How to Take Care of Lucky Plants

Taking care of the fortune plant is a leisurely pastime that can help you reduce stress. Usually imported from Taiwan and China, many people believe that a lucky charm plant planted in the home or workplace can bring happiness and prosperity. This article will guide you on how to take care of the locust tree.

Table of Contents

Choose a lucky tree

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Find a tree that you like. Do not rush to get the first tree you see, but look for a healthy tree. You can buy the plant at a garden center or nursery, or even at a supermarket.

The plant is also known as the sage, sometimes referred to by its scientific name, Dracaena sanderiana .

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Choose plants that are lush green. Taking care of a lucky tree is not very difficult, but if you bring back an unhealthy tree, the work will be much harder; otherwise, the plant may die. The size of the tree doesn’t matter much, as most of the succulents are quite small.

Plants must be uniform green, free from defects, bruises or yellowing.
The stem should be evenly green from base to tip.
Leaf tips do not turn brown.

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Make sure the plant has been planted properly and is free of odors. Phat Loc has very strong vitality, but if it is planted incorrectly or has a sour smell, it is probably sick and will not survive. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Locust trees don’t smell as fragrant as some flowers, but if not watered properly, bacteria can multiply on the plant and cause odors.
Observe water levels and check soil or fertilizer. Many plants are grown hydroponically, which means only water and pebbles or small rocks to hold the plants in place. However, some lucky plants are grown in the ground. Check to make sure the water level is at least half a pitcher high, or that the soil is moist but not soggy.

Plant a tree of fortune

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Decide whether to plant in water or in soil. ^{[2] X Research Source} Both of these options have their advantages depending on how well you can take care of them. Too much soil or fertilizer can actually damage plants. However, if you are using fluoridated tap water and other chemicals, you may want to use soil to prevent yellowing of the leaf tips. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you’re growing the plant in water, you’ll need some gravel to keep the stem upright. If growing in soil, try mixing equal parts sand, peat moss, and regular potting soil to ensure good drainage.
When growing plants in water, you need to make sure the water level is enough to cover the roots. You should also change the water at least once a week to prevent rotting. It is best to wash the vase, gravel, and plants with each water change.
If you plant in the ground, you should only water it just enough to keep it moist.

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Choose the right planter. The pot should be about 5 cm larger than the circumference of the plant. Most of the lucky bamboo plants are potted when sold, but you can use another pot to make the plant unique and your own.

Transparent vases are great if you are growing them in water to show both the plants and the gravel, but be sure to avoid direct sunlight.
You can also use ceramic pots to grow plants in clean water or soil. If growing in soil, use a pot with drainage holes.

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Fertilize periodically with a very small amount for faster plant growth. Too much fertilizer is more harmful than no fertilizer, so you should apply very little. This is even more true for potted plants, because fertilizers will not be diluted by rain and not depleted like when growing plants in the ground.

Care and shape for the fortune tree

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Water less. Sprouts don’t need a lot of water. Over-watering is actually bad for the plant. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Water the plant once a week and make sure the water soaks up to a few centimeters, enough to cover the roots.
If you plant in soil, make sure the soil is not too wet or too dry. Lucky bamboo can grow well only in water, so too much soil or fertilizer can harm the plant.

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Place the plant where there is no direct sunlight. Lucky trees often live in the shade of other trees that are taller in the natural environment. You should keep the plant in a bright and airy place but do not expose it to the sun all day. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

To care for the best growth, you need to avoid placing the plant in a window with a lot of sunlight. The plant should be placed in a place that is not too bright in the room.
Lucky bamboo will grow best with a temperature of 18 to 32 degrees Celsius.

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Bending the stem. If you want to shape the fortune tree, you need to choose some main branches to bend and display. With a little effort, you can control the branches to grow around each other or twist. To do this, you must choose young, underdeveloped and hard branches. ^{[6] X Research Source}

You can simply plant it in a straight line or in rows if you want it to grow straight.
To bend the fortune tree, find a cardboard box, cut off the bottom of the box and one side of the box. Place the box on the tree with the open side facing the light source. The plant will begin to bend to the light as it grows. When you see that the branch has bent, turn the tree in the other direction.
You can also wrap cross wire around the branches. As the branches grow, you will have to wrap more wire to keep them stable when twisted together.

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Remove dead or yellow leaves. Sometimes the tips of the leaves can turn yellow, which can be caused by a number of things: not enough water, too much soil or fertilizer, or too much direct sunlight. You can trim the leaves that turn yellow or remove the entire leaf.

To cut the yellow leaf tips, you need to disinfect the scissors or sharp scissors by rubbing alcohol or vinegar, then cut off the yellow leaves according to the natural shape of the leaf.
The yellow leaves can be completely removed simply by pulling down and pulling away from the stem.

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Propagation of fortune tree. When a few branches grow too tall, you can cut them off and plant them. This way the tree will not be too dense, and at the same time you will have more new plants.

Select the longest branch and remove the small leaves at the base of the shoot.
Using a sterilized knife or scissors, cut the bud about more than 1 cm from where the bud grows from the stem.
Place the shoots in a bowl of clean water. Place in a shady spot for about 1 or 2 months until the shoots begin to take root. Once you see the roots, you can plant them in the old pot.

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Tie the trunks with decorative wire or other ribbons. People often tie red or copper ribbons around the trunk of the fortune tree to bundle the trunks together as a symbol of good luck.

Add some gravel to add beauty and hold the tree in place.
Place the fortune tree where you can see it during the day and to remember to take care of it.

Warning

If you smell sour on the tree, it may be too late to save the tree. It is thought that rotting leads to a sour smell on the plant that can be harmful to human health. So it’s best to throw the tree away and buy a new one if this happens. Change the water regularly to prevent this phenomenon from happening again.
As an additional note, if the tree has buds sprouting from the main branch, you can save those shoots from rotting. Just cut the bud out and put it in clean water. That way you won’t have to throw the whole tree away.
If the plant starts to rot, you can propagate the unrotted parts (see above for propagation).

Advice

Using bottled water can help plants grow quickly and have a beautiful dark green color. (Tap water often contains chemicals and additives that are not found in the plant’s natural habitat. If you water plants with tap water, the leaves will often turn yellow and the plant will eventually die.)
Do not place the plant in direct sunlight.
Do not overwater. You only need to water the plants once a week.
Fertilize only every two months if needed.
Add 1-2 drops of a diluted solution of aquaponics if you want your plants to grow faster.

Things you need

Small fortune tree
Plant pots 5 cm larger than the circumference of the plant
A little sunlight
Some soil and fertilizer if desired
Clean water

Steps