Zach- Some clever marketer decided to sell this plant as Lucky Bamboo, because it has a vague resemblance to real bamboo, and millions of people now think they're growing bamboo. However, true bamboo -- is a member of the grass family Poaeceae (Gramineae), while Lucky Bamboo is a member of the Agavaceae family (like Yucca). One of the distinguishing characteristics of bamboo is that the leaves are typically not directly attached to the culm (stalk), but are at the ends of branches. Real bamboo also don't survive with their roots submerged in water. Enjoy your Lucky Bamboo, but, if you want to grow the real thing, hang out in this forum and you'll get some good ideas on which ones will and won't grow in your Zone.

I think you answered your own question, Linda... you are willing to take a chance... and you have a spot you can put them that effectively isolates them. The only thing I'd add is the lysol hygiene of your tools after planting. I wish a visual check was all we needed to do - but virused plants don't necessarily show any visual signs for up to several years... This is not a slam on Lowe's or big boxes in general. But if you understand why their plants are cheap - that they are often from "factory farms," often from Holland where the plants are bare-rooted by pressure washing which can spread the disease... that the Dutch have declared that it is sufficient to visually check a field of hostas and if less than 5% show signs of virus, the whole batch is declared to be OK for shipping... then you know that the odds are pretty high you will pick up a virused plant. I think if you purchase from a big box you have to isolate the plants and sterilize your tools when you work in that section - or you just have to say you are willing to live with HVX. I don't check every plant I get and can't swear I have a virus-free garden... but by purchasing only from sources that are committed to controlling the spread of the virus, I minimize my chances of getting or spreading this illness. I also stopped buying from one wholesaler who could not give an acceptable answer to how she was responding to a nematode infestation in one of her fields. Life is just too short - for me - to save a couple bucks on a plant and then worry about disease for year...

Happened just today! DH and I were cleaning up the garage after emptying out a storage shed. Mostly it entailed moving fairly large pieces of furniture up to the second floor. "lift it up!", "lift WHAT up to where?", "lift your side UP", "you mean just up?", "I said UP! How is that complicated?!?", "up, & turn it to the wall, you mean?", "JUST LIFT IT UP!!!" ks toolgirl....were you there? listening? :-) only thing is....he sometimes doesn't even answer my questions....just does his thing and it is up to me to guess what we are doing. My usual refrain is ..."talk to me...tell me what we are doing". Really drives me crazy as I am a teacher and used to giving direction. A teacher he is NOT! lavender...now on to the subject! When we originally bought our home, we planned to build a garage. Even measured to be sure we could build the size garage we wanted and checked with city hall. We did not build the garage right away, took almost 8 years. But over that time we totally changed our ideas and built a garage that fit our home and time period (1800's)so much better than what we would have built originally. Also built it in a different location than we had originally planned. So we are very glad we didn't do that! (build the garage when we first moved in)

Reggie, When I met my DH, I was 29 years old and I knew then that I didn't want to have children. He has three children and he would also see them every other weekend. Believe me, I did find it hard when they were around. I especially found it hard with the oldest child who right from the start did not like me at all. With time, I started disliking it when she would come over to our house because what missy wanted, missy got! It would just infuriate me and for years I had arguments with hubby about the way he treated this child, never, ever, ever saying no to whatever she asked for. Well, she grew up to be a spoiled, irreponsible child.She quit school early, got pregnant at 16 years old, got in-debth, etc. etc. etc. She got married and treated her husband just like she had treated her dad all her life, that is, when she asked for something, she had to get it NOW, her husband is the one who was stuck with cleaning the house, taking care of the children, etc. etc. That marriage did not last long needless to say. Today, she is divorced and she has had to make major changes in her life. And I must admit that she has matured quite a bit in the last two years and she is now in a new relationship and believe me, she doesn't treat that man the way she treated her x. But I find it so sad that she has had to go through all these experiences at such a young age. I sometimes think if her father had spoiled her less and had felt less guilty towards her, this child wouldn't have had to go through such negative experiences when she was so young. Today, my relationship with this step-daughter is good but it was hell getting there. I always told her that at 20 years old, she had gone through what a 40 year old woman would have gone through. So sad. This being said, I feel for you. I know you have been with this man for several years, but believe me, he will never, ever agree with you if you say anything wrong about his child, whether it's about the fact that you think she goes to bed too late or she is really childish or whatever. He will always defend her no matter how much he loves you. And believe me, this little girl's demands are going to become more and more big as she grows up. Whatever she will want from her father, I guarantee you she will get it and that will cause major, major fights between you and him! Believe me, I've been there. I have been with hubby for 20 years now and there were many times that I said to myself, if i knew then, what I do know now in regards to being a step-parent, I don't know if I would have started a relationship with him. So, all I can say to you from experience is you either have to accept this child in your life and try and detach yourself from her with love or....leave this man. I know you love him but you will drive yourself mad and make yourself sick to death if you continue in this relationship knowing there is a child that will always, always be there. Sometimes, in order to understand my husband's behavior towards his child, I would sit down for a minute and wonder what would I do if that was my child. Most of the time, when I truly thought about it, I thought I would do the same thing he did. These men love their children to death and they feel really guilty about not being in their life 24/7 and because of this, they will do anything an everything for them just so these children will be happy and not hate their father. I truly wish you luck sweetie.Keep posting.