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lucky bamboo stalks yellow!!!!

18 years ago

sigh..ive had the lucky bamboo for a little over a year now and it was very healthy..then classes started for college and i gorgot to water it for a week and a half...so when i looked at it.all three stalks were yellow and mushy...im sure that its probably dead and that theres no hope for it...but this bamboo means a lot to me and its terrible that i neglected it.

BUT. i changed the water..cleaned the pot...and cleaned the mush off the stalks...

AND...theres TWO green leaves still....

SO....is there any hope for my plant?

Featured Answer

hello_c_j_here

18 years ago

I have one thats been in my sunroom for 3 years. It began yellowing... but not to the extent of your situation. I slowly added soil to the water...over about a weeks time untill my planter was a soggy soil mix...seems to add life span to the plant. I read a few articles that say the life span isnt very long and anything over 2 years is exceptional.
Might wanna try a little soil in the mix. I see they sell liguid nutrients for lucky bamboo too. Never tried it though.
Best of luck.
CJ

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Comments (16)

kentuck_8b
18 years ago
You may be luckier with a real bamboo.

Wait and see what happens, it sounds like you have done all that you can for it. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. If the worst does happen, try growing a potted bamboo instead, you will be glad you did.

Kt
wanna_run_faster
18 years ago
I pretty much have incredible luck with plants EXCEPT for lucky bamboo and jade plants! I can keep them hanging on for about a year but sooner or later....
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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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You can't make the yellow green again. I had three LB stalks doing quite well in soil until I accidentally knocked cleaning water with bleach into the pot. I tried leaching out the soil, but it didn't help. In hindsite I should have rinsed off the roots and repotted. But I was able to root the side shoots. I clipped off the side shoots and removed the lower leaves (which were yellowing) and found that the leaves were attached to small stalks. I put them in water with Super Thrive added for about 4 or 5 days, and then potted them in soil. They took off in no time. If you don't use ST, I'm sure plain water will work fine. Just sticking the side shoot right into the soil might work too.
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Nope, sadly it didn't survive! The yellow part quickly became shriveled and dried up. Interestingly, the bottom part that was green survived despite the rest of the plant decaying away, even while leaving the dying part on it for weeks. I eventually cut the dead part off and just had the tiny little 2 inch bamboo with one shoot of leaves to give back to her, but she decided to just throw it out. The other plant that was green was also fine. Oh well! Tried my best. She didn't seem surprised or disappointed to learn the yellow bamboo died.
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Place it in diffused sunlight. like room with a window through which sufficient amount of light enters. but remember "not to place it directly in sunlight". Little bit of yellowing is okay as new leaves are coming...
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koniferkid_nj
18 years ago
Dandelions are pretty easy to grow and care for...
Thuja
18 years ago
Last fall, I left mine outside and it froze. The entire thing died and turned to mush except for a small part at its base. It was slow but has grown back. It's planted in soil.

I'm actually going to try growing dandelions indoors for a Russian Tortoise this winter. Problem is dandelion has a long taproot and needs a fair amount of sun.
kentuck_8b
18 years ago
I read somewhere, that someone built a chair out of lucky bamboo. It was left out in the rain, and after a few days, the chair started to grow.

Kt
countrynest
18 years ago
So,Feedmymonkey, in other words, Lucky bamboo is not a bamboo.
Just like a Rose of Sharon nor a Confederate Rose are not roses.
xxx_Black_Dragon_xxx
18 years ago
There's an Asian Gardening Forum now. :) And CountryNest is right. Lucky bamboo isn't a true bamboo at all.
kudzu9
18 years ago
Oh no! Lucky bamboo has returned from the dead...
Thuja
18 years ago
Just when you thought it was dead, a rhizome appears... from out of no where, equipped with air channels, it survives even drowning...
rob_e
18 years ago
For luck, i grow hibanobambusa tranquillans shiroshima,
oh! and 4 leaf clovers.
ocimum_nate
18 years ago
you will be lucky if it dies!!
then you will have an excuse to get real bamboo.
linorics
16 years ago
The Yellow leafs can be Lack of nutrients
Giving the plant Nitrogen Fertilizer will bring out dark green color in plants. Give half or less the amount recommended on the package.

Tip: You can add nutrients to water by adding air to the water. Place the water in the blender or shake up the water in a clean jug or cup.
lizzie.huggins
10 years ago
My Lucky Bamboo's stalk is really yellow, and has a scrape on the stalk, it looks infected I'm not sure how to fix it? Please help. i love this bamboo.
kentuck_8b
10 years ago
Wrong Forum.

You want the "Lucky" Bamboo forum.
botanicalbill
10 years ago
Lucky Bamboo, not a real bamboo, grows best in soil, not water. If you plant the thing in good soil, it will take off and spread. I planted one in the ground in florida about 8 years ago and it now has about 40+ new stems and is about 3' tall.

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