Bamboo preservation in general

Beetle "Lyctidae"

With increasing moisture of the bamboo increases the danger, that the bamboo will be attacked by animals or vegetable pests like fungi, beetles and termites. So the best time for harvesting is the drier and cooler season when the insects are less active.

The pests can attack living bamboo canes and felled ones and can perforate them to such an extend that it becomes unusuable.

Passive methods

Simple constructive measures like lifting up the pillars or an outjutting roof can help to extend the life time of the bamboo distinctly.

Aktive methods

Oven to smoke bamboo

Smoking:

Another possibitlity to preservate the bamboo is smoking it in its own resin. The smoke makes the rind unpalatable to insects which therefore decline the bamboo.

Heating:

The canes are heatted in kilns to ca. 150°C for a short time, so the structure of the outer zone changes and becomes more resistant against insects. The poles can crack up easily.

When you cook bamboo, the starch and nutrient content will be reduced. The Problem is to find a container that is big enough to cook the canes in it.

Immersion:

Freshly cut canes are immersed in water for 4-12 weeks. The nourishment for insects (starch and sugar) is removed. Streams are more suitable than stagnant ponds. Saltwater is not suitable, because the salt will stay in the bamboo and can bring moisture and fungi into the canes.Impregnating coatings:

Coatings with borax are ecological and widely

used. In addition, lime slurries, rangoo oil or slurries from lime or cow dung are also used.

Using insectices is ecological not acceptable.

These are kerosene, DDT, PCP and others.