Making a Cane Pole P1: Harvesting Backyard Bamboo

Winter is when I do most of my bamboo collecting. Start looking around neighborhoods after the leaves have fallen off the trees and you will notice bamboo growing everywhere. It's tall and bushy and stays a vibrant green all year round so it's easy to spot. Most people have an abundance of bamboo growing and won't mind letting you take a few poles but make sure and ask permission. Backyard Bamboo is the easiest way to find a pole and most likely someone within a mile of you has bamboo growing on their property. Cane poles don't have to be river cane and any ole bamboo should work just fine. Select a culm that looks nice and is blemish free. Choose a young plant that is the exact size you want (10'-14') and cut it down cleanly. Trim the branches loosely and it's now time to store it in a nice dry spot. The next steps in making a cane pole are prepping, straightening, and lacquer. Which I will be covering in the next video. If you have any questions or suggestions about making a cane pole or harvesting bamboo please leave a comment and I will get back to you. I have been working with bamboo and river cane to make poles for 2 years and still have a lot to learn. These are just a few observations and suggestion I have about finding and harvesting some back yard bamboo to make your own cane pole. Thanks for watching