Bamboo, believed to be a symbol of good fortune and success by Feng Shui followers, is becoming increasingly popular. Lucky Bamboo is said to be luckiest when received as a gift but that should never stop you from purchasing some Lucky Bamboo for yourself! Just think of it as a gift from you to you while enjoying its lush beauty and ease of care. Lucky Bamboo arrangements can be purchased at nurseries and florist shops, as well as many other retailers. Large, premade arrangements can be very costly, so the best way to purchase them is by individual stalks, arranging them yourself in a container of your choice. Lucky Bamboo arrangements make great gifts for housewarming parties, birthdays or any other special occasion.
So even if your ‘green thumb’ isn’t so green, you’ll want to add Lucky Bamboo to your collection of houseplants as a Feng Shui cure. They come in all sizes, grow with very little light and require only minimal care and feeding. By displaying Lucky Bamboo in your home or office you will increase your ‘chi’ (positive energy) and enjoy their beauty for years to come.
Choose Healthy Bamboo Stalks
Bamboo stalks come in a variety of heights. Keep in mind that given the right growing conditions, they can grow quickly and reach a height of 3′. Just be sure that you choose bright green stalks with a fair amount of roots on them and no sign of brown or yellowing leaves or tips. Be on the lookout for bruising as well. Bamboo represents strength and longevity, so if you start out with a healthy plant, your success rate and luck factor will be increased.
Straight? Curly? Or Both?
Lucky bamboo stalks come in a variety of heights ranging from about 6″ to nearly 3 ‘ tall! It’s totally up to you as to which size you choose to buy and may very well depend on where you intend to display your arrangement. There are straight stalks and curly stalks. Curly stalks usually cost more per stem. This is because there is a labor intensive way of ‘training’ them while they are growing in order to get them to curl. You can make a very appealing arrangement by mixing the heights of your chosen stalks as well as by using curly and straight ones together. It creates an interesting look (as well as additional support) to insert a straight stalk down through the coiling stem of a curly stalk before securing in the growing medium you choose.
How Many Stalks Should You Buy?
There is no limit to how few or many stalks to put in your arrangement but it is believed that special kinds of luck are associated with the number of stalks you have. 2 stalks = luck in love, 3-6 stalks = happiness, 5 or 7 stalks = health, 9 stalks = general good fortune and 21 stalks = blessings. I prefer to have 21 stalks to cover all my bases!!
Choose a Container
Since Lucky Bamboo is usually grown in water, a glass or ceramic container works best. The stalks can be arranged like a bouquet of flowers so a tall container is nice. You’ll want the roots of the Lucky Bamboo to be submerged in at least 2″ of water so plan accordingly when choosing a container. Clear glass containers make it easier to keep track of the water levels but it can encourage the growth of algae if the arrangement receives more than minimal amounts of light. A way to prevent this is to add a drop or two of bleach to the water when initially arranging and just making sure it is not placed in too bright of a location. An opaque container works just as well but you’ll have to pay special attention not to let it dry out by making a watering schedule for yourself.
Arrange and Secure Bamboo Stalks
To arrange your Lucky Bamboo stalks, fill the container about 1/3 of the way with some marbles or decorative stones. Add a stalk or two of Lucky Bamboo, add more marbles/stones to secure them. Add another couple of stalks and more marbles or stones and Keep repeating this until you have all the stalks arranged the way you like them. You can arrange them any way you like. There is no right way or wrong way to do this so get creative! Lucky Bamboo stalks can also be arranged in a water fountain or water feature you have, too, as long as it has at least a two inch depth of water to cover the root area.
A Little Bit of Red Goes a Long Way
You can further secure your Lucky Bamboo stalks within the arrangement by tying a red ribbon around them. Since the beginning of time, the Chinese culture values the color red for its ‘good luck’ qualities. Ever notice how much red you see in any Chinese restaurant??
Add Water
Now fill your container of Lucky Bamboo stalks and marbles/pebbles with water. You’ll want to use bottled or filtered water only. Lucky Bamboo is sensitive to some chemicals found in tap water like Chlorine and Floride. If you have well water, additional minerals in the water could accumulate and leave residue on the inside of your glass container. It’s best to use filtered water or even collected rain water! If you think ahead, you can use your tap water if you remember to leave it sit overnight to neutralize the chemicals before using.
Location Location Location
When choosing a display area for your Lucky Bamboo, keep in mind that it does not like direct light. A sunny windowsill will not be beneficial to the lush green color of the leaves and stalks and may encourage them to form brown tips or yellowing leaves. Indirect lighting is always best. Lucky Bamboo can survive even a dark corner in your home as long as you keep the water level above the root area in the container. New growth is slow but to encourage a faster rate, you can occasionally relocate your Lucky Bamboo to a brighter area for a couple of weeks. Remember to rotate the container periodically, since the leaves will bend toward the light after awhile.
Easy Maintenance
Dust off the leaves occasionally and mist with water if they begin to look a little parched at the edges. You’ll want to replace the water in the container at least once a month to eliminate any harmful bacteria.
A Few Extra Tips:
If you notice the leaves beginning to turn yellow or getting brown tips, it may be a sign of over fertilizing. Pinch off the damaged/yellow leaves and change the water in your arrangement.
If a stalk begins to turn yellow from the bottom up, it means it is dying. Bamboo does usually last for many years, but you may lose a stalk from time to time. If this happens, you can pinch off the leaf cluster as close to the stalk as possible and place it in a separate container until it begins to grow new roots.
You can also start a new piece of bamboo by pinching off a leaf cluster, dipping it into rooting hormone and placing it in some growing medium (potting soil) and keeping it out of direct light and evenly moist.
