Lucky Bamboo Care

In honor of Chinese New Year, here is a quick look at the Lucky Bamboo plant.
This versatile little plant, paired with a beautiful vase, is often used as a decorative accent that can add color into any home. As a low-maintenance plant, it is perfect for people who want to add a bit of greenery to their home, without the commitment required by some other indoor plants.

Care Tips:

How much Sun?

Lucky Bamboo plants enjoy lots of bright light, but they prefer to be out of direct sunlight, as it can burn their leaves. Although they can survive in quite low light, it may stunt their leaf growth & mute their coloring.

How much Water?

These plants are very versatile in the fact that they can be grown in either soil, or directly in water (generally with some type of loose gravel or large rocks for stability).
When grown directly in water, ensure that their roots are completely covered by water at all times. It is also a good idea to change out the water every couple of weeks, as they can be very sensitive to salt build up (distilled water is also preferred). This will also help the water remain clear if your plant's vase is clear.
If you choose to use soil instead, be sure to choose one that drains well. Lucky Bamboo do not like to be kept in soggy soil, but their soil should be kept moderately moist at all times. Try sticking your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle -- If it feels dry, then it's time to water.

Should I fertilize?

If you choose to fertilize your Lucky Bamboo (not required), do so sparingly. If kept in water, only fertilize every four months or so, and dilute to 1/10th the regular strength (normal houseplant fertilizer is fine). When kept in soil, you can fertilize up to once a month.

Is Temperature an issue?

Lucky Bamboo prefer warmer temperatures, but usual household conditions are fine. Just be careful when placing it near a window or vent, as temperature fluctuations can sometimes be an issue.

Common Problems:

• Brown leaf tips:
• This can be caused by a variety of reasons, but two of the most common are fluoride build up, and/or low humidity.
• Try changing the water more often to reduce fluoride, or misting the leaves with a spray bottle to improve humidity.

Interesting Facts:

• Lucky Bamboo is often used as an element of Feng Shui. For more information on this, please visit:
• http://feng-shui.lovetoknow.com/Lucky_Bamboo_Meaning
• Lucky Bamboo is not a type of Bamboo at all, it is actually a type of Dracaena
• When growing a new stalk of Lucky Bamboo directly in water, the roots will grow up as high as the level of the water. More roots will allow for thicker foliage at the top of the stalk.

Setting Up a New Lucky Bamboo Shoot:

Occasionally in grocery stores, or gardening stores, you will come across a "new" Lucky Bamboo shoot. Usually these are stored in a big black bucket filled with water on the floor, and you can pull out whichever shoot you want. It can be a bit intimidating pulling one of these out of the water, roots dripping everywhere -- What can you do with it?
With just a few supplies, you can easily set up your own Lucky Bamboo plant, and customize it to look however you want. The following instructions will be geared towards setting up a Lucky Bamboo plant in water, as I feel these look the best.

Supplies:

• Glass Vase - This doesn't have to be a vase, or even glass, but it should be able to hold water without leaking, and it helps if you can fit your hand into it. Mason jars can be a neat option.
• Substrate - This isn't completely necessary, but it will look more interesting, and help your Lucky Bamboo stand up straight, and give the roots something to anchor into, giving your plant stability. If you're using a clear "vase", this can be a great option for getting creative and adding color. Some great options include: Marbles, decorative river rocks, small glass stones, small fish-tank stones, etc. There are plenty of options for this, as long as the substrate is heavy enough to sink in water.
• Water - Distilled water is preferred, but if you want to use tap water, just leave it sitting out for a few hours so that some of chemicals can evaporate out.

Method:

I recommend setting up the vase and substrate before you get your plant, but you can easily do everything at once.

• First, you want to rinse off your vase - Just get off all the dust that seems to collect from being on a store shelf.
• Then rinse off your substrate. If you are using something small like gravel, try using a strainer for this part.
• Then you want to partially fill your vase with the substrate. The amount that you include is up to you and depends on how you want the final product to look.
• Next, position your Lucky Bamboo partially into the substrate. It should be just far enough in to stabilize the plant.
• Finally, fill your vase with water. If it is quite large, you may want to place your plant in its final destination before adding the water. Also, the amount of water you add is really up to you. If your plant already has roots, just ensure that the roots are covered, otherwise you can fill it up as much as you choose.

Sources:

• http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/flower-plant-care/plant-care/caring-for-lucky-bamboo-dracaena-sanderiana/
• http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/lucky-bamboo/growing-lucky-bamboo-indoor.htm