The Primary Love Needs of Women and Men.
Women need to receive :
1. Caring
2. Understanding
3. Respect
4. Devotion
5. Validation.
6. Reassurance
Men need to receive :
1. Trust
2.Acceptance
3. Appreciation
4. Admiration
5. Approval
6. Encouragement
1. She Needs CARING and He Needs TRUST
When a man shows interest in a woman's feelings and heartfelt concern for her well-being, she feels loved and cared for. When he makes her feel special in this caring way, he succeeds in fulfilling her first primary need. Naturally, she begins to trust him more.When she trusts, she becomes more open and receptive.
When a woman's attitude is open and receptive toward a man, he feels trusted. To trust a man is to believe that he is doing his best and that he wants the best for his partner. When a woman's reactions reveal a positive belief in her man's abilities and intentions, his first primary love need is fulfilled. Automatically he is more caring and attentive to her feelings and needs.
2. She Needs UNDERSTANDING and He Needs ACCEPTANCE
When a man listens without judgement but with empathy and relatedness to a woman express her feelings, she feels heard and understood. An understanding attitude doesn't presume to already know a person's thoughts or feelings; instead, it gathers meaning from what is heard, and moves toward validating what is being communicated. The more a woman's need to be heard and understood is fulfilled, the easier it is for her to give her man the acceptance he needs.
When a woman lovingly receives a man without trying to change him, he feels accepted. An accepting attitude does not reject but affirms that he is being favorable received. It does not mean the woman believes he is perfect but indicates that she is not trying to improve him, that she trusts him to make his own improvements. When a man feels accepted, it is much easier for him to listen and give her the understanding she needs and deserves.
3. She Needs RESPECT and He Needs APPRECIATION
When a man responds to a woman in a way that acknowledges and prioritizes her rights, wishes, and needs, she feels respected. When his behavior takes into consideration her thoughts and feelings, she is sure to feel respected. Concrete and physical expression of respect, like flowers and remembering anniversaries, are essential to fulfill a woman's third primary love need. When she feels respected it is much easier for her to give her man the appreciation than he deserves.
When a woman acknowledges having received personal benefit and value from a man's efforts and behavior, he feels appreciated. Appreciation is the natural reaction to being supported. When a man is appreciated he knows his effort is not wasted and is thus encouraged to give more. When a man is appreciated he is automatically empowered and motivated to respect his partner more.
4. She Needs DEVOTION and He Needs ADMIRATION
When a man gives priority to a woman's needs and proudly commits himself to supporting and fulfilling her, her fourth primary love need is fulfilled. A woman thrives when she feels adored and special. A man fulfills her need to be loved in this way when he makes her feelings and needs more important than his other interests -- like work, study, and recreation. When a woman feels that she is number one in his life then, quite easily, she admires him.
Just as a woman needs to feel a man's devotion, a man has a primary need to feel a woman's admiration. To admire a man is to regard him with wonder, delight, and pleased approval. A man feels admired when she is happily amazed by his unique characteristics or talents, which may include humor, strength, persistence, integrity, honesty, romance, kindness, love, understanding, and other so-called old-fashioned virtues. When a man feels admired, he feels secure enough to devote himself to his woman and adore her.
5. She Needs VALIDATION and He Needs APPROVAL
When a man does not object to or argue with a woman's feelings and wants but instead accepts and confirms their validity, a woman truly feels loved because her fifth primary needs is fulfilled. A man's validating attitude confirms a woman's right to feel the way she does. ( It is important to remember one can validate her point of view while having a different point of view.) When a man learns how to let a woman know that he has this validating attitude, he is assured of getting the approval that he primarily needs.
Deep inside, every man wants to be his woman's hero or knight in shining armor. The signal that he has passed her tests is her approval. A woman's approving attitude acknowledges the goodness in a man and expresses overall satisfaction with him. ( Remember, giving approval to a man doesn't always mean agreeing with him.) An approving attitude recognizes or looks for the good reasons behind what he does. When he receives the approval he needs, it becomes easier for him to validate her feelings.
