LUCKY BAMBOO CARE
Lucky Bamboo is the perfect indoor plant. Lucky Bamboo plants can be kept in
low-light situations and will grow indoors for years with little or no care,
requiring only enough fresh water to keep its roots moist at all times.
Lighting
The lighting requirements for Lucky Bamboo plants are moderate to low light. You can
grow Lucky Bamboo plants in your kitchen, bathroom, hallway, or an office that
gets no direct light.
In fact, you will want to avoid too much sunlight. Lucky bamboo plants grow
naturally under the canopy of wet tropical rain forests. They need very little
sunlight to thrive. The more indirect light, the better. If you see browning on
the tips of the leaves, your Lucky Bamboo plant is probably receiving too much
sunlight.
Watering
Lucky Bamboo plants must be kept moist all the time. We recommend putting
your Lucky Bamboo plants in enough water to cover at least one-third of the
stalk.
Lucky Bamboo prefers a few inches of fresh or filtered water once a week, all the way to the top of the container. You
may also change the water in the container once a month, but even this is not
mandatory.
Fertilizing
You can fertilize your Lucky Bamboo plant once a month with our special Lucky
Bamboo Fertilizer.
Planting
Lucky Bamboo plants cannot be planted outdoors unless you live in a tropical
rainforest-like environment. Also, Lucky Bamboo plants do not like temperatures
below 40 degrees F.
Common Problems
One of the most common problems seen with Lucky Bamboo plants is a yellowing
of the stalk and stems. There are three main causes for this problem:
- Lack of enough fresh water. Lucky Bamboo plants love to be in lots of fresh water.
- Impurities in the water. You need to use water that is good enough for you to drink.
- Exposure of the stalks to extreme temperatures. Excessive heat
or cold will positively cause your Lucky Bamboo plants to turn yellow and kill them.
There are many pests and diseases that affect Lucky Bamboo plants. Aphids, mites, fungi, and ants are just a few of the more common problems.
These diseases do not attack healthy plants - they attack Lucky Bamboo plants that are going through stress from improper watering, or temperature problems (too hot or cold). One of the easiest ways to keep your Lucky Bamboo plants healthy is to spray the foliage and stalks with fresh water on a regular basis. Insects breathe through their skin and when you expose them to water you are effectively suffocating them. If you do encounter a disease or insect problem, we recommend using “Safer” soaps because they are non-toxic to children, you,
or your pets and are environmentally friendly.
Growing
One of the fun things we find with Lucky Bamboo plants is that you can propagate new Lucky Bamboo by taking cuttings off your original stalks. The easiest way to start a new Lucky Bamboo plant from a donor plant is to cut off a portion of a shoot once it gets foliage on it at least eight to ten inches in length. We recommend cutting the Lucky Bamboo shoot at a 30 degree angle about five inches away from where the stalk originated. Then place this cutting in fresh water and in
about thirty days you will have a new, rooted lucky bamboo stalk.
The method to force a Lucky Bamboo stalk to produce another shoot is to cut through the entire stalk about one-quarter of an inch above a segment on the Lucky Bamboo cane. Let this cut area dry and then cover it with wax. In a few weeks you will start to see a new bud begin to burst out from the area just below the segmented area of the Lucky Bamboo cane.
You may break off a cane or two at anytime and give it to a friend or loved
one to enhance their good fortune. Then, all they need do is keep the Lucky
Bamboo canes wet until they form roots. It's as simple as that!
How do you make Lucky Bamboo plants grow those exotic waves and spirals shapes? The Lucky Bamboo plants are first grown in a plastic grow pot. A furrow is plowed into the clay-like soil at a 45 degree angle the length of the shade house. The Lucky Bamboo plant in the plastic grow pot is then laid on its side in this furrow at a 45 degree angle. Periodically, about every month, the Lucky Bamboo plants are rotated 15 degrees. This same process is repeated until the desired shape is reached. This can sometimes take up to two years. The Chinese have a lot of agricultural land, a lot of hard working people, and are extremely patient. These traits are a huge advantage in dealing with Lucky Bamboo plants, Bonsai trees, and Feng Shui.
Learning Center Index
|
