Evidence that quick and inexpensive doesn't have to mean tacky and cheap. This elegantly simple good luck bamboo arrangement cost less than $10 to make, and was literally assembled in the back seat of a cab. It took less than fifteen minutes, not counting shopping and planning time. All the materials were bought at the local "Everything for a Buck" store - including the bamboo. If your dollar store doesn't carry living bamboo, you can usually pick up cut pieces for $2-$5 per piece.
The good luck bamboo is a traditional Chinese gift to those starting a new endeavor in their lives. Bamboo is typically used as wedding favors and given to those moving into a new home or beginning a new business. Because bamboo has such a long lifespan and can live and grow with little sustenance other than water, it's the perfect gift to wish prosperity and good luck.
Compare it to a florist's arrangement using similar materials at $25-$40.
Caring for the bamboo plant is a simple matter of giving it plenty of light, and topping up the water whenever it evaporates and the top layer of marbles is dry. It will grow for years with just a little care.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have been growing bamboo in glass containers in my window for about 8 months. The water stayed clear and no fungus or algae occurred. All I ever did was add water or a few drops of plant food. I'm often out of town for a week and normally when I return the water is still clean and clear. This last time the water had turned green and the green fungus, algae or whatever the green is, was growing on the inside.
I can't figure out how this all of a sudden started happening. Anyone know what would cause this or what I can do to prevent this? I read that one solution was to add charcoal. I added small pieces of horticultural charcoal, but it floats to top and the water turned grey. It looks bad. Thanks.This could be a problem with the water in your glass container. If you are using tap water to refill the container this could be your problem. Tap water contains high amounts of chlorine, which isn't good for growing the Lucky Bamboo plant. Furthermore, when growing such a plant it is recommended that you keep the plant out of direct sunlight.
Perhaps the direction of the sun has changed and your window is getting more direct sun than it has in the past 8 months.
I'm assuming you are growing them in rocks and using either bottled or distilled water but you may also be over fertilizing them. You say drops so I'm assuming also that you are using fertilizer for lucky bamboo but you may still be giving too much as they will really grow well with only a drop or two every few months.
Here is a link that has a lot of information about the care but the second link has instructions on how to clean the green algae from your plant and rocks (which has to be done carefully).
www.buyluckybamboo.com/
dengarden.com/
Tap water has chlorine, which causes green water. Try to use distilled water.
Sounds like to me you need to change the glass containers, not the water.
I broke my mother's bamboo plant at the stalk, upsetting us both. Will it live or die? It's still attached, and she taped it for support. Will it live? How do I fix it?
By Gabby from PA
It's fine! Bamboo is impossible to kill. It grows and spreads forever and ever.
I don't know anything about bamboo outside, but if the bamboo is a house plant you can cut it off at the stalk where it broke. You can then put the broken piece in a new container, or even in the same container as the original plant. You may be able to root it.
I don't know anything about bamboo outside, but if the bamboo is a house plant you can cut it off at the stalk where it broke. You can then put the broken piece in a new container, or even in the same container as the original plant. You may be able to root it. Leave the bottom part of the broken stalk in the original container. It will probably send out new stalks from the original. Be sure you keep the stalk ends in water and you have a good chance of success. You may end up with two bamboo plants instead of one!
I read the previous answers and I am wondering about transplanting my "lucky bamboo" from its ceramic stone filled 2x5in box to a 5 to 10 gallon smartpot. With this I have plenty of time and indoor grow equipment to work with during winter months. My question is how large will this plant get and is it worth growing in a 5 gallon or larger pot? Also how do I clone or will it just spread on its own?
Some bamboo plants I believe grow to the size of their pot. Others only grow to the variety size, while some require their roots to be somewhat compact. Some "lucky' bamboo plants are not even real bamboo. So, its hard to answer this one. The big thing about them is that chlorine water will kill them over time. So, try to water it with bottled water when possible.
As for your original question, only replanting it will tell you for sure, but most likely it will grow larger once in a bigger pot.
Leave it alone. It needs a tall glass vase or ceramic container
How can I twist a straight bamboo stem into a curl or twist? I bought a straight bamboo stem and now I want to make it curly. I need help.
By Mina
You can't just "twist" a straight bamboo stem. It's not like hair! :-) The curls in bamboo stems were grown that way. The part of the stem that is already straight will always stay straight.
It's possible to grow a curly plant yourself, but it will take many months to get a curl, and during that time it must remain covered by a box with one small hole that lets light in, which the plant will bend and grow towards and make the stem curve. Not the best way to enjoy your plant!
There are instructions online for how to make bamboo curly, but if you really want one it would be a lot faster and easier to buy one that was already grown that way by professionals.
And just a little trivia, these curly (or straight) plants being sold as "lucky bamboo" aren't really bamboo at all - they're not even related to bamboo! They're called dracaena, and are actually in the lily family!
My friend gave me a branch from her bamboo plant. I first had it in water, then it seemed the leaves were turning yellow and it ended up dying. So I am now trying another branch in gravel in a little amount of water. My bamboo plant seems to just sit and never grows. I want to do a twisted plant, but cannot have success in growing them. Can you help? What am I doing wrong?
By Pat H from Ragland, AL
I have a small twisted bamboo that grows on stones in water. My question is can I trim the roots to promote growth or should I just leave them alone? I have had it for almost 2 years and change the water occasionally; it grows beautifully.
So do I leave it alone or is there a benefit in trimming the roots? Like you would with fresh flowers put in a vase?ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
There are plants which can grow in water only and are sold at Oriental booths in the malls. They look like a tall stick but they begin to twist near the top.