6. She Needs REASSURANCE and He Needs ENCOURAGEMENT
When a man repeatedly shows that he cares, understands, respects, validates, and is devoted to his partner, her primary need to be reassured is fulfilled. A reassuring attitude tells a woman that she is continually loved.
A man commonly makes the mistake of thinking that once he has met all of a woman's primary love needs, and she feels happy and secure, that she should know from then on that she is loved. This is not the case. To fulfill her sixth primary love need he must remember to reassure her again and again.
Similarly, a man primarily needs to be encouraged by a woman. A woman's encouraging attitude gives hope and courage to a man by expressing confidence in his abilities and character. When a woman's attitude expresses trust, acceptance, appreciation, admiration and approval , it encourages a man to be that he can be. Feeling encouraged motivates him to give her the loving reassurance that she needs.
The best comes out in a man when his six primary love needs are fulfilled. But when a woman doesn't know what he primarily needs and gives a caring love rather than a trusting love, she may unknowingly sabotage their relationship.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Meaning of Lucky Bamboo Numbers
http://www.natureperfect.com/lucky-bamboo-meaning.html
Ancient Chinese tradition has it that the number of lucky bamboo stalks have different meanings and bring different beneficial factors into your life. The ingredients for a happy life are Happiness, Wealth and Longevity.
We now have several Perfect Combinations for you to choose from. Each one of our Perfect Combinations have a certain number of lucky bamboo stalks, each one with its own meaning and benefit, either for your self or as a gift for someone special.
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Lucky Bamboo Meaning: Number of Stalks
http://feng-shui.lovetoknow.com/Lucky_Bamboo_Meaning
Much of the luck that is associated with bamboo comes from the number of stalks bunched together or woven together into an arrangement. The number of stalks determines the kinds of energy the plant attracts into your home and life. The more stalks in the planter, the greater the blessing of good fortune and luck.
Lucky Log
This is a certain kind of bamboo that looks like a log with no roots. You'll want to place one end in water so it can grow leaves and continuously produce new leaves. Lucky log bamboo is symbolic of a strong life that’s filled with prosperity. This plant is a favorite for businesses to give as gifts, especially to other companies since it promises to keep the business growing. Some varieties produce fragrant white flowers in addition to the healthy green leaves.
Two Bamboo Stalks
People often send two stalks of bamboo as an expression of love. This number also is said to double your luck.
Three Bamboo Stalks
The plant of three bamboo stalks is one of the most favorite number combinations to have in your home.
It brings three kinds of luck to you:
- Happiness – Fu
- Long Life – Soh
- Wealth – Lu
- Especially career-related income such as a promotion
Four Bamboo Stalks
In the Chinese language, the word used as four sounds very similar to the word used for death. The number four has the same kind of connotation and draws sha (negative) energy. You’ll never find a four-stalked bamboo plant in the Chinese culture; much less ever give one for a gift. To do so is extremely rude and would be interpreted that you're giving the recipient a death wish.
Five Bamboo Stalks
With this number there's one stalk for every area of your life that can bring you wealth. The overall energy attracted to a five bamboo stalk plant is one of health which is needed to benefit from any of the five areas of your life. You'll want to have a healthy career, healthy relationships, etc. The five-stalk bamboo reinforces each of the five areas of your life that can influence the level of wealth for each area.
Five Areas of Life:
- Spiritual
- Mental
- Emotional
- Physical
- Intuitive
Six Bamboo Stalks
Six in the Chinese language also sounds like the word luck. Six stalks of bamboo attracts prosperity and advantages to achieve greater wealth.
Seven Bamboo Stalks
Seven stalks of bamboo bestows good health to you.
Eight Bamboo Stalks
Once more the Chinese language plays a big part in this number’s law of attraction. Eight sounds like the word used for grow or thrive. Eight stalks also improves fertility.
Nine Bamboo Stalks
This is the symbol for good luck and bestows great luck to whoever receives a nine stalk plant.
Ten Bamboo Stalks
If you have a ten-stalk bamboo arrangement then the wish for you is to feel complete and complacent. The hope is that you find your life to be perfect. The sender want you to have everything in life just as you envision and desire.
