"Lucky Bamboo" turning yellow

I posted this on the bamboo forum, but I guess it was just too much of a novice question: I haven't gotten any replies! I'm hoping someone can help me with my "lucky bamboo"-- my souvenir from Chinatown in San Francisco. I've had it for a year in a dish of water with marbles, and recently it began to turn yellow. It has been in a window that gets a little direct sun, mostly filtered light. I don't fertilize it. Is it time to plant it in soil? Thanks for any advice you can give me. :)

--DanaK

I've never had much luck keeping lucky bamboo for an extended period of time. Seems like they do real good for a while, then start to turn yellow like you are describing. I'm interested to see what others have to say also. Jenny

I'm with Jenny, the first one I bought was from Dillon's and the gal in the floral shop told me no one could kill Lucky Bamboo, will I had it for about a year changing water every week and really following all the directions that came with it. Will mine started to loose leaves, then the stems started to turn yellow and before I knew it I had to get rid of it. So I proved the gal in Dillon's floral shop wrong, as I usually can do if I am told; "This plant can not be killed:"

A few months ago I was in a Oriental restaurant and there was some Lucky Bamboo in a vase with water 3/4 of the way up the stem (my directions told me just enough water to cover the roots and the peddles) and there were about 6 of them and they were very large, I had never seen any that large before. So I asked the owner how long she had hers and see said, "I really don't know it seems like forever," So go figure, maybe they just don't like me or something.

But I will be waiting to see what other DG'er have to say about theres. Maybe they will be able to give us some tips, heaven knows I need all the tips I can get.

Linda

My daughter gave me a lucky Bamboo about three years ago. It was in a beautiful white vase with chinese paintings on it, and was filled with little stones even with the top. Now, having a certified black thumb, I thought I would enjoy it while it lived, so I never changed the water and it lives on a desk that doesn't even get much defused light. About the same kind of light that a Peace Lily likes, gloomy. From a little three piece decorative plant, now it has grown into a 20" tree. About every 10 days I add water until I can see it above the gravel.

My conclusion is they love benign neglect and hate sunlight. I'll be very interested in seeing what the more knowledgeable DGers have to say.
Pati

I had the problem with yellowing and someone suggested watering with distilled water instead of tap water. It works! Direct sun will make the green fade to a lighter shade, but in my experience, it has not produced yellow leaves.

Will maybe I should rethink Lucky Bamboo and get another one and keep it somewhere in a corner away from any light. I am willing to try anything because I hate defeat. I have had plenty of that with some of my plants. But I keep trying.

Okay, I'll move it away from light, try distilled water, and maybe get a deeper vase for it. Right now it's a shallow dish, and it sounds like the successful ones were in something more like vases. Thank you guys for all the advice (when even the bamboo thread didn't answer me)! I knew I could count on you. :) I'll try and remember to post my results...

Three years ago, I was given a lucky bambo in a pretty pot with pebbles, had about four stems, I put it on the kitchen windowsil, under floresent light. It did good for about a year, but didn't grow much, then I had to dump it. Last year I bought a plant with one tall stem and two short, put it in the same place, under the light. It has grown very fast. I am amazed. It is in a small pot (I thought too small). Roots just barely covered, I keep the water level to the top of the rocks. It has probably grown 10-12 inches, I am about to move it, because it will soon run out of space. Probably won't do good after I move it.

Rebecca Knolls had a segment on today's show:
Here's the transcript:
Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo, also know as medusa bamboo, has become the newest most contemporary addition to houseplants and is very simple to grow.

Growing a simple bamboo shoot won't cost very much. All you need is a simple stem, some water, and a container. You can get ones already trained to grow with twists and bends, but that will cost a little more than a straight shoot.

Start by putting small decorative stones in a vase. Then add some water--distilled is best. Insert several stems of bamboo letting the stones act as an anchor.

Be sure to water your bamboo about once a week, making sure at least 1" of the stem is submerged, otherwise it yellows. These bamboo are slow growers, only growing 1 to 6 inches per year, so don't worry about feeding them. Eventually, though, there'll be quite a bit of roots. At that point, the bamboo needs to be potted in soil. Best of all, this bamboo grows in almost every lighting condition, making it the perfect houseplant
Linda

Thank you for the information! Yes, as it seemed from the above posts, it must be that my water is too shallow. Mystery solved. :) I hope that once they start to turn yellow they can turn green again. I guess I'll find out.

It seems to me that I have heard that Lucky Bamboo is really a Dracena. I would plant it. It is used as a plant here. Loose soil,...sunlight doesn't hurt it...but lack of fertilizer does, and so does city water with all the chemicals.

Carol

I planted mine and it's doing beautifully! Most of the stems died out the round bundle I purchased from E-Bay two years ago. So I untied it, threw out the dead stalks, potted up the barely living ones. Now it's green and has grown several inches! I think I had 4 or 5 stalks left, which I planted together in the same pot. It gets curtained late sun, that's all. Very forgiving of occasional water withdrawl, too (my bad!) So my advice to anyone with failing draceana/lucky bamboo is "pot 'er up, dude"! :)

By the way, when we got married as a wedding gift we received one of those Betta bowl/plant thingies. Fishie died eventually and the plant wasn't fairing much better. So I eventually potted it, too. Now you should see it! It's beautiful and even blooms! Turns out it's a spathophylum (Peace Lily). I think water plants should stick to staying in the pond. LOL

Jenn

I hope this helps..I purchased a small plant of this...It was about 12" tall put on my table in filtered light,give it water to the top of the pebbles and watch it grow. about once every 4-6 weeks give it a weak mix of MG and now I had to move it to the floor because it hits the ceiling if on the table,it's about 5'tall. don't fuss with it mist when you remember. water when level goes down. that is. It's the plant in the right corner of picture.

