How would I encourage it to grow upwards, I guess it doesnt matter, a sideways one would be cool too.....I just like to snip and play with my plants, I have so many cuttings going, I wont know what to do with them....lol. Just got the "lucky Bamboo", so I thought, hmmmmm, lets propogate.....lmao!!

Not sure there is wide spread agreement on how to grow LB, Mkiker. It is commonly grown in water, but some report better results in a potting mix (and some don't). It is commonly grown in very low light, but mine is about 6 feet from a south window. Some fertilize, some do not. I don't think it's all that sensitive to chlorine/flouride in water. Reason I say that is I see them in Chinese restaurants all the time and I can't imagine they are being 'properly' cared for. I use distilled water for mine, but I use that for all my houseplants that I grow in hydroculture. I don't think there is anything you can do to get one to grow quickly indoors. When a friend asked me about getting one my advice was 'buy it at the size you want it'. Just my thoughts, nothing official.

I moved my two lucky bamboo plants from water to an 11" (I think) pot of Syngoniums (reg soil and perlite) where the soil is always moist and had no problems at all with the move. I did cut the long roots back that where in water to about an inch before planting in soil. Billy Rae

To seal it. It keeps the plant from loosing moisture and nutrients from the cut and also keeps fungus and insects from attacking it at the wound. Its a living thing. Just like if you got a cut you would put something over it.