Twenty-One Bamboo Stalks
If someone has gifted you with a plant with this number of bamboo stalks, then the well wishes for you and your family are being delivered in a very powerful overall blessing for great wealth and enduring health.
The Meaning of the Number of Stalks
Each beautiful arrangement of Lucky Bamboo has a specific number of stalks. According to traditions dating from the ancient Chinese, the number of stalks in a bamboo arrangement has a significant meaning and affects different areas of your life.
- One stalk - A meaningful and simple life and overall good fortune
- Two stalks - Happy relationships, luck in love and double luck
- Three stalks - Happiness, prosperity and longevity
- Three stalks with a curly stalk in the middle - Wealth (the curly stalk signifies money)
- Four stalks - Creativity and successful academic achievement and good luck with love
- Five stalks - A balance of good luck in all aspects of life, a life of happiness, each stalk represents one of the five parts of life.
- Six stalks - A flow of good luck, easy money and wealth from favorable conditions
- Seven stalks - Good luck in relationships; good health
- Eight stalks - Fertility and good luck to thrive and grow
- Nine stalks - Overall good health, prosperity and a successful love life
- Ten stalks - A complete and fulfilling life
- Eleven stalks - General good luck in all aspects of life
- Twenty-one stalks - Offers an all purpose blessing that is very powerful
- A Lucky Log - Lucky Bamboo leaves keep sprouting from the log signifying a strong life. This is a popular way of wishing someone a strong successful life or a prosperous business.
Meaning of Lucky Bamboo Numbers
Ancient Chinese tradition has it that the number of lucky bamboo stalks have different meanings and bring different beneficial factors into your life. The ingredients for a happy life are Happiness, Wealth and Longevity.
We now have several Perfect Combinations for you to choose from. Each one of our Perfect Combinations have a certain number of lucky bamboo stalks, each one with its own meaning and benefit, either for your self or as a gift for someone special.
1. Three (3) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Bring Fu (Happiness), Lu (Wealth) and Soh (Longevity).
2. Ten (10) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Complete and perfect.
3. Towers - Better, Promotions, More of the Good Things of Life, Climbing
4. Twenty-one (21) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: To offer very powerful all purpose blessing.
5. Five (5) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Represent the 5 different parts of life from which wealth spurs from.
6. Six (6) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Also sounds like "Luck" in Chinese, bringing prosperity and favorable conditions.
7. Seven (7) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Good health.
8. Eight (8) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: In the Chinese spoken language sounds like "Fah" which means to grow, thrive.
Same tiers tower bamboo has same meaning with above.
We now have several Perfect Combinations for you to choose from. Each one of our Perfect Combinations have a certain number of lucky bamboo stalks, each one with its own meaning and benefit, either for your self or as a gift for someone special.
1. Three (3) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Bring Fu (Happiness), Lu (Wealth) and Soh (Longevity).
2. Ten (10) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Complete and perfect.
3. Towers - Better, Promotions, More of the Good Things of Life, Climbing
4. Twenty-one (21) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: To offer very powerful all purpose blessing.
5. Five (5) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Represent the 5 different parts of life from which wealth spurs from.
6. Six (6) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Also sounds like "Luck" in Chinese, bringing prosperity and favorable conditions.
7. Seven (7) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: Good health.
8. Eight (8) stalks of Lucky Bamboo: In the Chinese spoken language sounds like "Fah" which means to grow, thrive.
Same tiers tower bamboo has same meaning with above.
How to Use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui
http://www.ehow.com/how_4709557_use-lucky-bamboo-feng-shui.html
Want to know how to use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui? Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement, uses certain objects called Feng Shui cures to enhance the flow of positive life force energy called chi in your home. Lucky Bamboo is one of the most popular Feng Shui cures, but it is only an effective Feng Shui cure when it is placed properly in the home and cared for well. It is easy to know how to use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui if you follow a few simple steps.
1. Step 1
Bamboo towers represent becoming better in life.
