Plant Care Information
Once you receive your lucky bamboo plant:
- Unwrap the plant from the paper and remove the water gels.
*The water gels are used just to keep the plant moist and happy during shipping.
- Do not place gels down the drain, please dispose of them in the trash.
Lucky Bamboo Plant Care
Scientifically, the plant which is commonly referred to as lucky bamboo is in fact a member of the Dracaena Family. These plants are well-known for their durability under adverse indoor conditions. Because of its ease of care and its apparent resemblance to the true bamboo, many species of Dracaena are now cultivated.
Caring for lucky bamboo plants is very easy. Follow these two simple steps:
- Always Keep roots below the water level.
- Keep plants out of direct sunlight.
Water conditions
In areas where the water is heavily treated with chlorine or fluoride, the leaf tips or edges of the lucky bamboo may become yellow or brown. This condition can also be caused by too many salts in the water, such as in softened water. Thus, simply allow your water to rest for 24 hours before using it, allowing the chlorine and fluoride to dissipate. In the situation of salts, try using distilled water.
Lighting condition
Lucky bamboo grows naturally under the shady canopies of taller rainforest trees. Thus, the perfect condition for a strong and healthy plant is an indoor location with no direct sunlight. They will also grow well under artificial lighting, such as in office buildings.
Feeding your lucky bamboo
Most local water provides no nutrients, the best food for lucky bamboo is the use of a very dilute solution of plant food. Our Super Green Fertilizer is a pre-mixed solution for lucky bamboo. Lucky, bamboo does not use soil to buffer the fertilizer acids and salts, the roots are easily burned if the solution is too strong.
Tillandsia Air Plants Plant Care
Tillandsia, also known as air plants, are easy-to-care plants that require no soil to live. All your plant will need is light, water, and air to thrive in its new home.
Lighting conditions
Bright filtered light is what air plants prefer, but they will tolerate most environments. The best rule to help ensure your air plant is getting enough light is to make sure the strength of the light matches your humidity. Air plants love light (a lot of it) but if there is no water in the air, the plant will end up getting sunburned. This will hurt or possibly even kill your plant. To avoid this, do not leave your Tillandsia in full sunlight and if you notice that the seasons are changing and your plant is getting more light/heat, make sure to give them more water.
Water conditions
Water is probably the most difficult thing to learn to give your air plant since Tillandsia aren’t planted and they do not absorb water through their roots, instead they absorb water through tiny silvery-grey scales called trichomes.
To water your plants, give them a shower twice a week and a bath once a month. A shower consists of misting with a spray bottle. A bath is a little more difficult and there is some debate about how long to let them soak. Some people will tell you that your air plant needs to be soaked anywhere from minutes to hours, however; this is not true. Oversoaking your Tillandsia, depending on the type, may even kill your plant. Bulbosas and Medusas are some of the air plants whose bulbs will absorb water and become waterlogged and rot from the inside out.
The best way to give your Tillandsia a bath, without over-watering it, is to watch the trichomes. These tiny scales are usually a silvery-grey color, and you should be able to see them with the naked eye or with some glasses. Once your plant is submerged in the water. You will see the trichomes start to turn green, this means they have absorbed all the water they can hold, and your plant’s bath is over.
Air conditions
Air is probably the only thing you will give your Tillandsia and you do not really need to think about it. The only thing Tillandsia needs is airflow. They are plants and they do need oxygen to survive, if your plant has this it should be ok.
The exception to this simple care is if you live in an extremely dry climate or run your air conditioner a lot. This means that there is not a lot of water or humidity in your air. If your plant can’t draw water from the air, you will have to water it more often, and your air plant may be more susceptible to leaf burn.
If you have low humidity in your home, it may be a good idea to place a source of water next to your air plant. A sink, fountain, or even a small dish filled with water is enough to raise the humidity around the plant. This little boost in moisture can be the difference between a thriving and happy plant and one that is crispy and barely alive.