What is the best type of soil for raising indoor "lucky" bamboo plants?

Two years ago I bought a small "lucky bamboo" plant. it consisted of only one or two leaves atop a two inch stalk inside a tiny glass container. About a year ago, it got so big that I could barely stand it up with its topheaviness (it grew substantially), so I repotted it with some regular potting soil mixed with gravel (TIP to anybody who tries to do this--I took a hammer to the glass jar for fear of damaging the plant if I yanked it out). Now it is nearly three times as tall as the new pot, and its time to replant again. My question is--what type of soil is best for raising this plant? Bamboo comes from China, so I don't know if the stereotypical potting soil is best. Please help!

What is the best type of soil for raising indoor "lucky" bamboo plants?
I keep mine in stones and just add water, have had them for two years and they seem happy. It is my understanding that you are supposed to cut it back down when it grows too big.
Reply:Wow....mine is currently the size your's was one year ago. Sorry I don't know what to do next......I'm just going to use your advice for what you did last year.



Thanks
Reply:the fact is that 'lucky bamboos' are draceana cuttings put in water-you can do this for many kinds of plants to root them-they cannot live forever in just water-this is only temporary-they are plants that need to eventually be planted in dirt to be healthy-i've heard of some 'lucky bamboos' living in water for up to five years but they eventually die. What you need to do is place it in a pot that will just fit the roots-no bigger. You can use a fast draining potting soil or seeding soil. In dirt it needs to dry well before watering it again-especially after you have planted it as the roots are adapted for water so it takes time to adjust. Give it lots of light even direct sun is great. Feed it regularly like your other houseplants and it will live for a very long time!
Reply:I never planted mine in soil, just kept in water. They do get big and don't plant outside - they are very invasive.
Reply:If you are the kind who have always wanted indoor greens but want to go in for some low maintenance foliage, then lucky Bamboos might be just the thing you'd like. Despite their name lucky bamboos, they are not really bamboos, but just look like them. Their botanical name is Dracaena Sanderiana and they play a very important part in Feng Shui.



Namrata Tirumale and Seema Parasampuria are the promoters of Foliage that markets an exclusive range of lucky Bamboo plants imported from China where it is grown as per Feng Shui principles. According to ancient Asian legend, the gift of living bamboo brings good fortune, hence the name lucky bamboo. "Whether or not you believes in the luck aspect, I'd says that these plants make great gifts and bring greenery into the house," says Namrata.



Seema is all for the fact that all the plants need in the way of maintenance is regular cleaning and changing of water in the vase. "In the west, giving lucky Bamboos has replaced bouquets. Flowers will die after some time, but these live on. One can always add some flowers into the arrangement and add more color," suggests Seema adding that the plant can take a lot of rough handling and doesn't dies easily.



Symbolic of happiness and prosperity, the number of sticks used gives significance to the arrangement. The plants are half inch thick and green in color. Through manipulation of the light source, the bamboo can be trained to have curls or spirals and form lovely dancing' bamboos. Once they have reached the desired shape and size, the sticks are cut and do not grow any further, only the leaves continue growing. The different kinds of arrangements these bamboos are trained into range from many-layered towers, pyramids, walls, knitted bamboos, wishing well, curly bamboos, spiral and straight live growing sticks. Some of these have been given wacky shapes like the heart shaped ones that make great gifts for Valentine's Days and the ones that make dollar sign.



Count your lucky bamboo



Three stalks - brings Fu (Happiness), Lu (Health) and Soh (longevity)

Five stalks - Represents the five different parts of life from which wealth comes.

Six stalks - Brings prosperity and favorable conditions.

Seven stalks - Bring good health

Eight stalks - brings growth and prosperity

Ten stalks - Implies completeness and perfection

Twenty-one stalks - offers a very powerful all-embracing blessing.

Caring for your plant



Good luck plants are hardy; they don't need a daily dose of sunlight.

All they need to grow is plain water (no soil) and shade.

The water should be changed every 3-4 days.

No need to add fertilizers.

Once a fortnight remove the plant from its vase, wash the vase as well as the pebbles and remove the dust from the leaves before replacing the plant in fresh water.
Reply:Sounds like you got it covered. I don't grow mine in any potting soil. I just took it out of the old container, put new shiney stones in a bigger container and I use spring water to water it. Mine has grown three times it's size since late last summer.
Reply:I have a "lucky bamboo" and so do some other friends and family...I have never seen one planted in soil...only stones or pebbles. I too had to replant mine and all I did was get a larger glass container and more pebbles and its doing great...so far :-) Good luck with it.
Reply:Cactus mix is very good. Just leaving the plants in water can lead to root rot.