First, it's important to choose the right amount of Lucky Bamboo to display in your home or office. The number of Bamboo stalks you use depends upon what kind of luck you want to invite into your life. Two Bamboo stalks represent a couple, so this amount of Bamboo should be used for luck in love. Three stalks bring happiness, wealth, and longevity. Six stalks will bring luck and prosperity. Seven stalks of Bamboo can bring good health. Eight is a very lucky number in Feng Shui, and displaying eight stalks of Bamboo will symbolize growth. The dramatic arrangement of ten stalks represents completeness and perfection. Bamboo towers also have a special meaning; they represent "climbing" such as seeking a promotion at work.
2. Step 2
The placement of the plant within your home or office also counts if you want to use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui. The Eastern section of your home or desk represents family in Feng Shui, so you will want to place a Bamboo plant with three stalks in this area. If you want to invite wealth into your life, the plant should be placed in the wealth area of your home, located in the Southeast, to activate that energy.
3.step 3
Keep your Lucky Bamboo plant healthy by avoiding exposure to direct sunlight.
Want to know how to use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui? Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement, uses certain objects called Feng Shui cures to enhance the flow of positive life force energy called chi in your home. Lucky Bamboo is one of the most popular Feng Shui cures, but it is only an effective Feng Shui cure when it is placed properly in the home and cared for well. It is easy to know how to use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui if you follow a few simple steps.
Things You'll Need:
- Rocks
- Glass vase or ceramic vase with coin
- Red ribbon
Instructions
Bamboo towers represent becoming better in life. First, it's important to choose the right amount of Lucky Bamboo to display in your home or office. The number of Bamboo stalks you use depends upon what kind of luck you want to invite into your life. Two Bamboo stalks represent a couple, so this amount of Bamboo should be used for luck in love. Three stalks bring happiness, wealth, and longevity. Six stalks will bring luck and prosperity. Seven stalks of Bamboo can bring good health. Eight is a very lucky number in Feng Shui, and displaying eight stalks of Bamboo will symbolize growth. The dramatic arrangement of ten stalks represents completeness and perfection. Bamboo towers also have a special meaning; they represent "climbing" such as seeking a promotion at work.
2. Step 2
The placement of the plant within your home or office also counts if you want to use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui. The Eastern section of your home or desk represents family in Feng Shui, so you will want to place a Bamboo plant with three stalks in this area. If you want to invite wealth into your life, the plant should be placed in the wealth area of your home, located in the Southeast, to activate that energy.
3.step 3
To use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui, the plant must represent all five elements. It's not simply enough to have lucky bamboo in your home if you do not outfit the plant with components representing each of the five elements. To use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui, the plant must represent all five elements of Feng Shui: earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. The bamboo stalk itself represents the wood, and the water it is grown in obviously symbolizes the water. But to represent earth, you must grow the bamboo in rocks. To be sure that your plant also represents metal, choose a ceramic vase that has a coin on it or a simple glass vase. Either glass or the coin in your ceramic vase represent metal. Finally, tie a red ribbon around the vase to represent the fire element. (See tips section below on how to cut red ribbon.)
Keep your Lucky Bamboo plant healthy by avoiding exposure to direct sunlight.-
While Lucky Bamboo is generally very easy to care for, you must not neglect it. To use Lucky Bamboo for Feng Shui, you must care properly for the plant. If the plant withers, it will no longer represent luck. In fact, it will be unlucky if it dies or ails. Care for your plant by keeping clean, fresh water in the vase. Water quality will influence the look of the plant, so be sure to use filtered water as excess minerals in tap water can turn the plant yellow or brown. Maintain the level of the water at one inch above the bottom of the stalks. The plant also prefers indirect sunlight and room temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees.
Lucky Bamboo, Feng Shui and You
LUCKY BAMBOO TO THE RESCUE
Decorating inside your home with houseplan
ts can change the most stark and uninviting room into a welcoming oasis. Beautiful green plants provide atmosphere and ambiance that make your home friendly and relaxing. This is where Lucky Bamboo really fills a void.
If you are attempting to achieve harmony and a peaceful environment in your home, consider decorating with Lucky Bamboo. Notwithstanding the visual appeal of green, growing plants, five elements must exist in order to make feng shui complete. Lucky Bamboo arrangements are designed to contain all of the elements.
