Despite not being a true bamboo, the fortunate bamboo, also known as Dracaena sanderiana, makes a charming addition to any indoor gardener’s plant collection.
The plant is unfortunately prone to a variety of problems, one of which is that the stalks are overly thin. When this occurs, a careless mistake is almost always to blame.
Provide Adequate Soil Drainage
Of course, this first piece of advice assumes that your fortunate bamboo grows in soil. If not, skip the rest of the article and go on to the next most likely reason for skinny lucky bamboo.
For the fortunate bamboo, you can use regular plant potting soil, but it needs to meet a few requirements.
The fortunate bamboo will become saturated with water if the potting soil prevents water from easily draining from the pot.
For a plant that can grow in water, how important is a little extra water?
The plant’s root system gradually perishes as a result of root rot. Then you’ll see signs like short stalks, discolored leaves, and wilting on the outside of your plant.
The fortunate bamboo also thrives in soil that is between 6.0 and 6.5 on the pH scale. This is less strongly acidic than it is neutral.
When Watering, Don’t Overdo It
Some indoor gardeners make a big deal out of the fact. They reason that since the fortunate bamboo is drought-tolerant, it must not need much water.
The term “drought-tolerant” refers to a species of indoor plant that can survive brief periods of dryness. It doesn’t indicate how frequently or infrequently you should water the plant.
This indoor plant only needs around three feet of height and two feet of width, so it doesn’t require as much water as you may assume to keep the soil in this condition.
Before adding water without first checking the soil’s moisture level, I advise inserting your clean fingertips there.
Be careful not to overfill the lucky bamboo container when adding water. Pour in enough water so that the stalks of the lucky bamboo are dry but the roots are soaked.
It’s an excellent technique to prevent further stress on the plant by keeping the already stressed stems and stalks dry.
Keep in mind that root rot can be fatal to the fortunate bamboo, so you want to prevent it at all costs.
Withholding water from your plant might be disastrous in and of itself. To photosynthesize, which provides plants with the energy to grow, they need water.
Growth will halt in the absence of sufficient water, and the fortunate bamboo will appear slender and fragile.
If Growing in a Container, Use the Right Kind of Water
Changing gears I want to restate my point before we talk about a lucky bamboo that is growing in water.
Even though growing your lucky bamboo in water eliminates the need for soil maintenance, taking care of the plant still requires some effort.
When watering your lucky bamboo, the type of water you use is crucial, especially if your plant is thinner than usual.
Only use distilled or filtered water in your good luck bamboo container. Salts and minerals are present in unfiltered tap water.
Some indoor gardeners, from what I’ve seen, claim that these minerals can benefit the lucky bamboo. That isn’t entirely false.
The same cannot be true of utilizing tap water from your sink for the lucky bamboo, even though those minerals are provided in controlled proportions.
You have no idea what and how much of anything is in your tap water until you’ve had it tested.
Your water may be too mineral-rich for the lucky bamboo if it is hard, which suggests it has a lot of minerals.
To ensure that the fortunate bamboo receives its minerals in this manner, it is much preferable to use pure water and fertilize the plant.
Keep the Water in the Container Clean
Your lucky bamboo container’s water doesn’t last indefinitely. That water will eventually turn murky, green, and foggy.
Green? Yes. Without intervention, this algal growth will spread throughout the container.
You should gently empty the lucky bamboo container’s water and then refill it once a week. You can wait no more than ten days before doing this.
When draining the water from the plant, place a strainer in your sink to catch any pebbles or stones that may help strengthen the lucky bamboo’s shoots.
Make sure to rinse the stones with filtered water, especially if algae has caused them to turn green.
Don’t Overfertilize
Even seasoned indoor gardeners might make a maintenance error when it comes to the lucky bamboo, and that error is fertilizing the plant.
You’ll overdo it if you use the same amount of fertilizer as you would for your other indoor plants.
