Techniques for cultivating bamboo

Dendrocalamus giganteus Munro, also known as mai bamboo, belongs to the Bambusoideae subfamily. Mai bamboo shoots are highly nutritious and used as food. The bamboo stalks are used as building materials, household items, handicrafts, and pulp.

Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) is a clump-forming plant with straight, evenly rounded stems, averaging 15-18m in height and 8-15cm in diameter. The most suitable locations for growing bamboo are low hills, stream banks, valleys, sloping land, sandy loam soil, soil layers thicker than 80cm, and moist, slightly acidic soil.

1. Creating seedlings

* Cutting season

- Spring-summer crop: from February to May

- Harvest season: from July to September

* Preparing the soil

Propagation by cuttings: Choose a location near a water source, with good drainage, and away from disease sources.

Soil preparation: The soil is tilled, loosened, and broken up 5-10 days before planting cuttings.

Preparing raised beds: Beds should be 3-5 m long, 1.0-1.2 m wide, and 15-20 cm high… There should be drainage ditches 50-60 cm wide between the beds.

Disinfecting the seedbed: Disinfect the seedbed by watering it with a 2-3% Vibenlate solution, at a dosage of 1-2 liters of solution per square meter, 5-7 hours before planting.

* Prepare the cuttings

Selecting cuttings: Choose semi-mature branches with at least two nodes, a length of 50-60 cm, and a base diameter of 1.5-2 cm.

Cuttings: Cuttings are taken on a cool, cloudy day, then placed in a damp sack and kept in a shady place. Cuttings should be taken no more than 12 hours before planting.

- Cutting preparation: Cuttings are cleaned by soaking and sanitizing them in clean water before planting.

* Cuttings

After processing, the cuttings are planted in the nursery bed at an angle of 45-60 degrees to the bed surface, with a size of 20 x 20 cm and a planting depth of 7-10 cm.

* Caring for cuttings

After planting the cuttings, the cutting bed is covered with a white plastic sheet to maintain temperature and humidity. Water the cuttings twice daily (once in the early morning and once in the late afternoon) using a spray bottle or watering can, applying 1-2 liters of water per square meter to ensure sufficient moisture.
After 90 days of planting, weed, loosen the soil around the base of the seedlings. When the seedlings are 120-150 days old, apply a top dressing of a 1% diluted nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer solution (mix 0.5 kg of nitrogen fertilizer and 0.5 kg of phosphorus fertilizer with 100 liters of water), at a rate of 2-3 liters/m2. Finally, rinse with plain water.

2. Planting techniques

* Planting season

Spring crop: February - March.

Spring-summer crop: May - June.

* Planting density

- 200 trees/ha (5 x 10 m - trees spaced 5 m apart, rows spaced 10 m apart).

- 500 trees/ha (4 x 5 m - trees spaced 4 m apart, rows spaced 5 m apart).

* Soil preparation

- Digging holes: Holes are arranged in a zigzag pattern and dug one month before planting.
The dimensions of the pit are 60 x 60 x 60 cm.

- Apply base fertilizer to the planting hole after digging: Apply 5-10 kg of well-rotted manure to the bottom of the hole.

- After applying the base fertilizer, immediately fill the hole with topsoil until it is completely filled and resembles a turtle shell.

* Standards for planting trees

+ Plants that are 4-5 months old can be transplanted. The height of the plant should reach 80-100 cm.
The trunk diameter of the tree is over 1.5 cm.

+ The tree has a well-developed root system, produces one generation of seedlings, is free from pests and diseases, and the root ball is intact.

* Plant a tree

+ Planting weather: Choose a cloudy day, avoid strong sunlight and wind, and ensure the soil in the planting hole is sufficiently moist.

+ Digging holes: Use a hoe to dig holes approximately 25 cm deep.

+ Removing the plastic bag: For seedlings grown in plastic bags, the plastic bag must be removed before planting. Place the plant upright and firmly pack the soil around the base.

3. Plant care

The plants are cared for annually. Each year, they are tended to twice, once in early spring and once at the end of the rainy season.

- First year: One month after planting, check the survival rate of the seedlings and take advantage of favorable weather to replant. First care in May-June: clear undergrowth, lightly loosen the soil, and mound the soil around the base of the tree, with a mound diameter of 50-70 cm. Second care in August-September: apply additional inorganic fertilizer of 0.1-0.2 kg urea per tree and only clear away vines and shrubs.

- Years 2 and 3: The tree care techniques in subsequent years are similar to the first year. However, in year 2, apply 5 kg of manure and an additional 0.2 kg of NPK fertilizer per tree; in year 3, apply 10 kg of well-rotted manure and 0.5 kg of NPK fertilizer per tree.

4. Pest and disease management and control

Bamboo is often attacked by pests such as weevils, bamboo shoot beetles, stem borers, etc., or suffers from leaf diseases such as sooty mold, leaf spot, broom disease, etc. Animals that damage bamboo shoots include rats, mole rats, pigs, buffaloes, and cattle.

To control pests and diseases in bamboo, you can use 1% Bordeaux mixture or Bi58 at a concentration of 1/120, sprayed on the leaves.

5. Harvesting and preservation

- Harvesting bamboo shoots
The bamboo shoot harvesting season runs from June to September. During the peak season, shoots are harvested every 5 days, except for those intended to grow into mature bamboo. When harvesting, the buds at the base of the shoot are left intact to allow for further shoot growth.

- Preparing bamboo shoots

After harvesting, peel the bamboo shoots, wash them thoroughly, and let them drain. Prepare a preservation solution in a container with a secure lid. Place the bamboo shoots in the solution, seal the container tightly, and store it in a clean, cold storage area for best results.

According to the National Center for Agricultural Extension - LY