What are the five elements of Feng Shui and their meaning?
1 EARTH:
Rocks, sand, pebbles and clay are substitutes for earth. Shades of brown also represent earth.
2 WATER:
Water is always kept in the Lucky Bamboo container. The color blue also represents water.
3 WOOD:
The Lucky Bamboo plant represents the wood, as does the color of green.
4 FIRE:
Fire is represented by the colors red, burgundy, maroon or pink. The pot and/or the adornment should include one or more of these colors.
5 METAL:
Feng Shui coins may be added to the arrangement as well as little ornaments and figurines of metal or metallic coloring. The colors gold, silver, brass, bronze and copper may also be used as substitutes for metal.
Do the number of bamboo stalks have meaning?
YES! Chinese numbers are either Yin (even numbers) or Yang (odd numbers. The Yang or odd numbers are considered the most fortunate of all. The total number of stalks in your Lucky Bamboo arrangements is very significant. The explanations show below are for the Prevailing/Growing Cycle of Yin and Yang.
Meaning of “YIN” numbers: Yin represents the feminine side - it embodies the nurturing nature of earth. Yin is "fluid" in that it contracts and condenses, sensitive to changing temperatures, atmosphere, sensitive to emotions. It represents also the passive side of nature such as dark, cold and wet. | Meaning of “YANG” numbers: If you have a feminine side, you gotta have the male side to go with it. Yang represents the masculine side of nature. It expands, representing activity such as light, heat, and aridity. Yang stands for living, life, action. Yang is the bringer of life - in human form, masculinity is responsible for planting life in Yin; thus Yin is the nurturer providing the necessary elements for life to grow and protecting it. |
| 2 = Double luck, happy relationships; good number. 4 = Academic achievement, creativity, writing, Romance 6 = Easy money, wealth, good flow of luck. 8 = Good luck and fertility. Very popular. 10 = Completeness and fulfillment in life. | 1 = Simplicity and a meaningful life. 3 = Good for prosperity and fertility. If used with a curly (money) stalk in the middle, it means wealth. Very popular. 5 = Happiness, good and balanced luck in all aspects of life. Very popular. 7 = Good luck and prosperity in relationships. 9 = Good health, prosperity and love life. 11 = Good all-around luck. Very popular |
How to Choose and Care for Lucky Bamboo
by Stephanie Roberts
Over the past few years “Lucky Bamboo” has become one of the most popular feng shui accessories on the market. If you don’t yet have a Lucky Bamboo plant, once your friends and family find out that you are interested in feng shui you’ll probably receive one as a gift someday soon. In fact, Lucky Bamboo is said to be luckiest when it is received as a gift. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy one for yourself if you want to, though; just think of it as a gift from you to your home or office.
Bamboo is a symbol of luck and success because of its rapid growth, strength and fortitude. One reason Lucky Bamboo is so popular is its reputation for being low-maintenance and pretty much “idiot-proof”: in other words, it’s the perfect plant for people who know nothing about plants or who don’t have the time or inclination to care for them. Its hardiness also means Lucky Bamboo is well-suited for spaces with little or no natural light. Plus -- although you can spend hundreds of dollars on a large, complex arrangement if you want to -- a small pot with just 3-5 stalks costs as little as $10 and takes up very little space on your desk.
If you plan to use any kind of plant as a feng shui cure, it’s important that it be strong and healthy. And, in spite of its reputation for being virtually care free, Lucky Bamboo is not indestructible. I know this because the first one I had turned “toes up” alarmingly quickly! After my “Unlucky Bamboo” experience, I decided I should learn what I was doing before getting a new plant. I’ve done my homework since then (and haven’t killed any more Lucky Bamboo!), and thought I would share what I’ve learned with you to ensure that your Lucky Bamboo continues to bring you good fortune for a very long time.
