What to make/do with bamboo on the allotment

[MyWifesBrassicas]

I have just thinned out a massive clump of bamboo from my garden, i've cut about a 50-60 12ft canes.
Anybody any ideas what to do with them?

[nickdub]

sell 'em off in bundles of 12 for people growing runner beans - check the local store for a fair discount price :-)

[Jay-ell]

They'll need to cure before being used. Tie them in bundles then let them stand cut ends down for a few weeks. This is to let gravity drain the moisture from them

Don't trim the foliage off just yet as this will help the canes dry off by transpiring the water from within the canes. Let the foliage die off naturally.

Only the older stems will be strong enough to use in the garden. A bamboo stem will attain its full height in the first year and then in subsequent years the walls will thicken, making it stronger. If the stems are too old, however, they may have lost some strength as they aged and weathered.

Stems are often harvested at 3 years old. The base of the stem should be a different colour than the new growth, darker.

In future years you could take out the stems that are 3 years old. If you're not certain which ones are those you could start marking stems - mark all the stems grown in a year with a blob of paint one foot above the ground using a different colour for each year.

[Snoop Puss]

Agree with Jay-ell about curing. They're liable to root if you use them for beans straight away.

Other options: split into thinnish lengths and use them to weave hurdles; split into thickish sections and use them to make a kind of trellis for tomatoes. I use this kind of approach for bush toms, as it keeps them off the ground. Also, trellises for any climbing plants.

[Jay-ell]

An alternative might be to dry it, shred it, bag it and use it in the compost as browns to offset the lawn clippings.

[veggiechicken]

I cut mine for bean sticks and such-like supports.
Shorter lengths are used for toms in the GH and the leafy bits on top are pea supports.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Thanks everyone,
Will take up the curing plan and maybe weave them wet, in/out the posts of the old greenhouse and let them cure that way. I've recently put this back together for my first ever attempt at trombos.
Will post a pic when ive done it