Pruning Methods and Precautions for Lucky Bamboo Grown in Water

  Lucky bamboo is also called wan shou bamboo. The plant stands tall and graceful, fresh and green, with lance-shaped green leaves that spread out freely, and its appearance is very elegant. Its stems and leaves closely resemble emerald bamboo, staying green through winter and summer. If grown as a potted plant to decorate a hall or study, its green shadows sway and it looks fresh and serene, bringing people a sense of good fortune. If it can be grown in water in a transparent glass bottle (or box), with old and new roots in alternating yellow and white at the clear bottom, and green shadows rippling, it shows vigorous vitality and is therefore deeply loved by people.

  Lucky bamboo symbolizes blooming wealth, bamboo reporting peace, great fortune and prosperity, and a life of wealth and honor. Its meaning is very good. At the same time, lucky bamboo has strong vitality and is easy to propagate and manage, so it is also quite popular. However, its buds sometimes grow longer and longer, or the lucky bamboo stalk is invaded by bacteria, so it needs to be pruned and replanted. Because many people do not know how to prune lucky bamboo, the following introduces the pruning methods for lucky bamboo grown in water.

  Pruning methods for lucky bamboo:

  1. In the picture above, this lucky bamboo's bud has grown very long, almost longer than the original bamboo, so it needs pruning.

  2. For pruning, you need a pair of garden shears (or another sharp knife will also do), and potassium permanganate (generally available at pharmacies; when using it, add just a tiny bit).

  3. The cutting position should be about 0.5 cm away from the mother plant.

  4. Let the cut dry, then place the cut into an appropriate amount of potassium permanganate solution to disinfect and soak for about 30 minutes to prevent the cut from becoming infected.

  5. The cut after being treated with potassium permanganate solution.

  6. Finally, insert it back into the vase for care.

  Precautions after pruning lucky bamboo:

  Lucky bamboo grown in water likes stale water. After rooting, it should not be changed frequently. After the water evaporates and decreases, only add water in time. Frequent water changes easily cause yellow leaves and withered branches. To prevent excessive growth, do not apply chemical fertilizer. It is best to inject a few drops of brandy into the bottle about every 3 weeks and add a small amount of nutrient solution, which can keep the leaves green.

  After soil-grown plants root, apply a small amount of compound chemical fertilizer in time, so the branches and stems grow thick and strong and the leaves are glossy green. In spring and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once a month.