The lucky bamboo can survive with just a few drops of liquid plant fertilizer once or twice per month. I’m serious, I swear. When growing in soil, it will suffice for this plant.
You should dilute the liquid fertilizer and apply it to the fortunate bamboos in a water container once a month or twice a year.
Apply liquid fertilizer in a correct amount. Sometimes the material can be disorganized, which can result in accidental spills.
If you accidentally apply too much fertilizer, you must immediately remove the fortunate bamboo from that perilous condition.
Repot the plant in new soil after cleaning the rocks or stones and rinsing any fertilizer residue from the roots.
Some indoor gardeners may substitute a specific fortunate bamboo fertilizer for liquid fertilizer due to the risk mentioned above. It’s more difficult to apply too much of this, but it’s still feasible.
Provide the Right Lighting
Your fortunate bamboo’s stems appear to be long, spindly, and extremely thin. Your plant is trying to notify you that it isn’t getting enough sunshine.
A lanky plant reaches for whatever meager light source it may find. You shouldn’t experience this kind of growth after you start supplying more light and trim the leggy sections.
So what kind of lighting is required for the fortunate bamboo? Bright, filtered sunshine is preferred by this indoor plant.
This is not the same thing as direct, bright lighting. You cannot put the lucky bamboo close to a window that has a curtain on it.
Instead, the lucky bamboo experiences brilliant, filtered sunlight when it has overhead cover, such as from a canopy of trees or other indoor plants.
The fortunate bamboo would be directly exposed to the sun without that shelter. The plant’s health could suffer greatly as a result since the leaves would burn.
Address Pests as Soon as You Spot Them
If your indoor plant has pests, it may still be skinnier than usual even if you take care of the lucky bamboo as suggested above.
The most prevalent insects that like to reside on fortunate bamboo are mites and mealybugs.
By the way, mites are related to ticks and spiders, therefore you shouldn’t have them near your indoor garden. The bug can bite if it jumps from the plant to a human host like you. You’d be left with lumps that itched.
In your indoor garden, mites can spread disease even more so. Mealybugs, which eat plant fluids, can also do this.
How can a pest infestation be stopped? Rub alcohol mixed with water will kill mealybugs. Apply the liquid immediately to the insects by pouring it onto a cotton ball or swab.
Neem oil will get rid of mites. In certain instances, washing the fortunate bamboo with a garden hose or a faucet can remove the most of the mites.
Whatever insect has infiltrated the fortunate bamboo, acting quickly is essential. The effects of an insect infestation worsen the longer you wait.
Move Your Lucky Bamboo From Its Original Pot/Container
About once a year, or whenever you feel the fortunate bamboo has outgrown its current surroundings, it needs a new pot.
I always advise measuring the pot or container’s present diameter before enlarging it by two to four inches.
In this approach, you won’t buy a pot that is only slightly larger, but you also won’t buy a pot that is excessively large.
Your plant may have a difficult time growing in a pot that is too large. The large surface area of the soil makes it difficult for water and fertilizer to easily reach the roots.
The lucky bamboo can experience transplant shock during transportation. This is a transient but occasionally dangerous condition.
Even though your plant is experiencing transplant shock, you should still take care of it. It needs to recover in a few days or weeks.
But keep in mind that some really severe transplant shock cases might last for months or even years!
How can I encourage my bamboo to get thicker?
Bamboo Bay Area in Cactus Jungle suggests fertilizing bamboo in the spring and summer. When fertilizer, whether chemical or organic, is used on bamboo, it grows higher and faster. The American Bamboo Society recommends spreading an equal mixture of composted chicken manure and rotten leaves between bamboo stems at a depth of 1/8 inch in the early spring and summertime. Alternately, from spring through summer, sprinkle a very small dusting of grass turf builder every six to eight weeks, or as directed by the manufacturer.