Choosing a Lucky Bamboo Arrangement
If you are shopping at a plant nursery, garden center, or at Walmart, Home Depot, or any of the other zillion retailers carrying Lucky Bamboo these days, be sure to choose an arrangement with a bright green color and healthy leaves. Check to make sure the container is at least half-full of water, and try to see if there are some roots showing. Yellow or brown leaf tips, yellow stalks, bruising, or any sign of insect infestation indicates a less-than-healthy plant. If there’s soil in the pot, it should be moist -- not soaking wet or completely dried out. If you order or receive a Lucky Bamboo arrangement through the mail and it doesn’t look healthy when it arrives, contact the retailer immediately and arrange to exchange it.
Most Lucky Bamboo arrangements are grown hydroponically (in water), with small stones or marbles added to the pot for stability. The multiple stalks are often tied together with gold or red ribbon for additional good fortune. (If you find an arrangement you like that doesn’t have any ribbon, you can easily add some yourself when you get it home. Just be sure not to tie it too tightly, as that may damage the stalks.) Curly stalks are more expensive because they have to be grown into those curves; some people believe them to have stronger luck, probably because they cost more! You can train your straight Lucky Bamboo stalks into curls with proper conditions and a lot of patience. I’ll tell you how a little further on.
Water-grown Lucky Bamboo arrangements come in a ceramic or glass vase. The advantage of glass is you can see the rocks and water (and keep an eye on water level and quality more easily). The disadvantage is that if your arrangement will be getting more than minimal light it may trigger algae growth in the water. Algae need light to grown, so an opaque container is less likely to have this problem.
You may find Lucky Bamboo stalks for sale individually or in packets, unplanted, which means you can pick out your own container and stones (or marbles) and create your own arrangement. It also means you’ll have to root the stalks yourself, so unless you’ve successfully rooted and planted-up cuttings in the past you’re probably better off getting an arrangement already potted up.
Because Lucky Bamboo grows so well in water, you can even grow it in a water fountain! You’ll need a fountain with a not-too-shallow bowl, so the root end of the stalks is in about 2” of water. Use pebbles or marbles to hold the stalks in place.
How Many Stalks to Get?
Each stalk of Lucky Bamboo grows separately, which allows for lots of flexibility in creating arrangements. More stalks create a larger, lusher, more stunning arrangement, and there’s certainly a “bigger is better” school of thought when it comes to Lucky Bamboo -- but larger groupings also cost more. Some of the more attractive arrangements I’ve seen have fewer stalks, so each one stands out individually. Whether you go for a great big grouping or a few slender stalks artfully arranged is a matter of personal preference and budget.
Different numbers of stalks are thought to symbolize slightly different kinds of luck, so you can use this information to help with your selection if you want (or just pick an arragement that you like):
2 stalks = love
3 or 6 stalks = happiness
5 or 7 stalks = health
8 stalks = wealth
9 stalks = general good fortune
21 stalks = blessings
Bringing Your Lucky Bamboo Home
Moving to a new home can be a little bit stressful, even for resilient Lucky Bamboo. You can help it adjust to its new environment by placing it near a window where it be close to – but not directly in – bright light. Unless the water level is very low (or the soil is dry, if your plant is in soil) don’t water for two to three days. Allow the plant to adjust before giving it fresh water. If you plan to keep the plant somewhere with very little light, move it farther from the window for a couple of days before moving it to it’s final location.
Where to Keep It
You should know that the plant we call “Lucky Bamboo” is not bamboo at all; it’s Dracaena Sanderia -- which looks like bamboo -- and it can be poisonous to pets. If you have pets in the house, especially pets who like to chew on plants, you’ll want to keep your Lucky Bamboo where Fido and Fluffy can’t get at it. This may mean getting a smaller plant that will fit on a high shelf, rather than splurging on a large arrangement for your living room coffee table.
Other practical considerations include making sure the plants will not be in direct light, and that they won’t get too dry or too cold. In other words, avoid putting your Lucky Bamboo arrangement right in front of the heating or A/C vent or on your sunniest windowsill. While need to avoid these extremes, Lucky Bamboo will do fine just about anywhere else.
