Planting Lucky Bamboo in Dirt or Soil

Now that the warm months of the year have arrived, I often get asked the question of whether or not you can plant lucky bamboo in dirt or soil.  Further inquiry usually reveals that these folks would like to plant their lucky bamboo outdoors in their garden or on their balcony, etc.  So the question is really two fold:  1) Can I plant lucky bamboo in soil?, and 2) Can I plant lucky bamboo outside?

The simple answer is "yes", you can plant lucky bamboo in soil, and occasionally, you will even find it for sale that way.  However, I usually don't recommend it because it is very easy to let the plant dry out too much in soil.  If you do plant in dirt or potting mix, make sure to always keep the soil very, very moist, almost swampy, to keep your lucky bamboo looking its best for a long time.  And be sure to use dirt or potting soil that is NOT pre fertilized as lucky bamboo stems are quite sensitive to over fertilization.

Regarding keeping your lucky bamboo out of doors, you must first understand lucky bamboo in its natural environment.  Lucky bamboo is naturally found as an "underbrush" plant, per se.  It grows under a thick canopy of dense trees in a warm, moist environment; it rarely receives direct light.  If you can recreate this environment for your lucky bamboo AND keep the soil sufficiently moist, your lucky bamboo might just make it.  Otherwise, it is safer to keep your plant indoors where it can be regulated much more easily.

Jello-Type Substance on My Lucky Bamboo?

I just received the following question from a browser on our website today, thought it might be a common question...

I have noticed a form of clear jello type substance forming a the root of one of my plants is something wrong with this plant?

"Jello type substance" sounds an awful lot like the moisture retaining gel substance that lucky bamboo plants are kept in during transcontinental shipping.  Most of the time, buy the time the plant reaches the customer, this clear gel substance has been washed away, but occasionally some gets entangled in the roots and will come out slowly over time.  If this is what it is, it is harmless and you needn't worry.

However, if it is a slimy, scum-type substance that resembles some sort of fungus, that is a different matter entirely. If you notice a rotten smell, that's another sign.  We've never dealt with fungal infections in our lucky bamboo, so I can't be very specific, but you might want to take your lucky bamboo to a nursery, if available in your area. They are very knowledgeable in determining what kind of fungi your plant has.

Lucky Bamboo Boom!  Lucky Bamboo loves Spring!

If you have a lucky bamboo plant, get ready for a growth spurt this spring and summer!  Something about the warmth and bright sunshine causes these babies to flourish... you'll probably notice several inches of growth in a few short short months.

As your plant speeds up its growth it will utilize more water, so take care to add water more frequently so that your lucky bamboo does not dry out.  You'll probably need to water twice as much as you did during the winter months.

...And consider doing a little spring cleaning!  If you haven't changed out your water lately now's the perfect time! To clean out your arrangement, pour the rocks and water in a sink (be sure to stop the drain first!), pull the lucky bamboo out and rinse all the parts well.  While you have the plant out, inspect the roots: rust colored roots or white roots are healthy, black roots are rotting and should be removed.  Then replace the plant in its container, add the rocks and water to the desired level.

Happy Spring!

Written by Rachel Johnson Thursday, 28 January 2010 03:56

Lucky Bamboo and this COLD weather!

I don't know if you're experiencing cold like we are here, but most of January has been much colder than we're used to! Like me, my lucky bamboo plants at home are hunkering down and using all available resources to fend off the cool temps... just trying to survive! (I happen to be a baby in the cold!)

If it's cold where you are too, you may notice your lucky bamboo beginning to struggle a bit, especially if your house or the location of your lucky bamboo in your home routinely gets lower than 65 degrees. Evidence of this may be yellowing leaves and tips, a slight "wrinkling" effect in the skin of the stem** ... and of course a stem that has been too cold for too long will succumb to the fight and turn yellow all together. Poor thing.

The best thing you can do? Make your lucky bamboo as warm as possible. If you can’t turn up the thermostat, here are a few thoughts:

• Move your lucky bamboo to the sunniest room in your house or office during the coldest months. (Be careful that you don’t place the plant in direct sunlight though or it will get sunburned.)
• Place your plant on top of the refrigerator. Most models run a little warm on top and this could generate some much needed heat for your plant.
• Position the plant closer to a heating vent or radiator. (Don't let the hot air blow directly on it though.)
• If your plant is near a drafty window or is sitting on the cold floor, this can lower the temperature of the water by quite a bit. Consider repositioning it for the time being.
• When adding water make sure its warm, not cool.

**By the way, to bring the life back into a stem that is slightly wrinkled, give the entire plant a nice warm bath for 1/2 hour or so. You'd be amazed at how much better your plant looks after absorbing some water back into its stem!

Good luck and stay warm!