Tip
Different bamboo species grow at varying rates and attain varying heights. According to Monrovia, huge wood bamboo is one of the fastest- and tallest-growing plants (Bambusa oldhamii). This species of bamboo may grow 20 to 65 feet tall in three to four weeks and is suitable for USDA zones 8 through 11. According to Monrovia, red clumping bamboo (Fargesia nitida ‘Jiuzhaigou’) is a type of bamboo that works better in backyard gardens. This clumping cultivar, which grows 8 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, is appropriate for USDA zones 5 through 9.
Warning
If not managed, running bamboos are invasive. Containers or sturdy root barrier material, which restricts their growth, should extend 24 to 26 inches into the ground and 4 to 6 inches above.
How can I make my lucky bamboo stem thicker?
There are several various techniques you can use to thicken your current stalks. All of these essentially revolve around giving your lucky bamboo plant the best care possible.
You should be sure to water your lucky bamboo plant frequently, and using mulch is also a good idea.
The lucky bamboo plant will have a better chance of growing robust if it receives adequate irrigation and makes use of mulch.
If you’re taking good care of your lucky bamboo, you should see the stalk gradually becoming thicker. If it’s too thin, you may not be watering it enough or you may want to think about using mulch.
Utilizing lawn fertilizer is an additional choice for thickening your bamboo.
You could think about applying lawn fertilizer along with proper watering techniques to assist your bamboo stem grow stronger over time.
If you follow the instructions carefully, you should eventually be able to obtain a very thick lucky bamboo stalk.
Think about the surroundings where you intend to grow your fortunate bamboo plants.
You should be aware that bamboo plants thrive in humid areas and that dry conditions might be harmful.
If you’re growing bamboo stalks indoors, you may want to think about upping the humidity level to benefit your bamboo plants.
Why is my fortunate bamboo so thin?
Too little light frequently leads to thin, wiry stems. Check to see if your lucky bamboo plant grows better by moving it nearer to a natural light source while making sure to keep it out of direct sunlight. Too much fertilizer may also contribute to this issue. If you’ve never fertilized your plant, the manufacturer or grower may have overfertilized it. Every 3 to 7 days, change the water in your bamboo plant, and for 6 to 12 months, avoid fertilizing it. Only a few drops of a highly diluted solution should be fed to bamboo because it doesn’t handle fertilizers well (one part houseplant food to ten parts water). Never fertilize more frequently than three months apart, and ideally, fertilize just once or twice a year.
- Too little light frequently leads to thin, wiry stems.
- If you’ve never fertilized your plant, the manufacturer or grower may have overfertilized it.
Does bamboo thicken with age?
The bamboo myth states that if you plant it, it will take over. Actually, until the rhizome system takes hold, bamboo needs routine maintenance and attention for the first two to three years. The bamboo can then survive on its own, if necessary. But if you take extra care, it will always respond, and the results could astound you. The earth yields each cane at the mature thickness. Up until it achieves its ultimate potential, bamboo will continue to generate canes that are greater in height and diameter each year. However, after they have emerged from the earth, the canes themselves never become thicker.
To ensure huge, healthy, and robust development the following spring, it’s crucial to feed and water your plants properly to promote new growth.
How long does bamboo take to thicken?
- In the spring, bamboo grows new canes (culms). For around 60 days after emerging from the earth, these shoots expand in height and diameter. It will grow limbs and leaves during the course of these 60 days.
- The bamboo cane stops growing in height and diameter after the initial 60 days of growth. The majority of plants and trees develop secondary growth, but not bamboo. A cane normally lives for 10 years and will grow new foliage each year.
- A grass family member, bamboo is. Because it is a colony plant, it draws energy from the existing plant to grow additional plants and develop its root system. The new plants will develop in a similar way. Within 60 days, fresh shoots will grow and develop into a cane with limbs and leaves.
- About three years are needed for bamboo to become established. After becoming established, the springtime new shoots (which will still only develop for 60 days) will get bigger and more numerous each year as the colony matures. The time it takes for various species to attain their maximum size ranges from 4 to 15. This depends on the species chosen, the soil, the amount of sunlight, the climate, and the watering regime.