when to harvest shoots to eat?

Other things that involve bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
Eric
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 11:27 am
Location info: 0
Location: NC zone 7

when to harvest shoots to eat?

Post by Eric »

My moso has gotten big enough (very roughly 3 to 3-1/2" in diameter at the widest point, which I'm sure won't translate into canes that are actually that large) and is starting to spread in directions I want to limit it that I've started harvesting shoots to eat, and I have more to harvest now, but I think I might have harvested my first harvest too small, because most of what I harvested was really tough and only a very small part near the growing tip was good and tender, even after I tried pressure cooking it. I dug the shoots out when they were probably only a couple inches above ground level, but the whole shoot, including the underground part was probably around 6" long. If I'm just going to eat them right away myself should I even bother digging them or should I just harvest the above ground part (because the lower part is no good to eat anyway)? Or should I have let them grow more first so there's more above ground part to eat? Or should I have harvested them even sooner/smaller? Or is there just more tough part that gets wasted with moso than with other species? Thanks in advance!
Eric
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 11:27 am
Location info: 0
Location: NC zone 7

Re: when to harvest shoots to eat?

Post by Eric »

Still wondering about these questions a couple years later. If anyone on this forum regularly eats bamboo shoots, I'd be interested in anything you have to share on the subject.
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: when to harvest shoots to eat?

Post by needmore »

I've never harvested Moso shoots but I understand that they are often buried as soon as they emerge in order to keep the sun off, my version of this for other species was to cover the emerging shoot with a small plastic pot and when the shoot lifted it off the ground I'd cut them off maybe 6-8" of shoot to harvest but I bet you'll find better replies than mine on Youtube.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Post Reply