoes, South America also has its fair share of bamboo. In fact, anyone who believes that bamboo is only endemic to the Far East would be shocked to learn just how widespread it is in Latin America. South...