Bamboo leaves as food....

[Chickassan]

These aren't predatory mites, they are spider mites like infest house plants.
That fact really does not mean much when you can stroll through and get covered in the things.
And of course the chickens stay covered so that makes keeping on top of predatory mites that much harder.
I enjoy the bamboo very much but not those spider mites.

I haven’t noticed any mites in mine. Of course, my birds don’t bed in it or go through leaves. I have an established grove (psst...that’s code for IT’S TAKING OVER!!!!!) and I cut a few culms every few days and toss them in the pen. They love the leaves so much, and when they are done with them they hide in the stalks and hunt bugs. I can only imagine mites living in the leaf mat on the floor of the grove, has that been your experience, @Chickassan?

It is Phyllostachys aurea, a well established grove on the edge of a flood plane.
Im set for life on fishing poles.

Do you know what variety it is? I have a bamboo that makes me itch (pseudosasa japonica, japanese arrow bamboo), but it's not one of the normal ones usually grown. It never gets above about 18' and has palm-like leaves.

 

[CindyinSD]

That's interesting....any other plants have silica?
Have read the hardwood ash is best for dust bathing....
...at least in one flock determinately preferred hardwood ash over softwood ash.

As far as I know all living organisms have silica. Potters use ash as a silica component of glazes and sometimes clays. I’ve even known of potters (not me) who use the ash of deceased pets and (more rarely) loved ones to create a glaze as a memorial. To each his own. I find it a bit macabre, but everyone processes grief in their own way. More than you probably wanted to know.

Anyway, yes. Different organisms have varying quantities of silica, so a hardwood ash or a grass ash like bamboo would be richer in silica than, say, the ash of a tomato plant or a conifer—or a squirrel.

 

[aart]

These aren't predatory mites, they are spider mites like infest house plants.

There are many different types of mites out there.
@Shadrach has an interesting article about straw mites.

 

[ErnieBerley]

Do you know what variety it is? I have a bamboo that makes me itch (pseudosasa japonica, japanese arrow bamboo), but it's not one of the normal ones usually grown. It never gets above about 18' and has palm-like leaves.

Mine is black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and my chickens LOVE the leaves -

 

[Chickassan]

I put these under a magnifier, they are two spotted spider mites.
Im sure they are not the only species in there but they do seem to be the majority.
My poor houseplants catch holy heck 24/7 due to that thicket.

There are many different types of mites out there.
@Shadrach has an interesting article about straw mites.

 

[CindyinSD]

I’m considering planting some bamboo. I hadn’t even realized there were viable varieties up here, but apparently there are and (hardly surprising considering our climate) they’re not invasive. I’ve been looking for good fodder crops, so thanks for this thread!

 

[Kusanar]

A possibility for keeping bamboo contained is that as it typically spreads by root system you can contain the roots into an area. Copper actually burns roots, so you could make reasonably sized beds by trenching around and putting thin copper sheeting vertically in the ground all the way around. When roots bump into it, they will turn around and go somewhere else.

 

[Eggscaping]

I put these under a magnifier; they are two-spotted spider mites.
I'm sure they are not the only species in there but they do seem to be the majority.
My poor houseplants catch holy heck 24/7 due to that thicket.

Spider mites love 2 things: Dryness and plants that are compromised in some way. It's like a weak chicken will be more prone to mites or disease - a healthy organism has less chance of attracting sickness and if it does, more chance of fighting it off. In our house, we usually send anything that gets spider mites to the trash...but if it's a beloved plant, lots and lots of misting, wiping with damp sponges and putting a plastic bag over them for a few days to increase humidity can sometimes save them. But if your bamboo is experiencing mites, I'd try flooding it with water - spider mites want dry conditions and hate moisture. Maybe sprinklers or some such to wash off the mites and give the plant what it wants to get rid of the stress it's experiencing. Look up the type of bamboo you have and see what it wants: More water, fertilizer, no fertilizer, soil type, and so on.

 

[Kusanar]

Another good way to remove bugs from plants is to add a little soap to the water you spray them down with. A lot of bugs can handle getting wet due to the surface tension holding a pocket of air around them or some bugs have a waxy coating that keeps them from getting truely wet. A bit of soap in the water will break the surface tension and everything will get much wetter than if they are wet with water alone. It will not bother the plant one bit to have a soapy bath. I had a peace lilly my mom was in love with that got scale insects, that thing lived in the bath tub for a few weeks and got sprayed down with a dish soap and water mix several times a day (go to the bathroom = spray the plant) and other than it's leaves getting smoother and softer than I have ever seen a plant leaf, it didn't change anything about the plant but it did kill the bugs.

 

[JessaDee]

Mine is black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) and my chickens LOVE the leaves -

Does your bamboo run amok? That’s the only thing that’s kept me from growing it