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My lucky bamboo stalk is turning yellow

10 years ago

Hello, so today while checking on my lucky bamboo plants I noticed something weird (They're in a transparent glass vase), each one is ~60 cm long. I noticed that one of my plants' stalk from the bottom (where the roots are) started turning yellow it's like half of an inch is yellow, while the rest of the stalk is healthy green. Plus the roots have white stuff on it. (I don't use fertilisers)
Here are some of the lucky bamboo health caring tips that I use:

I always fill a bucket of tap water and let it rest for 24 hours before changing water.
I clean the vase and change the water weekly.
I have a a florecent lamp which I put the plants under during the night.

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Comments (5)

sradleye
10 years ago
you should post a pic and somebody will help. there is also a dedicated forum for the "lucky bamboo." I am reading the last part right? no night cycle? day in sun and night in fluorescent?
RandomChicken
Original Author
10 years ago
Nope, I don't put them in sunlight as the sun here would probably burn it.
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I agree with TJ. I got one about 13 years ago, and it came in a dish with pebbles and water. I kept it like that for a couple years, but then decided it would be better in soil. It has thrived in soil, and even grew new stalks, which actually are attached to one of the main stalks, but below the soil, so it looks like a seperare stalk. If you choose to keep it in water, you MUST change the water often. I used to change mine every couple of days. Also, water has no nutirituve value, so you need to fertilize it, but because the fertilizer can't leach out, you must be very careful with it. Just look at typical fertilizer dilution. Per gallon, you only need a teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon if you feed every time you water. Now think of that, and think of how much fertilizer you may have put in, even though it was only "a pinch". A pinch is probably good for a quart or 2 of water, depending on what kind of fertilizer you used. I would suggest you pot it up, and keep it out of direct sun, to avoid bleaching it. Mine thrives in lower light levels, with no direct sun. Good luck! Joe
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sradleye
10 years ago
I guess my question is why light at night? Also, these are not aquatic plants so don't be afraid to pot the remaining stalks and be done with the water all together. This past summer I moved mine to a traditional type potting soil and then eventually to this "semi-hydro" kind of deal. So they are still constantly moist.
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
Welcome to GW.

Most of the chemicals in tap water can't evaporate, so that could be part of the issue. No idea how your country purifies water, but ground water picks up minerals as well as whatever humans might add. Do you think the roots getting damaged as they go in/out of the water and rocks weekly? They don't look very long, or plentiful.

I was also curious about why one would put a plant under lights at night? Although the sun may not be shining right on it during the day, light coming in from the windows is usually enough to keep a plant like this alive. When I do put my plant outside, I make sure it is in a spot that is shady all of the time. You're right about it burning easily if the sun shines on it.

These plants don't usually lead very long lives in water. Like said above, they're not even from a swampy or wet environment. If you can collect rain water, your plant should like that better, whether in just water, or used to moisten soil. I put mine in a regular pot like any other house plant.
RandomChicken
Original Author
10 years ago
Well, I choose night as I have the vase in the living room, thus I wouldn't want the lamp on while here are guests around. And no, I don't expose the roots to air as I put them in the bucket of the resting water while cleaning the vase. So do I have to put them in pots else they'll die? Or there's another solution? Because I wouldn't want a pot in the living room, I guess that I'll plant them in a shadowed area in the garden if there's no other solution

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