Caring for indoor bamboo is a fascinating activity that will inspire any connoisseur of fresh flowers. The bamboo plant tends to be more whimsical indoors, so it requires a lot of gentle love care. It is especially important to monitor the humidity so that the bamboo receives enough water and at the same time is not oversaturated with it.

Indoor plant bamboo - planting

The properties of bamboo are in the flexibility and plasticity of its stems, thanks to which you can create intricate shapes. The flowers of bamboo in the room almost do not ripen, and therefore the main advantage for the decor of the room is an elegant stem that perfectly conveys the atmosphere of exoticism. To grow such a miracle at home is a task of medium complexity and quite affordable pleasure even for a beginner. Some gardeners offer to grow bamboo directly in the water or hydrogel. This option has a beautiful aesthetic appearance and will become an adornment of any room. However, it should be remembered that such raw materials as water and hydrogel (balls absorbing water) are deprived of the necessary minerals and do not provide long-term preservation of the plant. If you want the plant to please the eye and revitalize the interior for 3-7 years, you should plant it in the soil. To do this, use the following steps.

Step 1

Find a wide, squat pot for growing. Choose a container whose diameter will be 2 times larger than the root of the plant. There should be at least 5 cm of space between the rhizome and the side walls.

Good drainage is the key to the survival of most types of bamboo, so make sure there are enough holes in the base of the pot.

Step 2

Consider a tray for moisture.Bamboo loves moisture, which can make indoor growing a challenge. The constant presence of water under the bamboo, which is not absorbed by the roots, is the easiest way to make the air humidified in the room. There are two ways to do this.

Drain Tray:

  • Fill the tray with a layer of gravel.
  • Add a layer of water to the tray.
  • Place the pot on top of the drain so that it does not touch the water.

Gravel:

  • Put a layer of gravel on the bottom of the pot.
  • Place the pot in a shallow water pan.

Thus, you will create a greenhouse effect that matches the humid climate familiar to this plant.

Step 3

Fill the pot with well-drained soil. Bamboo needs light to moderate density soil to provide a quick drainage effect with moisture retention ability. You can use the standard mixture for backfilling or make your own version of the soil from loam, perlite (or washed sand) and ⅓ peat moss (or well-rotted compost).

Most species of bamboo can live in different drainage soils, so the exact composition will not affect the plant. You can also use decent quality soil from your garden. Avoid heavy clay soil that does not conduct water well.

Bamboo tends to grow better in slightly acidic soils with pH from 5.5 to 6.5, but most species tolerate pH to 7.5. Most soils fall into this range.

Step 4

Plant bamboo at shallow depth. Leave the stem and top of the rhizome above the soil level to prevent decay. Press the soil to get rid of air bubbles and water the plant.

Bamboo care at home

Water the bamboo carefully and very carefully. This is the hardest part because indoor bamboo is always thirsty, but at the same time prone to oversaturation. First, pour water until a little water overflows. Let the top 5-7.5 cm of soil dry before each watering session. If the soil remains moist for more than 1-2 days, the amount of water should be reduced.

Watering and humidity level

If the top of the soil dries quickly, dig a depth of up to 10 cm to check for moisture. At depth, the soil should remain slightly moist most of the time, especially during the first three months after planting.

Most bamboo plants prefer moist air, especially in hot weather.

To provide the necessary comfort to the plant, you need to adhere to the main recommendations:

  • place the pot in a wet drain pan as described in the planting section above;
  • lightly irrigate the leaves with a spray bottle every couple of days;
  • use a humidifier in the room;
  • put the plants close together (but keep in mind that this increases the risk of disease).

You should maintain a balance, a fine line between constant hydration and waterlogging, as this is a necessary condition for healthy growth.

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Lighting

Care for indoor bamboo at home necessarily includes the right level of lighting, which may vary for each species. If you know the name of your bamboo, you need to find specific recommendations for it. If the plant needs more light than the climate allows, set the evening backlight. If the species of the plant is unknown, start with the following rules of thumb.

More light needed:

  • plants with small leaves;
  • tropical species;
  • located in warm rooms.

