Want to bring some luck to your space? Give it a bamboo plant.
While you may think of this stalky Dracaena plant as something to be grown outdoors, where it sprouts up tall and skinny, forming a wall that squeaks as it sways in the wind, it’s not. Though it may resemble its more dramatic outdoor relative, this version actually belongs to the lily family. It also happens to be just right for growing indoors. A plant renowned in Chinese culture for its fortune-bearing properties, Lucky Bamboo is an easy-to-care for plant and makes a charming addition to your home or office. So how to care for it?
If luck is with you, your Lucky Bamboo will grow to be 2 to 3 feet high. All it takes is a little TLC, and a good sense of what this cheerful guy needs. That starts with light and humidity, two features we have in abundance here in Florida. Stow your bamboo near a bright window or even on the sill. If you’re growing your bamboo in soil, fill a tray with pebbles and a bit of water, then set your bamboo in its container on top. The pebbles will help generate humidity, but make sure the container base is sitting gingerly on top of the water rather than submerged in it.
Lucky Bamboo thrive if their soil is a bit on the dry side, so invest in a spray bottle and keep it next to your plant to give it a spritz from time to time. Get a good bamboo fertilizer and offer it to your bamboo regularly. If you suspect your Lucky Bamboo might need a new home (i.e container), go ahead and transfer it. Bamboo like a little room for their roots to spread out.
If your bamboo will live in water, fill the bottom of its container with pebbles and water up to a couple inches over the pebbles. Always refresh your water every one to two weeks.
Lastly, don’t forget to prune your bamboo. Keeping this lucky plant in good shape equals good karma.