Fortune bamboo (hockey bamboo or lucky bamboo) is a popular ornamental plant that many people like to give as a gift when they have a new home. Despite its name, sustenance bamboo is not a type of bamboo, but belongs to the Dracaena species. The easiest and fastest way to propagate a new plant is to remove healthy bamboo stalks. After you remove the bamboo branches from the main stem, remove the leaves as well and place the bamboo branches in the water until the roots grow on their own. From there, you can continue to breed new sustenance bamboo in the water or transplant them into the soil to continue growing. Fortunately, breeding this sustenance bamboo is easy and doesn't take much time.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Cutting Bamboo
Step 1. Lift the sustenance bamboo stem from the container
Take the sustenance bamboo from the container and remove the wire that binds all the stems. Gently comb the roots with your fingers to separate them, then separate each stem. Pour water from the container into a colander to drain and remove the gravel.
The sustenance bamboo stalks are usually woven and tied together, but the wire can damage the plant. So, it's better to just remove this wire
Step 2. Choose a healthy trunk with long branches
The main stem must have at least 2 nodes, namely a horizontal line that separates the bamboo stem into segments. Once you've identified a healthy, long trunk, look for good branches. The bamboo branch should be 10 to 15 cm long, dark green, and growing from one of the top nodes.
The book is the part of the plant where the leaves grow
Step 3. Cut the bamboo branches
Use a sharp knife or shears of small cuttings to carefully cut the bamboo branches from the main stem. Cut branches as close to their base as possible on the parent stem. Then, use shears or a knife to cut the base of the branch 50 mm long so that the bottom is even.
Step 4. Remove any pair of leaves that are at the bottom
Use your hands to gently peel the leaves from the bamboo. Leave at least 1 set of leaves at the top. Removing the leaves that are at the bottom will direct the plant's energy to grow roots.
Leaves should be removed so they don't rot when the bamboo branches are placed in the water to take root
Step 5. Put the sustenance bamboo cuttings into a glass/jar filled with distilled water
Fill a mason jar or other glass jar with distilled or bottled water to a depth of 10 cm. Place the cuttings in the water with the cuttings at the bottom of the jar. Bamboo branches should not be completely submerged. If you have more than 1 stem cuttings, they can all be placed in the same jar.
- Use distilled or bottled water that doesn't contain chlorine as chlorine can damage bamboo.
- If you want to use tap water, pour the water into a jar and let it sit for 24 hours before adding the bamboo cuttings, so that the chlorine disintegrates first.
Step 6. Place the bamboo in a place exposed to indirect sunlight for a month
Move the bamboo to a bright place and protected from direct sunlight. Bamboo cuttings placed in water will begin to grow their own roots. In the end, you can plant or breed a fully grown sustenance bamboo plant. The process of root growth will take about 30 days.
Step 7. Change the water every week
Once a week, hold a bamboo stick and remove the water from the jar. Replace the water with fresh distilled or bottled water. This replacement will prevent the water from standing still. Add water to the jar as needed to replace water that has evaporated or absorbed by growing plants.
Part 2 of 3: Caring for Bamboo Cuttings
Step 1. Transfer the bamboo into a larger vase
After the sustenance bamboo branches have taken about a month to grow roots, you can transplant them into separate vases. Fill the bottom of a jar or vase with at least 2 inches (5 cm) of coral, marbles, or pebbles. Put the bamboo into the vase. Place the base of the stem between the rocks to make it stand tall and strong. Fill the vase with dechlorinated water about 10 cm high.
You can also plant sustenance bamboo in a vase with parent stems
Step 2. Change the water every month
The sustenance bamboo grown in water requires a regular supply of fresh water. Every 30 days, remove the water in the vase and replace it with new water, either bottled, distilled, or dechlorinated water. If the water evaporates quickly during the month, refill the vase with fresh water.
Step 3. Alternatively, plant sustenance bamboo in the ground
The sustenance bamboo can also thrive in the soil. Look for a small pot that is at least 8 cm deep and has good drainage holes. Fill the pot with ready-to-plant soil that drains well, such as cactus soil. Plant the base of the sustenance bamboo stem as deep as 5 cm in the soil. Water and keep the soil slightly moist at all times.
- Use bottled, distilled, or dechlorinated water to water bamboo.
- Provide sustenance bamboo fertilizer or liquid ornamental plant fertilizer diluted into the soil to help plant growth.
Step 4. Place the bamboo in a bright place with indirect sunlight
Bamboo requires a lot of sunlight to grow, but will burn quickly if exposed to direct light. Find a bright spot, such as a partially shaded window sill, where the bamboo can get plenty of light each day.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Mother Bamboo
Step 1. Trim the top of the bamboo above the book from which the branches were cut
Take the parent bamboo stems whose branches you have cut earlier, then place them on a cutting board. Check the book where you cut the branch and check the next book below. Measure about 1 cm from the book, then use a sharp knife or shears to cut off the top of the bamboo stalk.
Cutting the stem just above the node will stimulate the growth of new branches
Step 2. Dip the cut pieces in non-perfumed white soy wax
Light the candle and let it burn for 30 minutes. The fire will make the candle melt. Once a small puddle forms, dip the cut bamboo tops in wax to cover the cut marks. The wax will protect the scar from infection.
The best type of wax for this step is a non-perfumed white soy wax. Colored, scented, and oil-based candles can damage plants
Step 3. Return the bamboo sticks to the jar
Place the parent bamboo into its original jar with the others. Put the coral or pebbles from the sieve back into the jar to stabilize the bamboo sticks so that they stand firmly in place. Fill the jar with distilled water and return it to its original place.
