Keep Your Lucky Bamboo Plants Thriving All Winter With These Simple Tips

In the world of houseplants, lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is a clear favorite for both its aesthetic and growing appeal. Despite its moniker, this plant is technically not a true bamboo plant and actually belongs to the asparagus family. It's also considered easy to grow and maintain in your home, even in areas outside its native West African tropical environment. This doesn't mean you can ignore your lucky bamboo plant, though, and it has been known to develop problems if not given the right conditions. Making a few simple modifications during the cold winter months can help create a thriving environment for your lucky bamboo as it slowly grows up to 3 feet tall with its characteristic finger-like stems. In particular, winter requires that you keep lucky bamboo in a warm and humid spot while still providing indirect sunlight and occasional water when needed.

Lucky bamboo is considered a low-light plant, meaning that it only needs up to two hours of filtered sunlight. This need is definitely manageable during shorter days in the winter, but correct placement is key. At the same time, lucky bamboo prefers temperatures of between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which you will need to maintain on colder winter days, too. Humidity is another problem in the winter thanks to the drying effects of indoor heating. You will need to address low humidity accordingly, so this tropical plant will continue to grow. Providing filtered or distilled water for these plants is still important, but you don't necessarily need to give lucky bamboo extra water just because the air is dry.

Lucky bamboo needs year-round indirect light exposure to maintain its overall health. It's a common mistake to place the plant in direct sunlight out of a belief that the light isn't as harsh for the plant, but winter sun can still be too bright and scorch the plant's leaves and stunt its growth. Place your lucky bamboo near a bright window, but never directly in front of it, so it only receives filtered light.

During the colder months, the air in your home is likely to be less humid as you run the heater. If your plant has developed brown leaf tips, one of the telltale signs your lucky bamboo is in trouble, it could be suffering from low humidity. You can also confirm this with the help of a hygrometer, which measures the relative humidity in the air. Try to keep indoor humidity levels at 50%, and use a portable humidifier as needed. To help further mitigate the effects of low humidity, make sure your plant is kept away from HVAC vents. You might also consider misting the leaves with a spray bottle of filtered water a few times a week.

It's tempting to give your lucky bamboo extra water when conditions are dry, but this can actually damage the plant and increase the risk of root rot. Some of the tips for growing lucky bamboo plants in soil and water include offering small amounts of water every few days or weekly. The top portion of the soil should be allowed to dry in between watering sessions. Lucky bamboo grown in pebbles and water requires weekly water changes, even during the winter months.