OMG Cinnabor how long have you had your Lucky Bamboo? It is simply amazing. You have what it takes. It is beautiful. You do have the luck. LOL

Linda

So cinnabor, you've never planted it in dirt? Mine hasn't grown really in the water/pebbles in the year I've had it. So maybe I'll plant mine instead and see what happens. I know I've seen them planted before, too, and doing better than mine!

And about the betta vase things, they're not very good for the betta, either, as evidenced by the fact that it died. Better to have the fish and the plant separately, in my opinion.

They don't like to be moved. And they do prefer water. I juat used some MG in the water and in the mist spray. As far as the fish well if you have a peace lilly that has been started in water so that the roots are perfectly white no signs or soil and you have the right hanger for the plant that keeps it on top of the water..than the fish do just fine..Trick to that one is hardley ever feed the fish. they get a lot from the plant and I have one so does my Dr. have had it for over two years plant and fish both doing fine.

I've heard many times that they're horrible for the fish, and that the fish don't get enough food from just the plant. And I believe the fish like more room than a little vase crowded with roots. They do live in shallow water in the wild, but they have room to swim around. Our bettas we've had have loved to swim around in their tanks. I think if the fish are doing well, it's lucky.

And for the Lucky Bamboo, it seems like I'm getting conflicting information now. So water or dirt? I don't know? All I know is that mine isn't doing well in water...

Well it's what ever works... For me as you can see by the picture it's water. As far as the fish the vase I and my Dr. have the plant in is quit large I would say top to bottom at least 14"...widest part of mine is12" I think his is the same or more it even has some gravel in the bottom. I know there are smaller ones but that isn't our's. Good luck to you how ever you plant your's hope it works for you.

No one's posted to this in a while, but I thought I would add my two cents... I have had mixed results with Lucky Bamboo - some have turned yellow so I thought they were dying and threw them out in case they were diseased (I must admit that I am a newbie and had no clue what might be wrong) Anyway, I was afraid they might infect the other stalks. I have had two stalks for about three years now and they are a beautiful dark green color and have grown quite a bit. I have kept them in various pots with rocks and water, and they have seemed to do best in dim light. The ones that I have put in my kitchen (the brightest room in my apartment) are the ones that have turned yellow, but I am not sure if it was the bright light or the city water that did it (since I have read this thread and discovered they were probably not diseased!)

Interestingly enough about two months ago I decided to put the healthy ones in a round fish bowl with one of my bettas! I asked someone at the fish store ahead of time to make sure it would be safe, and they said that bettas should get along OK with most water loving plants, as long as you don't totally submege the plants, of course. Both plants and fish are thriving! I feed him as I normally would, and he hasn't seemed to nip at the plant at all. Of course, the roots are down in the rocks as opposed to sitting up higher in the water where he could get to them. Once every one to two weeks I change out the water and put in fresh. I always add stress coat to take out the chlorine and all in the water - maybe it is beneficial to the plant as well. My digital camera and computer are not communicating well at the moment, but if I can get that problem straight I will try to figure out how to post a picture!

No plant likes clorine,so by doing right by your fish you did right by your plant..They don't like direct sun.

Since starting this thread my lucky bamboo has been doing a lot better. I'm not sure why, though! One thing someone mentioned that may have been a factor is that I had a lot of stalks together in the bowl-- it was the ones in the center that were turning yellow. Since I've removed those and had less together they've been doing better. I also moved them do an area that gets less light. That's an interesting idea about the betta! Thanks for sharing your insights. :)

I also have a lucky bamboo I got from Home Depot, and just one stalk is turning yellow. Should I cut or toss that one maybe? It's in a somewhat shallow dish, dusfused light, with many stalks shaped in a weave like design. I for sure am going out to get some distilled water and start using that on it.

I bought a bunch of bamboo as a TLC plant - they had allowed them to dry out. Many of the stalks were yellow. I took the worst ones & cut off any growth that was growing off the stalks. The cuttings were placed in water, & rooted in a few weeks. So if you see a stalk going bad, you can at least save part of the plant. I have mine in a table top fountain, & the water is always warm due to the pump. They seem to like it! Julie

Oh, good idea about the cuttings! I threw out my yellow stalks, but I wish I'd had your suggestion first.

I'm trying Lucky Bamboo again. I got some at the grocery store today. I didn't have any distilled water so I put them in spring water, until I can get back to town to pick some up. I set them on my night stand in front of a east window and it will be getting filtered sun until about noon. Will let you know how it does. I am tempted to use a little MG in it, but will wait for about a month before I try it. Then I will get the liquid and only put in a couple of drops.

Linda

Hi there,

Mine have been doing so much better since I got them in lower light and since I have fewer stalks together. BUT they haven't grown like everyone else has spoken of! I'll be interested to hear how yours do. :)

Are you using any MG?

Linda

No, and I'm not using distilled water, either. The water must not have been the factor in them turning yellow, in that case, but perhaps it could be the factor in them not growing-- or that then need some nutrients such as MG...

I just have mine in spring water right now but I intend on picking up some distilled to use on them. But I do think I am going to try some MG, not right away but maybe in a month or so.

Linda