A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Dying Lucky Bamboo?

I know that Lucky Bamboo is supposed to be one of the easiest plants to care for, but mine is dying! I keep it in enough water(distilled), I give it sufficient light, and I take it away from the windowsill when it gets cold. I have no idea what could have happened, could someone please tell me what's going on?

How long have you had it? What is "enough light?" Why are you using distilled water?

I have only had it about a month. I keep it near a windowsill and move it into brighter light during some parts of the day, and I am using distilled water because that is what a gardening website ( much like the one we're on now) said to do.

Can you provide a photo or describe in detail why you think they are dying?

Are they still in the same container and pebbles that they came in?

Yes, they are still in the same container with pebbles. This is what's happening, a lot of them are grayish and shriveled up. Some are yellow, some are starting to turn greenish at the tops, and some have shriveling leaves. If that isn't enough detail just tell me what you need to know and I'll describe it again.
Thanks

i use regular tap water.

you need to keep water in the container at all times. if you leave it go too long and all the water dries up, they will end up dying.

when i got my first bunch of lucky bamboo, there were a half dozen shoots/stalks - i lost one within a week and then two more after a couple of months. and i was diligent about keeping the water level up. the second bunch had many more shoots/stalks (20 i think, never did actually count them all). i've not lost any of them.

i purchased them in two different stores and i'd say that the first store wasn't maintaining the water level consistantly and that's why i had losses.

i'd pull whatever is yellowed. they may have some disease or parasite and you don't want it to spread to the healthy plants!

Do you mean to pull the whole stalk out or just the leaves? Could you please explain? Sorry

yes, pull the whole stalk out. that is, if it's turning yellow (turning yellow means it's dying).

if it's just a few leaves that are yellowed you can trim them off. altho, i did try that with the first bunch i'd bought - didn't make any difference. i guess, once they get to the point that the leaves are turning, then the whole thing is shot.

i hope you manage to salvage something!! they really are very nice plants once they get growing!

just thought of something. they should be in a spot where they get bright sunlight. they shouldn't be directly in it though.

i have one in a northwest-facing window that gets light a few hours in the afternoon and the other is in a southwest-facing window that gets light for the majority of the day. both are indirect light situations. this plant does not do well in direct sunlight.

i'm going to move the one from the nw window to the sw window as the one that is there seems to be doing a bit better.

Have you tried placing them in a clean container? I transfered mine into a glass (clear) container, with glass marbles and filled with distilled water. I wonder if you might have an algae build up? Mine seems to be doing really well this way.

I put mine on top of the refrigerator.. Not too much light there and no sun.....It came in aspecial pot .Lowes.. It is real nice. I had it about 4 or 5 months now.. Dark green...



First attempt here.

dodge

The one mine came in was a fish that was ceramic and green, not see thru. I figure it was a petri dish for algae, so I transplanted it into the clear container and it is thriving now!

Has anybody tried rooting their lucky bamboo in soil? I know you're not supposed too but I am greatly tempted to with mine!

i think i will try it with mine. i bought one little lonely bamboo shoot at the gas station and have had it 2 years and i am beginning to think its really a plastic plant! its roots havent grown at all and neither has the leafy parts. i know they grow slooooow- but this is ridiculous!
also i had to keep the water quite low since it seemed when ever it was 3-3 inches high up on the stalk it would get a weird yellow mark that would expand and look all wrinkley. i scraped the 'wound' off and keep the water only 1 inch deep and it hasnt re-occured. im going to try putting it in dirt.

oops- i meant 3-4, not 3-3 inches. anyhow... i have looked up some info on lucky bamboo and it said if you chose to plant your Lucky Bamboo in a container with soil plant in propagating sand (30%) and coco peat (70%) This mix will hold moisture very well- dont let it dry out!
When using this mix you can use a container with or without drainage holes.
i read fish water can benefit as well as a home humidifyer- but this goes for most all houseplants. keep it out of direct or bright sunlight- bamboo generallty grows below the rainforest canopy where it doesnt get much light.

you can make new growth on your plant curve by placing it in a dark area with a bright light source to one side, after it has grown towards the light a bit give it a 1/4 of a turn and keep turning as it grows.

i have not tried this, since MY lucky bamboo doesnt grow!

.....if your leaves are turning yellow or wilting it could be several things:

stale water- you should change your bamboos water every 2 weeks or so and rinse rocks, pot and bamboo each time. i dont know about distilled water, but filtered is fine- if using tap water you may want to treat it with fishtank conditioner as flouride can turn most tropical plants yellow and brown.

too much sun- too much sun can even off and on can cause bamboo to yellow or wilt.

cold water- also can cause yellowing/wilting.

its environment has to be consistant- does not like being warm then cold then warm- or near windows/doors and there can be mild drafts that you may not feel but your plant does.

generally kep your bamboo in good warm and humid room but not dry heat or direct light. if you dont use a humidifyer in yur home/room, you can keep it in a bathroom since showers produce tropical climate- or keep close in a 'colony' of plants. plants kept close together produce a sort of 'atmosphere' together.

hope i helped!