Dracaena sanderiana is famous as ‘the lucky bamboo.’ It is a flowering species of plants in the Asparagaceae family. It is not a bamboo plant but a part of the dracaena genus.
For about 5,000 years, it is used in many Feng Shui practices and believed to carry good luck vibes.
People think that it brings immense happiness and prosperity to a place where it grows. So, they keep the plant at home and workplaces to enhance positivity all around.
Many people also like to give these plants for business and personal matters. Regardless, if you have a lucky bamboo at your place, you should take good care of the plant.
The plant can grow in any ordinary vase filled with pebbles or marbles kept for support.
Let Us Discuss in Detail How To Take Care Of Lucky Bamboo And Keep It Resilient
Moderate Sunlight
Lucky bamboo is a beautiful and decent household plant that grows well in indirect sunlight. Whether planted in water or soil, you should avoid placing it near a bright window.
Because direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, and it will seem as if they were burned by fire. So, if you find the edges of the sheets having a brown tinge, you should move your bamboo to an area with less light.
Sufficient Water
Though plentiful water is not needed to grow the bamboo plant, the roots should remain covered with water.
You should replenish the plant with fresh and clean water after every 7-8 days to protect its sources. However, if it is grown in soil, make sure it’s kept slightly damp.
You should avoid both overwatering and dryness of the ground, as it could lead to rotting of the roots. You can also add rainwater to your lucky bamboo plant to keep it healthy and happy.
Cleaning of The Container
If you have placed the lucky bamboo in water, there are chances that algae may emerge in the water. In normal conditions, algae may arise due to water accumulation in the container for a long time.
So, you should regularly clean up the box of the bamboo plant and change the water after a few days. In general, tap water is recommended for lucky bamboo as long as chlorine levels are low.
But if tap water contains high levels of fluoride, you may use mineral water.
Optimum Room Temperature
The ranging temperature of the lucky bamboo thrives from 65–95°F (18–35°C). This temperature is best for offices or residences.
The plant can’t withstand temperatures below 55°F, and so, you should not keep it in front of an air conditioner.
Furthermore, the user must place the plant far away from a heat source, for instance, a heating vent or wood stove. Thus, make sure you keep the plant away from direct sunlight and extreme heat or cold temperatures.
Aware of Pests
Sometimes, a few pests can affect lucky bamboo and cause fungal infections. If you observe grey fuzz on the plant, it could be due to mealybugs, mites, or other infectious organisms.
Thus, you should keep the stalk and leaves dry to stop the infected growth and increase air circulation.
Toxic to Pets
The bamboo plant encompasses high toxicity, and so, make sure to keep it out of reach of cats, dogs, and children.
Anyhow, if it is consumed, it may cause weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, drooling, or something more severe. However, lucky bamboo is considered safe and not toxic to humans.
Fertilizer And Pesticides
Usually, the Lucky bamboo plant does not require any fertilizer and can survive for many years in clean water.
However, if you choose to fertilize your plant, then use a liquid houseplant fertilizer every three to four weeks. A single drop of compost is sufficient for the bamboo plant.
When it comes to pest control, Mealybugs should be removed manually by rubbing alcohol while mites need to be eradicated with water and dish detergent.
Remove Yellow Leaves
A yellow part of the stem or leaves indicates the sickness of the plant. On the other hand, if the plant is green, then it is a sign of a healthy, lucky bamboo.
Commonly, a bamboo plant may turn yellow due to excessive fertilizer, chlorine, or fluoride in water or direct sunlight.
To prevent it from spreading to the rest of the plant, you should remove the lucky bamboo stalk turning yellow part of the stem or the leaves thoroughly.
Repotting
When the plant grows in a container, its roots may soon become too tight and congested. Once you see the roots are spread and packed, move the bamboo to a bigger box.
In case you use potting lucky bamboo in rocks, you need to dump them out, trim back the roots and fix them into a new container.
On the other side, if lucky bamboo is planted in soil, flip the plant with your hands and shift it to a larger pot.
Trimming And Shaving
Trimming is necessary to keep your lucky bamboo strong and healthy. Often, when the plant grows, it begins to lose its form and take an intricate shape.
You should not cut the central stalk, but instead, you should trim the offshoots with sterile snippers.
You may cut the branches back to within an inch or two of the main stem. Soon, new shoots will emerge, and the resulting plant will be bushier.
Following the above points, you can maintain the vibrant green colour and lovely visual appeal of your friendly lucky bamboo.
Research and reports already prove that the lifespan of the bamboo tree is several years more in soil than water.
As time passes, it may shed leaves, but if it is well-maintained, it will replenish and keep growing new leaves.
Many people also love to propagate their lucky bamboo for more plants at their place. Propagation is easy and possible only if a healthy parent stalk has more than two bamboo segments.
It involves offshoot clipping from the parent plant stalk, and to form a new shoot bottom layer of leaves is discarded.
Subsequently, you can place the new independent stalk in a unique vase, fill it with water or soil, and nourish it with proper care.