How do you grow lucky bamboo in water so its leaves are greener?

Lucky bamboo is a very easy-care indoor plant that grows readily and tolerates low-light conditions, but it is prone to yellow leaves or root rot. How do you solve this?

1. Choosing the right plant

1. Choose a plant with deep green stems and emerald leaves

If the stems or leaves turn yellow or brown, it means the lucky bamboo is unhealthy; it may have been through a long journey in transit and has not yet adapted to its environment.

Some lucky bamboo is woven into various curled or more complex shapes; the more complex the shape, the more expensive, ranging from over a thousand yuan to just a few yuan. Simply choose a plant with deep green stems and emerald leaves.

2. Choose water culture or soil culture

Water culture is the simplest: all you need is a container and water, and it is best to add some clay pebbles or stones for support; for soil culture, choose a pot and soil with good drainage. To ensure drainage, you need to line the bottom of the pot with a layer of gravel or clay pebbles.

3. Use a suitable container

For lucky bamboo grown in water, choose a tall container; a shallow pot is not suitable for water culture because the plant needs to be held upright.

Choosing a transparent container lets you see the growth conditions in the water more clearly; you can put stones in the bottom to hold the plant in place and decorate it.

For soil culture, choose a container with plenty of drainage holes; do not choose a flower pot without drainage holes.

4. Place it in a suitable spot

Lucky bamboo grown in water or soil does best in bright light, ideally with a little scattered light; avoid direct sunlight, as the leaves scorch easily, and keep it away from air conditioners. The temperature lucky bamboo likes best is between 16 and 30°C.

If you do not turn the pot for a long time, it will grow toward the sunny side, so you need to turn the pot every 1 to 2 weeks.

2. How do you make the leaves greener?

1. Grow lucky bamboo in a warm spot with scattered light and protect it from freezing; below 15°C the leaves yellow easily.

Lucky bamboo likes a bright environment; if it is too dark, you need fluorescent light to supplement it. Keep the environment ventilated; a closed, small space is not good for growth.

2. Notes on water culture

Newly water-cultured lucky bamboo has not yet grown roots, so you need to change the water every 3 to 5 days. What water should you use? Of course, it is best not to use tap water directly; let it sit for 2 to 3 days before using it, because tap water contains chemicals such as fluoride and chlorine.

After lucky bamboo has grown roots, you do not need to change the water much; change it only when the water becomes cloudy or the roots have problems.

3. Water appropriately

Lucky bamboo grown in soil needs proper watering, keeping the potting soil moist but not soggy; if it is too wet, it easily gets root rot. If the soil is still moist but the air is dry, then you need to mist the leaves. (Water-cultured plants also need misting.)

4. Give fertilizer appropriately each month

After three months of growing in soil, you can appropriately supplement fertilizer, giving dilute organic fertilizer every month to help the plant grow better; it is best to use liquid fertilizer. (Apply dilute fertilizer frequently.)

3. What should you do about yellow leaves and root rot in lucky bamboo?

1. Plant leaves scorched or yellowing

If the leaves dry out or turn dry yellow, and it is not sunburn, then it is dry air; mist appropriately and cut off the dead leaves.

In water culture, if tap water is used for a long time, it can also scorch the leaves. This is relatively hard to deal with; you can change the water, and the water can be replaced with rainwater, well water or purified water.

2. Prune the plant

As lucky bamboo grows, it will produce many small shoots. At this point, proper pruning is needed for it to grow stronger; do not cut the main stem, but the lower small shoots can be appropriately cut off.

3. Pay attention to the color of the leaves and roots

You can judge problems with lucky bamboo by looking at the leaf color. If it is dry yellow, it is lack of water or sunburn; if it is tender yellow, then it is too much water or too little light, and it may also be root rot.

If the leaves turn brown, then you can try misting the plant and also mist some water around it.

If mushy leaves appear, then it is beyond saving; you need to cut them off, let the wounds dry, then put it back in water and change the water once.

If the roots have rotted, cut off the rotten roots, clean away the dead roots, rinse them clean, soak them briefly in potassium permanganate solution, rinse again, and then put them back in water.