How to Grow Lucky Bamboo in Soil: A Guide for Planting to Care

Growing lucky bamboo hydroponically or in the soil is a common way to cultivate this houseplant. Its stalks are similar to those of a true bamboo plant, but the lucky bamboo is actually a member of the Asparagaceae family. As a gift, lucky bamboo is traditionally given as a symbol of good fortune, love, health, and growth rooted in ancient Chinese philosophy, feng shui.

How to Grow Lucky Bamboo in Soil

Soil for Growing Lucky Bamboo

If you choose the right soil type, growing lucky bamboo won’t be too difficult. Well-drained potting soil rich in nutrients is the best environment for lucky bamboo plants. The lucky bamboo plant needs moist soil. Getting enough water is important, but don’t let the soil become soggy. It’s simply a matter of keeping the soil moist without letting it dry out. Your lucky bamboo plant will be fine if you don’t overwater it.

Light Requirements for Growing Lucky Bambo

Light is important to lucky bamboo; it prefers bright, filtered sunlight under a rainforest canopy. Keeping the leaves out of direct sunlight will prevent them from scorching. Too little light is more tolerable than too much light. When the plant starts stretching or the green fades, provide more light. Make sure your plant gets equal amounts of light by rotating it frequently.

Temperature and Humidity Requirements for Growing Lucky Bambo

Temperatures between 18 and 32°C are ideal for lucky bamboo plants. Your plant should not be placed near a draft (hot or cold), an air conditioner, a heating vent, or a drafty window. It’s fine to have an average humidity level in your home for your lucky bamboo plant, so don’t worry about increasing it.

Planting Lucky Bamboo in Soil

Bamboo cuttings can also be rooted in the soil very easily. To do this, find containers with drainage holes and fill them with a potting mix that drains quickly. A succulent or cactus mix is also a great choice. The cutting should be planted upright in the soil, with the stem pushed down an inch or two so the stalk can stand independently. Using purified, distilled, or rainwater, water the cutting thoroughly.

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Add a little Propagation Promoter to the water to encourage the cutting to root quickly. Keep the cutting well-watered so that the soil is evenly moist but not soaked, and place it in a warm, bright place but not in direct sunlight. It takes about four weeks for the plant to grow new roots. After that, you can keep continuing to grow in the same container or transfer it to a different pot.

Repotting Lucky Bamboo from Water to Soil

Prepare a sterilized container filled with the recommended soil we provided earlier.
Allow the roots of the lucky bamboo plant to dry for a short period after removing them from the water.
You should remove dead roots that have been damaged or infected by diseases.
The lucky bamboo plant needs to be placed in the soil in the same arrangement as in the water.
Keeping the lucky bamboo plant moist for the first couple of weeks is important to help it acclimate.
Once established, you can stop watering by placing them in filtered sunlight.

Water Requirements for Growing Lucky Bambo

The lucky bamboo plant is highly sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals in tap water. Tap water is fine unless your water is hard and mineralized. For this reason, you should only use bottled, distilled, or 24-hour-old tap water to water your lucky bamboo. This method lets the chemicals evaporate before being applied to your lucky bamboo plant. In addition, you need to water the soil weekly and keep it moist.

Fertilizing for Lucky Bamboo

If you want to provide nutrients to lucky bamboo once per month, you can use liquid houseplant fertilizer. One-tenth the normal strength is recommended. This diluted fertilizer can be used instead of water. The yellowing of lucky bamboo leaves can be caused by too much fertilizer.

Fertilizing these plants usually only needs to be done twice a year. Wait until the plant recovers before fertilizing again, and flush the pot with water to remove some fertilizer if you over-fertilize. Plants that have just started to turn yellow may be able to recover by removing them from direct sunlight and watering them with distilled water.

Pruning and Maintenance of Lucky Bamboo

You may need to prune your bamboo periodically if you want it to stay in healthy condition. It is important to use sanitary pruning shears so that wounds or cuts are less susceptible to pests and disease. There are several reasons why pruning is done, including:

To promote good health by removing damaged, diseased, or pest-infested stems.
To promote bushier growth, cut each stem in half straight across with sanitary shears.
To remove leggy, old stems to encourage basal growth.

Paraffin can be applied to large stalks (not small side shoots) when pruned to protect them from pests and diseases.

Managing Pests and Diseases in Lucky Bamboo

Sap-sucking mealybugs and spider mites may plague plants in hot, dry, and underwater environments. The problem should be resolved with one or more applications of an organic horticultural insecticide, such as neem oil. During large infestations, it may be best to salvage an unaffected piece to cut and root or to discard the plant and start over.

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Additionally, overly wet conditions may lead to the development of various diseases. Root and stem rot, anthracnose, botrytis blight, leaf spots, and botrytis blight are all common diseases. This is all a fungus-related condition. Copper-based fungicides may be helpful after the affected plant portions are removed. In some cases, discarding infected plants and replacing them with new ones may be more economical.

Conclusion

Adaptable to soil and water, lucky bamboo can be grown anywhere. Regardless of the case, your lucky bamboo plant will require specific care. You won’t have difficulty caring for lucky bamboo plants in the soil now that you know what to expect. Get good results when caring for lucky bamboo plants this way if you approach things correctly. Hopefully, you found the information useful in keeping your lucky bamboo happy and healthy.

How to Grow Lucky Bamboo in Soil: A Guide for Planting to Care