Since Lucky Bamboo can tolerate a wide range of living conditions, you have a lot of flexibility about where to display it. Because it’s a living plant, it makes a wonderful addition to the Wealth area(s) of your home or office, or you can place it on the far left corner of your desk – or anywhere that a wood-type cure or accessory is appropriate. Lucky Bamboo is also a good buffer to place in front of a sharp corner or point to protect you from “secret arrows.” It can be used to add yang energy anywhere you need to activate stagnant chi.
Caring for Your Lucky Bamboo
Like any other plant, Lucky Bamboo needs light, water, and nutrients to survive. It will do better with little attention than if you fuss over it, however. This plant likes to be admired but not pampered. Here are some guidelines to help you give it the best care:
LIGHT: Lucky Bamboo will do best with moderate levels of indirect light. In the natural world it grows in dense shade under the thick rainforest canopy of equatorial Africa. Direct light -- such as a sunny windowsill -- is too strong for it. Lucky Bamboo will tolerate little light more easily than too much light. You can even keep Lucky Bamboo in rooms with no natural light; just move it to a brighter (but not in direct light!) location for three or four days every few weeks. If you want your Lucky Bamboo to grow, however, it will need to be at the higher end of its light-range. It may survive very low light, but it won’t put out new leaves or get any taller.
WATER: Lucky Bamboo grows very well in water, but it doesn’t like the chemicals – chlorine and fluoride, to name just two – present in most tap water. Filtered water or rain water will keep your Lucky Bamboo healthy longer. If you don’t have a water filtration system, plan ahead and run tap water into a container the day before you water your Lucky Bamboo plants, and let it sit out, uncovered, at least overnight or for 24 hours to allow the chemicals to disperse.
Keep an eye on the water level in your Lucky Bamboo container, and add a little more as it gets down to about half-full; how often will depend on the size of your arrangement and the humidity in your home. Every week or so, pour all the water out and refill the container with fresh water.
If you happen to have an aquarium in your home, save some of the dirty aquarium water when you clean it, and use that to water your Lucky Bamboo. Your fish may be sensitive to all the microscopic stuff that builds up in the water, but your Lucky Bamboo will love it!
Lucky Bamboo grown in soil should be keep slightly moist, not soaking wet. Don’t allow it to dry out completely. And don’t go by whether or not the surface is dry – often the soil will still be damp a half-inch or so below the surface. Stick your finger in the soil: if it feels dry a full inch down, then it’s all right to water.
NUTRIENTS: Lucky Bamboo is pretty hardy, and often grows happily for years just in pure water, but it may need some kind of food eventually. If your plant gets spindly and pale after you’ve had it for a while, try moving it a little closer to a light source and give it some very diluted plant food. However, if it turns yellow shortly after you bring it home that’s usually a sign it was over-fertilized before you purchased it. Change the water immediately, and don’t fertilize at all for several months.
The best time to feed your Lucky Bamboo is when you change the water. Just add a couple of drops of aquarium plant food to the water you use to refill the container. You can also use a very dilute solution of a standard plant food like Miracle Gro. For water-grown plants, that means using 1/10th the recommended strength (i.e., if it says 10 drops per gallon, use only 1 drop per gallon for your Lucky Bamboo). If your Lucky Bamboo is growing in soil, you can use a stronger solution.
Don’t feed every time you change the water! Every 2 months—or longer-- is often enough. Water-grown plants do not need to be fed as frequently as soil-grown plants, and feeding too much or too frequently is more harmful to plants than not feeding enough! Lucky Bamboo is naturally a very slow-growing plant, so don’t assume it needs to be fed just because it doesn’t seem to be growing.
Encouraging Curls
Lucky Bamboo stalks are naturally straight. If you want curls, you have to encourage them by manipulating the plant’s position relative to its light source. To do this, you’ll need to place your plant where there is not much overall light, but with a strong light source from one side (remember, don’t place your plant in direct sunlight!). Even better, cut the end and one side from a cardboard box larger than your arrangement, and set it over the entire thing so the open side is toward a window and the other three sides and top are shaded. After a while, you’ll notice that the stalk(s) are starting to turn or bend toward the light. Once a definite bend to the stalk can be seen, turn the plant slightly by rotating the pot an inch or so. The plant will keep growing toward the light, and if you keep rotating the pot from time to time eventually you will have a spiraling stalk. Lucky Bamboo is a slow grower (usually only 1”-3” a year), so this will take some time!
