Lucky Bamboo Plants

Start the New Year off with a bit of Feng Shui inspired luck.

The lucky bamboo plants found in garden centers, florists, homes and offices are said to bring good luck and fortune. These plants are often braided or sculpted and grown hydroponically, in water instead of soil.

These are not truly bamboo plants, but rather a type of dracaena that tolerates low light.

For best results, grow your lucky bamboo in a warm brightly lit location free of hot and cold drafts.

Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the potting mix just slightly moist, but not wet. Change the water weekly when growing the plants in water.

Use filtered or distilled water for best results. Or collect and save rainwater or water from your dehumidifier. The fluoride and chlorine in tap water and salts in softened water can cause the leaf tips to brown.

A bit more information: Fertilize as needed. Use a water soluble fertilizer for plants growing in water. A dilute solution of any houseplant fertilizer can be added to plants growing in potting mix.