i put 5 large bunches of golden bamboo in containers last year, being careful to insulate the bottom and sides of each container. we had a very mild winter in NYC, but still, come spring, the bamboo looks totally dead, which is disappointing, as i was lead to believe that golden should be alright in my zone. i haven't given up hope yet that the bamboo will fight back for another season, but i'm wondering what i did wrong and if there was anything i could have done to prevent it? i worried that i underwatered during the post winter thaw. in any event, does anybody have any suggestions about nursing my current crop back to life? most of the leaves are totally brown. no new culms poking out yet.... thanks

That's "Lucky Bamboo," KT! LOL back atcha... Good to see you still appreciate my little "Secret Sin" anecdote, heh heh. Mindy, Sorry about the delay. I've been working in real-life, real-time gardens! I've had mixed success making divisions from some Pleioblastus varities because they tend to have stringy roots that can be pretty far apart from each other on a long rhizome. That makes it difficult to get a good division with enough root. The best way to make a division is to just dig up a "chunk" of the bamboo with soil ball intact, and just sever the ends of the rhizome that are beyond the soil ball you dig. It sounds like the problem with your P. viridistriatus may be that you are not getting enough roots with each rhizome division. If the divisions have a culm (stalk) with lots of leaves on it, but not enough roots hanging from the rhizome, the division can't take up enough water to sustain the culm. Water the new divisions into good potting/seedling medium. It's normal for the leaves to curl a bit at first. It's the plant's defense against division shock (to prevent desiccation). But if the roots are taking up enough water, the leaves should unfurl fairly soon after dividing. Keep the new divisions in a shady location -- no direct sun -- and keep them moist. Maybe that will help. Good luck, and keep spreading the good news about bamboo... er... well, spreading within a contained, well maintained area.

Easy. Honey, where did you get those pot holders? Because Harry wants a set for his wife / I think we should get the matching apron / ninjas from space are going to beat me up unless I give them a rooster pot holder. With any luck, she stops by the store and picks up another set for Harry or the ninjas. Then you replace the burnt one, hide the others away for when you burn the next one, and brief Harry on what he just gave Marge. Of course, don't blame me if this tissue of lies collapses and you find yourself writing support checks from your sad bachelor pad.

Amyly Ann, here are some care instructions on found online. Lets not even think about fertilizer right now, the plant doesn't need it yet as it has to recover from all the messing around were are doing to it, and it is in new soil so it is fine on fertilizer right now. http://houseplants.about.com/od/typesofhouseplants/a/LuckyBamboo.htm Caring for Your Lucky Bamboo Light: Lucky bamboo prefer bright, filtered sunlight, such as found under a rainforest canopy. Avoid direct sunlight as it will scorch the leaves. They are more tolerant of too little light than too much. If the plant begins to stretch, however, or the green fades, provide more light. Temperature: Lucky bamboo likes warmer temperatures of between 65ºF and 90ºF. Do not place the plants in front of air conditioning or heating vents. Potting Media: In addition to water, lucky bamboo can be grown in a well-drained, rich potting soil. Keep the soil moist, but not soaking. Water as you would any Dracaena species. The Dracaena genus has provided some of the sturdiest houseplants available today, including the every-popular D. deremensis. These plants, which are native to Africa, have been used as houseplants since at least the mid-19th century and are still popular because they possess the single most important quality in a houseplant: they’re pretty and fairly hard to kill. D. deremensis work as single windowsill plants or as part of a mixed group, with their various leaf patterns complementing and overlapping one another. Growing Conditions: Light: Low light is fine, but they like it a little brighter. New leaves will narrow if there isn’t enough light. Water: Keep evenly moist, although if you have to err, do so on the dry side. (But keeping it too dry will result in brown leaf tips.) Use non-fluoridated water as they are sensitive to fluoride. Temperature: Keep above 50ºF if possible. They do best in the mid-70ºs to low 80ºs. Soil: Loose, well-drained potting mix. Fertilizer: During growing, fertilizer with slow-release fertilizer or use a 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer at half-strength every month. Propagation: They root readily from cuttings. Push tip cuttings into warm soil and keep moist. They will usually root readily without use of rooting hormone. They should root within a month. Repotting: Repot annually into larger pots with fresh, free-draining potting soil. Grower's Tips: D. deremensis is a great plant for low-light conditions, but beware of low humidity. If the humidity drops below 40 percent for an extended time, the tips of the leaves can turn brown. Try misting the plant every day to provide humidity. It’s also sensitive to fluoride and excessive salts, so try to use nonfluoridated water and flush monthly to remove fertilizer salts. Growth may cease completely below 70ºF, but will resume when warmer weather returns. Iron deficiency can result in yellowing leaves between the veins—treat with an iron drench. They are susceptible to thrips and mealybugs.