Chinese Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)a native to Central Africa is a species of flowering plant The plant is commonly known as “lucky bamboo”. It has become the most popular indoor plant in certain parts of India.
Lucky Bamboo
Chinese Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)a native to Central Africa is a species of a flowering plant. The plant is commonly known as “lucky bamboo”. It has become the most popular indoor plant in certain parts of India.
Lucky bamboo is not bamboo as it is a member of the dracaena family, and is a symbol of good fortune. It looks like bamboo and is much easier to grow as a houseplant. The Chinese bamboo is the most renewable plant due to its ability to grow at a fast rate, as the moment it gets harvested, it begins to grow. The tallest lucky bamboo ever recorded was 130 feet in Europe.
Some of the Bamboo related facts are given below by Pritish Halder.
Facts
- Chinese bamboo has a Guinness record in its name A type of Chinese Bamboo plant has been found as the fastest growing plant ever recorded, in one day the tree can grow up to 35 inches (1.5 inches per hour).
- It is very strong. one of the hardest materials in the world, and it has strength greater than that of steel, The bamboo is used as bicycle frames because of its unbelievable strength as well because of being lightweight.
- Lucky bamboo is naturally antibacterial The fibers of bamboo are rich in antibacterial properties thus they are used in making clothes.
Bamboo can kill almost all bacteria in 24 hours while cotton can’t kill any. Thus clothes made of Chinese Bamboo fiber are less stinky and cleaner. Bamboo fiber can also be used as a material for wound dressing because of their antibacterial
Organic Farming; Know the Advantage and Benefits of Using Green Manure. Green manure can be described as specific plant or crop varieties which are grown and turned into the soil to…
- Lucky Bamboo is Safe to eat The Bamboo plant can also be eaten by both pandas and people. Most people from the Asian continent consume Bamboo even though they don’t provide much nutrition, they have a low-calorie count. Pandas also consume the bamboo plant it is their favorite
- It can be used as a deodorant It acts as a natural deodorizer such that it is used as fabric in making diapers. Several products on the market deodorize harmful smells using bamboo charcoal.
Bamboo charcoal can soak up bad smells and retain good smells and also last longer.
Indoor cultivation of Chinese bamboo It is quite easy-to-care- houseplant which grows well in low, indirect light.
Steps
- Choose your plant – Get a plant with bright green leaves. If the stems or leaves are yellow or brown, don’t use them as the plant is unhealthy. For professional growth, take the stalks and curl them into an intricate design.
- Decide how you want to grow it – It’s quite easy and clean to grow it hydroponically in water and stones, though it can also be grown in soil.
Moisture
If you want to grow it hydroponically, the container you are going to use should have enough stones or marbles in the bottom to balance or stabilize it. The Chinese bamboo requires at least 1-3 inches of water to thrive. For growing it in soil, well-drained and rich potting soil are perfect. It requires to be moist but not soaked. Also, add some small rocks to the bottom of the pot in case of soil too for proper draining.
- Select the right container – Either Put the bamboo plant in a tall glass vase/ ceramic container or leave it in the container it comes in.
Use a clear container for growing the plant hydroponically and use a regular pot in case of growing it in soil.
Note – Select a pot 1 foot (30 cm) in height as the plant will be required to be stabilized at its peak height. For soil, fill the pot up most of the way with your rich soil and make sure it has proper drainage.
- Choose the right spot -It will grow best in bright and filtered sunlight. Direct sunlight is harmful to the leaves.
Keep the plant away from the air conditioning or vent as the requires an air temperature between 65ºF – 90ºF.
- Water – If you are growing it hydroponically, change the water every week. The plant is sensitive to levels of fluoride and chlorine, so use water accordingly. For soil, water to keep it moist, do not make it soggy.
- Fertilize the plant every month – For soil, use organic fertilizers or so for fulfilling the nutrition
requirements.
Hydroponic
For the hydroponic method, go for liquid fertilizers but keep in mind to dilute it to one-tenth proportion as Chinese bamboo doesn’t require much fertilizer.
Your lucky bamboo tree will be healthy and thrive with these tips :
- To control the curl of the plant, use a 3-sided box ( a box with a side cut). As the plant bends towards the light, change the side the sunlight faces and the plant will eventually curve back.
- Change the spot of the plant, according to the season.
- Add the fertilizer when you add the water.
- Use bottled water or filtered water to avoid tip burn.
