Fortune bamboo, or Dracaena braunii, is not a real bamboo. It belongs to the Agavaceae family and is native to tropical rainforests, where shade reigns supreme. This beautiful plant that grows in stems, unlike real bamboo, also grows very well indoors. If you know how to take care of it, you will have a beautiful and lush lucky bamboo in your home too. This is not a difficult task, as it is a robust plant that does not require a lot of attention. In the end, it might even bring you some luck!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Plant
Step 1. Find a specimen you like
Don't buy the first plant you find, but look for a healthy one. You can find lucky bamboo at a garden center, nursery and sometimes even supermarkets.
It is usually identified with the name: bamboo of luck, lucky bamboo, log of happiness and also with its scientific name Dracaena braunii
Step 2. Buy a bright green specimen
Caring for this plant is not difficult at all, but if you buy one in poor health, you will have several problems and it may eventually die. Size is not important at this stage, as most of the bamboos sold are quite small.
- It should be a solid green color with no blemishes, blemishes, bruised or yellowed areas.
- The stems should be uniform in color, from base to tip.
- The tips of the leaves must not be brown.
Step 3. Check that it is planted correctly and does not smell
Fortune bamboo is very hardy, but if it has been badly buried or smells bad, then it may be sick and would not be able to develop.
- This plant does not smell like the flowering ones, but if it is not watered in the right way, it triggers bacterial growth and bad smell.
- Check the current water level and if the plant has been planted and fertilized. Many of these bamboos are grown with the hydroponic technique, that is, with only water, rocks and gravel to keep them straight. Others are buried, so check that the pot is half full of water or that the soil is very wet, but not soaked.
Part 2 of 3: Planting the Bamboo of Luck
Step 1. Decide whether to bury it or just use water
There are benefits to both methods, based on how much care you can give to bamboo. Too much soil or compost can damage the plant; however, if you use tap water that contains chlorine or other chemicals, it is best to use fertilizer and soil as well, to prevent the leaf tips from turning yellow.
- If you have decided to grow bamboo in still water, you need to get some stones to keep the stems straight; if you have opted for soil, prepare a mixture that contains a third of sand, a third of sphagnum and a third of normal, very draining soil.
- If you choose hydroponic growth, the water level must cover the base of the roots. Remember that you will have to change it at least once a week to avoid rotting; at each water change it is worth rinsing the pot, the stones and the plant.
- If you prefer to bury the bamboo, pour in as much water as you need to moisten the soil.
Step 2. Choose the appropriate container
The pot should be 5cm larger in diameter than the plant. Fortune bamboo should already be sold in pots, but you can change it to personalize your plant more.
- If you have decided to use only water, it is worth using a transparent container, which highlights the stones; however, avoid exposing it to direct sunlight.
- You can also take a ceramic pot and grow bamboo in both pure water and potting soil. In the latter case, make sure the pot has drainage holes.
Step 3. Periodically add some light fertilizer to accelerate growth
Too much fertilizer does a lot more damage than not fertilizing at all, so use it in moderation. This recommendation is particularly important for plants grown in pots, because the product is never diluted by rain and cannot spread into the surrounding soil as it does in the garden.
Part 3 of 3: Care and Arrange the Bamboo of Fortune
Step 1. Water it infrequently
Fortune bamboo doesn't need a lot of water; if you water it too much, you only create damage.
- Bathe it about once a week and make sure there is only a few inches of water, enough to cover the roots.
- If you have decided to bury it, check that the soil does not become dry, but that it is not too wet. The plant survives well in water alone, but too much soil or fertilizer can kill it.
Step 2. Protect the bamboo from sunlight
This plant, in nature, grows in the shade, protected by the highest vegetation. You should leave it in a large and bright room, but one that is not exposed to the sun all day.
- To take better care of the bamboo, do not place it near too sunny windows. Place the pot in a corner of the room that isn't too exposed.
- This plant develops best at temperatures between 18 and 32 ° C.
Step 3. Arrange the stems
If you want the plant to look good, choose some of the healthiest and best quality stems and put them on display by making connections between them. With a little effort, you can modify the stems, so that they grow around each other or twisted around themselves. You will need to use the young stems that have not yet developed and hardened excessively for this purpose.
- You can also plant the stems in rows or rows if you prefer them to grow straight.
- To give the bamboo a curled shape, take a cardboard box and cut the bottom and side of it. Place the cardboard around the plant with the open side facing a light source. The stem will begin to develop in that direction as it grows. When you notice it begins to bend, you can rotate the plant to create a spiral.
- You can also wrap the younger stems with wire, crossing them together. As they grow like a vine, you will need to add more wire to keep them stable.
Step 4. Remove dead or yellow leaves
Sometimes the tips of the leaves turn yellow. There are not many causes of this phenomenon: insufficient water, too much soil or fertilizer, too much sunlight. You can decide to cut off the yellowed tips or peel off the entire leaf.
- To get rid of the yellow areas, sterilize a pair of shears or sharp scissors with denatured alcohol or vinegar and cut off the tip following the natural shape of the leaf.
- You can detach the entire leaf by pulling it down after grabbing it at the base, near the stem.
Step 5. Propagate the plant
When one or two stems get too long, you can cut them off and plant them again. This way you heal the entire bamboo, preventing it from becoming too dense and developing new plants at the same time.
- Take the longer stem and remove the leaves at the base of the shoot.
- Use a sterilized knife or scissors and cut the sprout about 1.5 cm from where it engages on the stem.
- Put the sprout in a bowl with clean distilled water. Store it in a shady spot for a month or two, until the roots begin to sprout. When you notice the roots, you can plant the sprout in the same pot as the mother plant.
Step 6. Join the stems with a metal or other bow
People often tie bamboo stems together with a golden bow to keep them together, as it is an additional symbol of good luck.
- Add rocks to complete the arrangement and hold it steady.
- Place the lucky bamboo in a place where you can admire it and remember to care for it.
Advice
- If you use bottled spring water, the bamboo will develop a beautiful, very deep green color. Tap water is often treated with additives and chemicals that are not found in this plant's natural habitat. If you water it with tap water, the leaves will turn yellow and the bamboo will die over time.
- Do not expose the plant to direct sunlight.
- Add fertilizer only once every two months if you really want to use it.
- Don't get the bamboo too wet, you only need to water it about once a week.
- You can add diluted aquarium plant fertilizer (1-2 drops) if you want the bamboo to grow faster.
Warnings
- If you sense a bad smell coming from the plant, it's probably too late to save it. Some people claim that the rot that damages the plant is also unhealthy for humans. For this reason it is best to throw away the bamboo and buy another one. To prevent this from happening again, change the water more frequently.
- The positive note is that if the bamboo has many shoots sticking out of the various stems, these can be saved from rot. Cut them and put them in clean water so you don't have to get rid of the whole plant.