Less light needed:

  • plants with large leaves;
  • during the hibernation winter season;
  • plants that keep in cool rooms.

Most species of bamboo, including the “bamboo of happiness”, prefer bright, filtered sunlight, for example, located under the canopy of a rainforest. Avoid direct sunlight, as they burn leaves.They are more tolerant of a lack of light than an excess of it.

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Transplant and top dressing

Bamboo needs to be fertilized regularly, as this plant grows quickly as long as it has space in the container and needs additional nutrients to support this growth. A slow release fertilizer dose at the beginning of the growing season is a good way to ensure a sustainable supply. Use a balanced fertilizer such as 16-16-16, or a nitrogen (N) fertilizer such as 30-10-10. The high nitrogen version prevents flowering, which weakens many types of bamboo.

Warning: Do not fertilize bamboo within 6 months of purchase. Most plants receive enough fertilizer in the nursery.

You should also avoid seaweed fertilizers due to excessive salt content.

Bamboo propagates vegetatively. You can cut the plant year round. Cut cuttings are rooted in soil or in water.

Regular cropping

Bamboo is very tolerant of pruning, so feel free to shape it as soon as the plant has taken root, and if there is no suspicion of poor health:

  • trim dried, stunted or excess stems (climaxes) at soil level;
  • to prevent the stem from growing upward and to fix it to a certain height, cut it just above the node (branch point);
  • thin out branches regularly if you encourage upright growth.
  • remove the lower branches for aesthetics.

Bamboo can grow in two different ways, depending on its type. So Dracaena Sander, or “bamboo of happiness” leaves long shoots, forming ovaries, which should then be separated and a new plant grown. This species grows spirally for three to five years. Any type of plant needs to be transplanted into a larger pot once a year in the first three years of life.

Propagation of bamboo plants occurs by cutting off part of the stem and placing it in a separate container with water until it gives root.

Diseases and pests of a houseplant

It is quite common for a bamboo plant to lose a lot of leaves when moving in a room or transplanting. As long as the new leaves at the ends of the branches look healthy, the plant should regenerate. If these leaves fall or look unhealthy, a couple of months outdoors (if the climate allows) can help in restoration.

In the case when the leaves turned yellow and fell off without moving and replanting, other reasons are possible:

  • some species go into hibernation and fall in low light conditions. The cold winter season with low light is suitable for these plants and reduces leaf fall. Remember that the less green leaves there are, the less water a plant needs.
  • often the leaves fall in the spring, and this is a variant of the norm, as there is a gradual replacement with fresh foliage. If there is a mixture of green, yellow and new leaves, as well as shoots, then this means that the plant is healthy.

If yellowing of the leaves occurs outside the sleeping season, this can mean several different things:

  1. If they look dry and the tips are brown or curl up, the plant needs more water. He may also need a larger pot.
  2. Leaves that slowly turn pale and become more yellow usually have a nutrient deficiency. Add fertilizer with minerals.
  3. A sudden change in color after top dressing indicates an excessive amount. In this case, the plant can be cured by removing all the remaining fertilizers and watering abundantly to wash the excess minerals.

Domestic bamboo plants are more vulnerable to diseases and pests, especially if the room is poorly ventilated. If insects are lightly infected, wash the leaves with an insecticidal soap or spray them outdoors with an insecticidal spray.

If this does not help or if you think the plant is sick, try to identify the disease:

  • Black “smoked” type of leaves usually indicates insect damage. It is necessary to detect and remove aphids and ants.
  • Round fungal rings or taupe scales usually do not harm the plant. An antifungal treatment from a garden store can help the problem.
  • Wet, rotting areas are a sign of oversaturation with water, but can be caused by infections. Dry them and treat with an insecticide or fungicide.
  • Sticky white tissue indicates the presence of bamboo ticks or other parasites. You need to gut the nests and apply an insecticide.

There are more than 1000 species of bamboo, so not a single guide will cover all the problems. If your plant has a disease that does not meet the description above, consult your local gardener about the presence of a disease in your area.

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