Troubleshooting
After sharing so much advice, this seems like a good time to remind you that – compared to most plants – Lucky Bamboo really is easy to care for. Just give it clean water, indirect light, and little bit of plant food from time to time. In case your plant needs some extra attention, though, here are some signs of trouble and what you should do if you see them:
- Leaf tips turning brown: fluoride in the water, or the air is too dry. Try switching to distilled or filtered water if you’ve been using tap water. If you’ve been using a fertilizer (not too often, I hope!), change the water and skip the plant food for several months. Low humidity can also cause the leaf tips to turn brown; remember that this is a tropical plant, so it likes high humidity. This doesn’t mean you need to water more frequently; it’s the leaf tips that are drying out, not the roots. Fill a plastic squirt-bottle with water and mist the leaves every day to keep them healthy.
- Leaves turning yellow: too much light or too much fertilizer. Change the water immediately, move the container further from the light, and don’t feed at all for several months.
- Stalks turning yellow from the bottom: too much fertilizer. Sadly, there’s probably little you can do at this point. Change the water and don’t feed, and there’s a (slim) chance the plant may recover. You can also cut off the stalks above the yellow part and root the tops. If one stalk turns yellow and the others look fine, just remove that one from the arrangement.
- Stalks turn brown or mushy: the roots have rotted, probably from overfeeding, or from overwatering soil-grown plants. You can’t save the bottom, but you can cut off any healthy tops and regrow them.
- Insects (or larvae in the water, or white sticky-looking stuff on the stalks): remove the stalks from the container and soak them in soapy water (regular dish detergent is fine, a few drops is enough), then wipe each stalk and rinse well. Wash out the container and the rocks or marbles, and then replace the stalks and add fresh water.
- Algae growing in the water: too much light and/or fertilizer. An opaque container is better if you are using plant food. Wash everything (plant stalks, container, rocks) and start over with clean water. Keep glass containers away from bright locations.
If the Stalks Get Too Tall
With proper care, your Lucky bamboo may grow to be three feet tall. Lucky Bamboo likes to be crowded, so don’t be in a hurry to move your arrangement into a bigger pot. Besides, this plant grows up rather than out, so it will get too tall for the container long before it gets too fat for it. When it does get too tall, you can cut off each stalk an inch above one of the nodes (the raised rings that grow around the stalk), and it will regrow from there. Lightly misting the tops of the stalks with water can encourage new growth – but wait a few days before doing this, so the cut surface has a chance to dry out first.
Don’t throw out those stalk-tops that you cut off! You can dip the cut end into rooting hormone powder (careful: rooting hormone is toxic, so be sure to read the instructions carefully and follow the safety precautions!) and let it dry overnight. Then set these sections in water and wait. Change the water from time to time just as you do for the original arrangement. Eventually you will see roots emerge, and you can create a new arrangement from these stalks… or give them to your friends.
Potting Up
Although Lucky Bamboo grows well in water, you may decide you’d like to grow yours in soil. If your Lucky Bamboo has been growing in water for a long time, it may not survive the transition to soil unless you keep it quite moist until the roots have adapted. Use a fast-draining soil mixture, and use lots of stones or crockery pieces in the bottom of a pot with ample drainage holes. If the soil does not drain well, the roots will rot. Lucky Bamboo likes to be crowded, so use a container that’s no more than about 2” larger than the stalk group.
Share the Good Chi!
If you truly believe that you have no luck with plants, and don’t want to risk bringing a Lucky Bamboo arrangement into your home (in fear that it may soon perish), keep in mind that they make excellent gifts for any occasion, and are considered especially fortunate for a house-warming or business grand-opening celebration. You can have the pleasure of picking out an especially lovely arrangement, then give it to your friend who just bought a new house and let some of that “good luck” chi rub off on you. Just be sure to give her a copy of this article so she can keep her Lucky Bamboo arrangement healthy and beautiful!
Copyright © 2005 Stephanie Roberts Serrano
All rights reserved
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