How to grow lucky bamboo? Detailed guide to cultivation methods and precautions

SummaryMethods for growing lucky bamboo: use humus-rich sandy loam for cultivation; in summer it can be placed in a shaded spot for care, while in autumn and winter it can be placed in a spot with plenty of sunlight; during cultivation, water once in the morning and once in the evening each day, and apply decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 15 days in the early growth stage; during the vigorous growth period, apply fertilizer once every 10 days, and promptly prune the yellow and withered leaves at the lower part of the plant. Precautions: the sap and stems of lucky bamboo are toxic, so try to avoid touching the plant with your skin.

I. Methods for growing lucky bamboo

1. Soil

Choose humus-rich sandy loam to grow lucky bamboo, generally with a pH of around 6.3; this kind of soil can be bought directly at a flower market.

2. Light

During its growth, lucky bamboo needs suitable light. In summer it can be placed in a shaded spot to avoid strong light, while in spring, autumn, and winter it can be kept in a spot with plenty of sunlight and good ventilation.

3. Watering

Lucky bamboo is fairly tough, but during cultivation it needs to be watered once in the morning and once in the evening each day, and the potting soil should be kept moist; try not to water the plant at noon.

4. Fertilizing

To make lucky bamboo grow more robustly, apply decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 15 days in the early growth stage, and apply fertilizer once every 10 days during the vigorous growth period, which helps promote good growth of the plant.

5. Pruning

Lucky bamboo is a foliage plant. The yellow and withered leaves at the lower part of the plant, as well as some old leaves, should be pruned in time, which helps maintain a good shape and improve its ornamental value.

II. Precautions for growing lucky bamboo

1. Do not touch it casually during cultivation. Because the sap and stems of lucky bamboo are toxic and contain a toxic alkaloid, contact with the skin can cause severe itching and dermatitis; if accidentally ingested, it can cause severe pain in the tongue and make it impossible to speak.

2. Therefore, try not to let your skin touch the plant, and especially avoid getting it into the mouth, otherwise it will make the skin itchy and painful or cause other poisoning symptoms. It should also not be kept in the bedroom, because lucky bamboo consumes relatively more oxygen at night, which will lower the oxygen content in a closed room; it can generally be kept in places such as the living room and balcony.

III. Propagation methods for lucky bamboo

1. Division

(1) When repotting in spring, lift the plant out of the pot, then cut off the rhizome at the base of the stem, coat it with a little plant ash to prevent rot, or let it sit for half a day, and pot it up after the cut surface has dried.

(2) After planting, do not water too much. It generally reproduces naturally by dividing the bulbs; dig up the bulbs in August-September, grade them by size, and plant them. After one planting, wait several years until the bulbs become crowded before dividing them again.

2. Cuttings

(1) In spring and summer, select sturdy young stems 12-15 cm long as cuttings, keep the top 2 leaves, then insert them into a sand bed, maintain relatively good air humidity, and keep the room temperature at 25-30°C.

(2) After insertion, wait 20-28 days for roots to form, or water propagation can also be used: take cuttings 15-20 cm long, then place them in a glass bottle filled with clean water, change the water once every 2 days, and after 15-20 days new roots will grow; when the roots are 3-4 cm long, pot them up.

3. Sowing

Sowing is generally done in March-April. Sow in a flowerpot filled with growing medium, water, and place in a shaded spot, keeping it moist. At 25-30°C, it will sprout in about 25 days.