Lucky bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana) is surprisingly not actually bamboo as its scientific name suggests: It’s part of the Dracaena genus.
Lucky Bamboo has been a staple of Chinese culture and Feng Shui for thousands of years but has really skyrocketed into popularity in the past 15 years and is now commonly found in many parts of the world. It’s a symbol of luck and prosperity making it a common gift and the perfect small house plant.
Planting indoor bamboo plants can uplift the whole environment of your house or office. It helps in enhancing the positivity and healthy surrounding. However, planting such plants require attention and proper care in order to not get decayed or dead before the time. To make sure that you’re indoor
Lucky Bamboo is found in many different forms and arrangements. The number of stalks has different meanings as do the various forms like trellis, tree, spiral, etc.
It is said that it’s bad luck in Chinese Culture to have an arrangement using 4 stems.
3 stems is a favorite number because it represents happiness, long life and wealth. Yes, please!
How to Care for a Bamboo Plant
We’ve included in-depth information on sunlight, water, temperature, toxicity, potting, propagation needs and common pests and problems. Our quick step-by-step bamboo care guide can be seen below:
- Carefully remove any packaging and add rocks to your container to act as an anchor.
- Place your bamboo in indirect sunlight.
- Fill your container with enough water to cover the roots.
- Lucky bamboo prefers a temperature range of 65–95°F (18–35°C).
- Optional: use a liquid houseplant fertilizer every three to four weeks for nutrients.
- Remove any yellow or dead leaves.
- Repot the bamboo as its roots outgrow the container.
What to Consider at the Time of Buying a Bamboo Plant?
Before you buy indoor plants for your home, make sure that the plant is green completely, including the length and the leaves. Also, avoid buying lucky bamboo plants which have brownish leaves tips as they are unhealthy and it will take more care as comparing buying the healthy one,
Also, if the smell of the plant is bad, don’t consider buying as there are chances that the plant is rotten from its inside.
Tips to Take Care of Indoor Bamboo Plants: Step by step
Well, all shapes and kinds of plants require maintenance and care. However, it also depends on the type that you bought.
Indoor plants whereas have less involvement of worry, but again you need to understand certain things to protect and help in growing better inside your home.
1. Choose the Plant Carefully
These days the plant comes with planter which is ready-made from the nursery. However, it’s advisable to use the new one which should be around 2 inches larger diameters. Consider replacing the old one with the clean one can help the roots to grow better.
Also, you can use the planters which are made with glass. However, they are heavy, so if you are not going to move it frequently, then you can use this one too.
2. Soil or Water for Planter
Soil and water both can be used. With the soil, you need to take care of fertilizer’s amount. With the water, you need to make sure that it’s adequate and covering the roots.
For measurement, you can use 1 inch of water as its sufficient amount. To hold the water, you can use the pebbles. You can choose a different size, and for water, you can go with distilled water instead of using tap water.
3. Take Extreme Care During Planting
Plating is a crucial part; in case you didn’t plant the bamboo, then you can plant it again and use the pebbles to make sure that the bamboo is standing straight.
Here you can set the amount according to your requirement in using pebbles. In the case of water, you need to clean the pot and pebbles.
If you are using soil, then one-third of each sand will be used with moss.
4. Techniques for Watering
The technique in watering is crucial, and also you need to change the plant water at least once a week. If you are using soil, they make sure that the soil is moist. Avoid using too much water as it can cause flooding, and it can harm the plant.
Track the watering and how long thus the soil take in getting dry again. Bamboo plants can grow well if the soil is moist. In the case of less water, it can damage the procedure.
5. Sunlight
Lucky bamboo requires moderate or indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight will scorch the leaves, so avoid placing your plant in front of a bright window.
Direct sunlight is not required for bamboo, and it’s really bad too. The plant needs a medium temperature that falls between 60 to 70 F. do not expose more than the needed temperature. You can place the plant near the window, so you can adjust according to the sunlight you get.
6. Tips to Arrange the Stem/Stalk
Arrange your stalks. If you wish to style the Lucky Bamboo plant, choose a few prime stalks to make a linked arrangement and put it on display. You can manipulate the stalks to grow around each other or curl with a bit of work; to do this you have to use younger stalks that haven’t grown a lot and hardened yet.
- You can simply plant your stalks in a line or rows if you want straight stalks.
- To curl your Lucky Bamboo plant, get a cardboard box and cut off the bottom and one side. Place the box over your plant with the open end facing your light source. Your stalks will begin to curl towards the light as they grow. Once you see a bend, rotate your plant.
- You can also wrap some wire around younger stalks crisscrossing them. As they grow you will add more wire to keep them stable as they intertwine.
7. Eliminating the deceased and yellow leaves
If you noticed that the leaves are turning yellow, it indicates the lack of water in the plant. Here you can clean the container as well as peeled stop avoid the insects.
Use the sterilized scissors and cut all the parts which are dry and smelling bad. Make sure that you are not rinsing the plant for a long time.
8. Replanting Tall Bamboo Plants
Propagate your plant. When one or two of your stalks get too tall you can cut them and replant them.
This will help you care for your Lucky Bamboo plant by ensuring that it doesn’t get too crowded and can produce new plants.
Take your longest stalk and remove the smaller leaves at the top of the shoot. With a sterile knife or scissors, cut the shoot so at least two nodes, which are the raised part of the stem, are on the new cutting. Place the shoot in a bowl of clean, distilled water.
Keep it in a shady area for about one to two months until it begins to sprout roots. Once you see roots, you can replant it the same pot as your bamboo plant.
Growing Tips for Bamboo Plants
- Some store-bought bamboo plants come with water-absorbing gel to keep the plant watered while it is at the store. This can be left in place or washed off during repotting.
- If your bamboo plant is growing in water and has turned yellow, then drain the water and replace it a few times in a row to flush out the system before finally filling it up again. That may be because the water is not fresh. It’s also possible that your bamboo plant sucked up too much water. If, after you adjust the water level and quality, the stalks are yellowish-brown, all you can do is remove them.
Common FAQ’s for Lucky Bamboo Plant
Q.1 Why does a bamboo plant turn yellow?
Ans: A bamboo plant can turn yellow for a couple of reasons. These include too much fertilizer, too much chlorine or fluoride in the water, or too much sun.
Q2. How long do bamboo plants live?
Ans: Bamboo grown in water can live about one to two years. For a longer lifespan transfer your bamboo to the soil where it can live for several years. It may shed leaves, but as long as you care for it well, it will keep replenishing and growing new leaves.
Q.3 How can I bring my bamboo plant back to life?
Ans 3. This depends on what your plant care routine is. If you have a yellow bamboo plant, adjust accordingly by stopping fertilization, switching to filtered water or moving your plant to a place with less light.
If your lucky bamboo has been infiltrated by pests or fungi, remove the infected area and use a (natural) pesticide, soap or rubbing alcohol depending on the plant’s ailment.
Q4. Can you grow bamboo in the water?
Ans: Yes, Lucky bamboo plants can grow in water, but for the best results, it should be transferred to the soil after it grows solid roots.
Lucky bamboo is a versatile plant that makes a great gift for friends and family, because who doesn’t need some good luck every now and again?
Use the lucky bamboo plant symbolism listed above to find the perfect amount of stalks for you or a loved one.