Lucky Bamboo Seeds [Harvesting, Buying & Growing Guide]

Is it not phenomenal to watch the stubborn lucky bamboo seeds sprout and develop into a whole new plant?

So, go through the article to learn more about harvesting and propagating their seeds!

Overview of Lucky Bamboo Seeds 

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is a perennial herb spiring 1-5 feet with green lanceolate leaves (7 inches long and 1.5 inches tall) and upright stems with nodes.

The plant also produces seeds as a means of propagation. So, let us look at their general overview. 

How to Get Lucky Bamboo Seeds? 

Lucky Bamboo blooms typically during summer, and the blossoms stay for 4-7 days.

Lucky bamboo produces flowers only after it matures completely within 5-6 years.

Steps to Harvest

Extracting lucky bamboo seeds can be slightly tricky as they grow in clumps. 

However, there are different ways to complete the process with success.

1. Extracting Seeds via Natural Process

When the lucky bamboo seeds ripen to turn dry and brown, they fall off naturally.

• Take a clean cloth and lay it under the plant. Mature seeds fall automatically on the cloth. 
• You can also slightly jolt the dry flower heads full of seeds to speed up the process.
• Take a sterilized tweezer, pick these seeds, and collect them in a bowl or paper bag to store in a cool, dry place. 

2. Cutting off Stems or Clumps 

Extracting seeds via a natural process might be challenging as the plant grows clumps.

However, you can gather the seeds by cutting off the stems.

• Inspect for the sign of maturity of the seeds.
• After the seeds turn brown and dry, cut off the stem-producing seeds.
• Now, you can put the stems into a bag and gently crush or shake the bag to separate the seeds.
• After gathering the seeds, you can preserve them in a labeled envelope for later use. 

You can use this method if you notice that the stems bearing seeds are damaged, dry, dull, or about to degenerate.

Lucky Bamboo Seeds For Sale 

Here are a few sites that sell authentic lucky bamboo seeds. 

How to Grow Lucky Bamboo from Seeds?

Lucky bamboo seedlings germinate within 2-6 weeks from seeds.

The best time to germinate lucky bamboo seeds is during spring and summer. 

You must maintain a warm soil temperature and adequate moisture to germinate seeds.

Also, factors like light, sowing depth, distance, and starter mix impact seed germination. 

1. Preparing the Seeds

Take the recently harvested seeds and soak them in water for an hour.

Soaking helps soften the seed coat and triggers chemical reactions essential for germination. 

Remember, the older the seeds, the lesser the viability, so you need to use only recently harvested seeds. 

2. Preparing the Potting Mix

You can directly use lucky bamboo starter mixes for germinating the seeds.

However, you can assemble a substrate by mixing the recipe.

• 2-part peat moss
• 1-part organic perlite
• 1/3 part of garden soil
• 1/3 part sand

You can add finely chopped dried bark, making the soil light and porous. 

Further, fill a seed starter tray cells about two-thirds with the potting mix and lightly press. 

3. Sowing the Seeds

Start by placing the seeds about 0.3-0.6 centimeters deep and lightly press from above.

If you use any other typical container instead of a tray, maintain a distance of about 1-2 inches between each seed. 

Now, spray the seeds using a spray bottle to moisten the soil. Then, cover the tray with a humidity dome with ventilators. 

Afterward, place the tray on a heating pad to maintain the ideal soil temperature of around 25-30°C for germination.  

4. Transferring the Seedlings 

Considering the environment and seed quality, lucky bamboo seeds shall sprout within 2-6 weeks.

Additionally, you can remove the humidity dome and wait until the seedlings produce 2 sets of leaves.

Let the seedlings grow for about 3-4 weeks until they develop robust roots. 

Likewise, transfer the seedlings into 6-inch wide and deep terracotta pots. 

5. Steps to Take Care of Seeds During Germination

You can continue the care for seedlings with the following requirements. 

• During germination, maintain an ideal humidity of around 70-90%. 
• Mist the soil after it dries out about 1-3 inches deep. 
• Open the humidity dome for about an hour to let air circulate every 2-3 days.
• Provide ample indirect sunlight for about 8-12 hours daily. 

Care for Seedlings After Germination

Germinating the seeds alone is not sufficient to grow the lucky bamboo plant.

Follow the tips to upkeep the seedlings. 

• Provide about 8-12 hours of daily stippled sunlight.
• Additionally, water weekly in spring and summer and 1-2 times a month during fall and winter.
• Maintain relative humidity of around 60%.
• Furthermore, keep the ambient temperature around 65°F and 80°F.
• Maintain the soil pH between 6-6.5.
• Feed the plant monthly with balanced NPK liquid fertilizer after diluting it to one-fourth concentrate.
• Use neem oil to deter pests and diseases.