Need A Fix For Yellow Lucky Bamboo
Yellowing Lucky Bamboo
Ask the Expert: Why my lucky bamboo turned yellow and how to fix
I have my lucky bamboo for a year or so, and i noticed a few months ago that some of its leaves were starting to wither. But now I am really worried, because the stem turned yellow from the bottom up (see picture attached). I would really like to save it, but I don't know what to do, or where I did wrong so far. Please help.
Thank you Natasha
Reply:
You are not alone. Yellowing lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is the problem of the week. A few things can caused lucky bamboo to turn yellow — Too much light or too much fertilizer. Exposure to fluoride can cause leaf discoloration that may start out looking yellow but eventually turns brown. When lucky bamboo turns yellow from the bottom up, it is a strong indication of exposure to too much fertilizer. In a case like this, your best course of action is to change the water and rinse the container. Refill with distilled water and do not add fertilizer. **If you don't have distilled water, you will need to use water that has been exposed to the air for 24hrs. This will allow both the fluoride and chlorine in tapped water to disapate. Then you can use it to fill your lucky bamboo container** By doing this your lucky bamboo will have a chance (although slim) to recover. Another option is to cut off the yellow and start over. Lucky bamboo roots fairly easy. If you go to my previous blog post We Are Not Always Lucky With Lucky Bamboo, you will see a detailed outline on how to do this with pictures.
Good Luck and please keep me posted.
March 7th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
have had my bamboo plant for about 8 months and it has been doing very well. Unfortunately, I neglected to water it for a few days and now it is turning yellow at the ends and several of the leaves are turning yellow as well. If I just keep watering it and replant it, will it turn back and start growing again, or do I have to trim all the yellow off in order to save it? Every stalk with leaves are yellow where it meets the main stalk, but the tops are all still green. Do you have any suggestions?
March 9th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Nicole,
Is your lucky bamboo planted in soil? If your lucky bamboo is potted in soil, you need to get the soil moisture back to a moist state and then leave it alone. Do not continue to water it unless the soil has started to dry out. Over-watering in response to under-watering will cause even more damage. If the stems are not mushy, give the plants a few weeks to recover. However, if the yellowing becomes more severe or the stalks begin to feel mushy, you will need to cut the green tops off and start new plants. Good luck and keep me posted.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
My bamboo is in little pebbles, not soil. Once the surfce of the pebbles dries up, I rewater it just to dampen the stones. Should I just water it once a week?
March 12th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Your lucky bamboo will need a little more water than it is getting. Keep the container filled with water up to the pebbles. You may be able to get by once a week or you might need to water every day. The key is to keep a constant level of water.