Lucky Bamboo is an easy-to-grow houseplant and grows well in low light. This plant, which is actually not bamboo at all but is instead a tropical water lily named Dracaena sanderiana, comes from Africa and is believed to bring good luck to the people who live there. With a few tips, your lucky bamboo will grow healthy and prosperous, making you lucky too!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Placing and Choosing the Floor Plan
Step 1. Look for a plant with bright green leaves
If the leaves or stems are yellow or brown in color, the plant is unhealthy. It was probably imported from China or Taiwan and therefore it is plausible that it suffered a lot during the trip.
- Professional growers take the stems and tie them, curling them into intricate designs. The larger and more complex the shapes are, the more they are able to make bamboo that cost hundreds and hundreds of euros.
- A potted plant can grow up to 0.9m tall. If it is grown in the ground outside, it can reach as much as 1.5m.
Step 2. Determine if you want to grow it hydroponic or in soil
It is probably easier and a little neater to grow it in a water and stone system, although it can still thrive in the soil. Ultimately, the decision is up to you and will likely depend on what container or jar you have available.
- If you decide to grow it on stones, the container must have a sufficient number of stones or marbles in the lower part to stabilize the plant. Fortune bamboo requires at least 3-8cm of water to develop well.
- If you want to grow it in the ground, a well-draining and rich potting soil is ideal. The soil should be moist, but not always soggy. Use an organic fertilizer when needed: the salts and high concentrations of phosphorus found in synthetic fertilizers can harm the plant. Additionally, you can ensure that the soil drains well by simply adding a few small rocks to the bottom of the pot.
Step 3. Use a suitable container
Place the lucky bamboo in a tall glass vase or ceramic container. Do not use shallow bowls or any available container. The ideal is that it is transparent if you want to grow it with the hydroponic system together with some decorative stones. Instead, use a regular clay pot if you want to grow it in the ground.
- Keep in mind that the plant will need to be well established when it reaches its maximum height. So the pot must be at least 30 cm high.
- If you use soil, fill the pot as much as possible with good rich potting soil and make sure it can drain well.
Step 4. Choose the suitable place
Fortune bamboo prefers a bright spot, with filtered sunlight. Think of the light creeping through the foliage of a rainforest. Direct sunlight would burn the leaves. As for the temperature, keep it away from air conditioning or air conditioner vents. This plant prefers a temperature between 18 and 32 ° C.
If you want to manage and direct the swirls of the plant, use a box with only three sides (cut one side). The plant will bend towards the light. When it forms the curve you want, change the side exposed to the light and the plant will head in that direction creating a complex design
Part 2 of 3: Stimulating Plant Growth
Step 1. Place the lucky bamboo in a warm place where it can receive indirect light
Pay attention to the amount of light that reaches the plant: it is preferable that it is too little rather than too much. When you leave the house, also turn off the air conditioners. The plant likes slightly warmer temperatures.
When the season changes, you should move the bamboo. Move it away from the windows if you are concerned that it may be receiving too much light. It will have enough even if you stay in the center of the room
Step 2. Change the water weekly if you are growing it with the hydroponic system
As for the type of water, keep in mind that this plant is very sensitive to chemicals such as fluorine and chlorine. Therefore, you can only use tap water if it has been allowed to settle for 24 hours, so that the chemicals can evaporate. If not, it's best to use bottle water.
When the plant develops its roots, these must be kept under water. Also in this case 2, 5-7, 5 cm are sufficient
Step 3. If you are growing the plant in soil, water just enough to moisten the soil, but don't soak it
Do this every day. The roots can rot if the soil is too wet. You can also spray the leaves with water to keep the plant moist without fear of over-soaking it. Again, be sure to use filtered or bottled water to avoid chemical damage.
Promote root development by increasing the amount of water the plant grows in. More roots mean more luxuriant leaves; the more water on the trunk, the higher the roots grow
Step 4. Fertilize the plant every month or so
If you are growing it in the soil, apply an organic fertilizer every month to provide it with the necessary nutrients (as mentioned, be sure to use an organic product, as chemical ones can harm the bamboo). If you are growing hydroponics, use a liquid fertilizer to put in the water.
Add it at the same time you put in the rest of the water; it is best to apply fertilizer when the water is clean
Part 3 of 3: Solving Bamboo Problems
Step 1. Prevent burnt leaf tips by using filtered or bottled water
The leaves begin to turn brown as they dry out and die. This often occurs when there are chemicals in the water. Filtering tap water may not be enough. Sometimes it is necessary to use bottled one to ensure the plant grows healthy and thriving.
When leaf tips start to burn, it can be difficult to get them back to their healthy appearance. Even if you change the water, some chemicals can remain in the plant. The only thing to do is to wait, hoping they will disappear on their own
Step 2. Prune the bamboo
In most of these plants the apical part becomes too heavy with time. For this reason, it is very important to trim the tip a little to keep it healthy. Make sure, though, not to cut the main trunk, but only the offshoots. Use sterile scissors.
Cut the branches 2.5-5 cm from the base. New shoots will grow and the plant will grow thicker and healthier
Step 3. Pay attention to the color of the leaves
If they become dry and die it is a water problem, as explained above. If they tend to yellow often, it is due to excessive exposure to sunlight or too much fertilizer. If they are brown, try moistening the plant more by spraying the leaves with water.
If the leaves lose their tone and become mushy, there probably isn't much left to do to save the plant. Remove it immediately, change the water and replant whatever you can recover
Step 4. Cut the plant if necessary
If part of the plant is dying, it may be appropriate to cut it back. This can happen even if you don't like the shape it's taking. Whatever type of cutting you are doing, don't throw away the residues, as you can use them for new plants. New shoots will grow from the cuttings and the top section can be planted in a pot to form a new plant.
If you notice that the bamboo is dying, get rid of the diseased parts immediately. Get live stems or branches and repot them right away. They can bloom on their own if you do timely work
Advice
- The best water for your plant is spring, rain, or filtered water. Tap water chemicals, such as chlorine, can damage it by causing the leaves to turn yellow.
- When buying the plant you can also get some fertilizers suitable for lucky bamboo. Add some to the water to keep it healthy.
- If algae form in the pot, simply change the water. They can grow due to sunlight - it's a natural phenomenon.
Warnings
- Do not put the lucky bamboo on the windowsill or in direct sunlight. It will burn and the leaves will initially turn yellow and then brown.
- Do not expose the plant to temperatures below 10 ° C. Bamboo needs warm and comfortable temperatures.
- Keep the plant out of the reach of children and pets; the leaves are toxic if ingested.
