More Bamboo Building

Cutting the bamboo corms and 
Clearing the branches

This week we cut more bamboo to build a trellis for a passion flower vine (Passiflora incarnata) aka Maypop, which had volunteered at the end of a swale. Conveniently it had grown three evenly spaced vines which were ideal for a tripod trellis. 

We learned that we should cut the culms as close to the ground as possible in order not to leave any hazardous sharp posts sticking out of the ground, and that a saw or a very sharp lopper is good for cutting the corms.  Some loppers will cause the area where the corm is being cut to split. Removing the axillary branches is easiest by hacking off with a machete leaving a smooth surface at the node.

Securing the vines to the trellis

Project complete

We dug shallow indentations for each leg of the tripod to secure it, and then tied the top with twine. The vines were secured to the bamboo with twist ties which were first twisted very tightly around the bamboo and then loosely around the vine to hold it in place. Peter finished up the project with watering and mulch.  

Don’t forget the mulch and water

It will be interesting to watch the vines develop and flower, and possibly bear fruit which are edible. Passionflower vine is also the larval host for Zebra longwing butterflies, which are designated as the Florida state butterfly.

Zebra longwing on Zinnias