- Overtime trim the offshoots. Don’t throw the trimmings, they can be used to grow a new plant.
- Check for the color of the leaves. Due to excess sunlight and fertilizers, leaves may turn yellow or brown.
- If any part of the plant is dying, cut it out.
Can You Grow Bamboo Inside?
This plant can be grown indoors, but no one says that growing bamboo inside is easy. To grow bamboo successfully indoors, you need a sturdy container and ample light and humidity. Bamboo needs at least 6 hours of light to thrive. Put bamboo in your sunniest window. Depending on the type, it can grow up to 5 to 8 feet tall; lower light usually means slower and less growth. For more information regarding indoor Chinese bamboo cultivation please visit Pritish Kumar Halder ‘s page.
Common varieties that grow indoors in containers include Pleioblastus viridistriatus, dwarf green stripe bamboo, and Pseudosasa japonica, or arrow bamboo. Dwarf green stripe bamboo grows to 4 feet tall but usually stays about 2 1/2 feet tall indoors. Arrow bamboo grows taller and does well in shade or full sun, and can thrive in shade better than most bamboo species.
How to Grow Bamboo Indoors?
Regular watering and feeding will make up the bulk of your plant maintenance for growing bamboo indoors. To maintain the soil moisture level that bamboo likes, you might have to water your container plant more than once a week. But especially for an indoor plant where the climate stays constant, you should be able to establish a predictable care routine fairly easily. Most bamboos prefer a humidity level of 50% to thrive.
Sunlight
Bamboo prefers a spot that gets full sun to partial shade. Too much shade can result in a weak plant that does not grow to its fullest potential or develop its brilliant color. Indoors, keep your bamboo by your brightest window to get natural sunlight, and rotate the pot every week or so to ensure all sides of the plant get light.
Temperature and Humidity
Golden bamboo is known for its cold tolerance. It can survive temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit for a short time. However, prolonged cold weather can cause the plant to drop foliage and might eventually kill it. The plant prefers typical room temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it away from cold drafts from an air conditioner or drying heater vents. These plants thrive in humid air but have adapted to indoor dryness as long as it’s kept well watered.
Watering
Bamboo has some drought tolerance once established, and it can handle soggy soil for a short time. However, sitting in pooled water can rot the roots and kill the plant. The plant ideally should have evenly moist soil. Test the soil by sticking your finger an inch or two in it and watering it whenever it feels dry. Never let the soil dry out completely. But during the winter months, slightly cut back on watering.
Fertilizer
Feed your bamboo with a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month to maintain an optimal amount of nutrients in your container plant’s soil, following label instructions. It also can be helpful to mix some organic compost into the soil, especially in the spring, to promote healthy plant growth.
Pruning and Maintenance
Bamboo typically doesn’t require pruning. You can remove old canes at their base if they begin to look unsightly. And you also can remove new shoots as they pop up from the soil if you want to limit your plant’s growth and spread.
Container and Size
Consider getting a metal or hardwood container since bamboo can break through plastic or terra cotta, and make sure it has ample holes for drainage. Pick a heavy pot so that it can anchor the weight of the bamboo canes. You will need at least a 10-gallon container to start. And if you don’t want to report it yearly, begin with a 20- or 30-gallon pot. Bamboo tends to send runners, which likes a pot that is wider versus deep. Clumping types of bamboo do better in a container with equal dimensions.
Potting Soil and Drainage
This plant tolerates various soil types but prefers organically rich soil with good drainage. It does not like soggy soil. A commercial potting mix or a mixture of peat moss and perlite should be fine for container plants.
Potting and Repotting Bamboo
When starting with a small nursery bamboo plant, you can use a pot that is 12 inches wide and deep. You can add rocks or gravel to the bottom of the pot to anchor the plant’s weight. Place the root ball in the pot, and fill in around it with a loose, nutrient-rich potting mix. You can mix in some compost to encourage growth. Then, water the bamboo well.
You might need to move your bamboo to a larger pot every year or two once the roots have spread through the entire pot and you see them coming out of the holes in the bottom or poking up out of the soil on top. Don’t allow your plant to remain in a pot that’s too small for it for very long, as it won’t be able to get enough nutrients to stay healthy. An indoor plant typically will do fine being re-potted at any time of year, but the start of the growing season in the spring, when the plant is revving up its growth, is generally the best time for repotting.
