Find Your Gary asks:
We have a 3 stalk Lucy Banboo plant and it was doing well but in the last two weeks we have ovserved that the biggest and tallest one has start to trun yellow. The leaves are all green and healthly looking. We live outside of Bethlehem PA. The temperature is about 60 degrees. The plant gets indirect day light but it is not in a window.We use only spring water and we water it twice a month.
Is this condition something that I should be worry about.
Jamie’s Reply: Although you use spring water, it may still be heavy in salts. Too much floride, chlorine, or salts can cause the leaves to yellow. Try using distilled water. I would not worry if only one or two leaves at the bottom are turning yellow. Flower Shop Network has an informative newsletter called Caring for Lucky Bamboo. Hope this helps.
Gary responds:
Thank you for getting back to me but the leaves are not the part that is turning yellow but 1 out of tree stalks are turning yellow.
I printed out the newsletter and will read through it. Should I be worried about the stalk turning yellow?
Jamie’s Reply: I am a little concerned. You may have some type of pathogen — insect or fungal. Check for scale or spider mites both are insects. Scale will be a cottony substance or a shell like attachment on the stem or at the base of the leaves. You will need a magnifying glass to see the spider mites — they will be actively crawling around. As for fungal, check for soft tissue any where on the stem especially at the water line. One other thing have you fertilized your lucky bamboo? I will research a little further to see if I can come up with any other possibilities.
Gary Responds:
Thank you for getting back to me.
I will get a magnifying glass and check for spider mites and fungal. No we have not fertilized the luck bamboo but we will. Can you please let us know what and how we should do this.
Jamie’s Reply : Use any standard house plant food at about one-tenth the recommended dilution rate each time you change the water. Make sure you are using a water soluble fertilizer.
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How do you get ride of the spider mites or scales?
Genevieve,
You can get rid of spider mites or scales with an insecticide. If the scale or spider mites are on your house plants look for an insecticide that is permethrin or resmethrin based (example fertilome red spider & mite spray). If it is on a shrub outside you can use the same thing or use a chemical with more strength. You can get these products at your local garden center under several different brands name — fetilome, hi-yeild, bonide etc. The staff at the garden center should be well versed on how to use these products. After you kill the insects, it is important to keep the plant from any stress. Stress from lack of fertilizer or improper watering practices makes the plant more susceptible to insects. Hope this helps. If you need more information don’t hesitate to ask.
Good luck
Jamie
Hi I wonder if you could be able to help me, I was given a lovely bamboo arrangement of 8 stalks, end two smaller and getting to the middle gets taller, my bamboo sits in a ceramic pot with pebbles in it !! I went away on vacation, for 2 weeks, placed it in the kitchen sink which was full of water well , when i put the pot in their the water sat one inch away the top of the pot so there was plenty of water to drink while we were away. I remember that it wasn’t in direct sunlight because there were blinds at the window that were turned slightly.
I come back, it looked out, but i noticed about a week later that it was going yellow, and on side is more yellow than the other ( the stalk ) the yellow, is starting from the TOP NOT the BOTTOM…. starting at the tip of the stalk and the yellow is going down…
I love this thing, im upset i’ve done something very wrong, hopeing that it will revive itself if i i pay more attention to it and play with the leaves from time to time!!
please help i dont want to loose the stalk !
Bret,
Change the water using distilled water if possible. Usually light and fertilizer are what turn lucky bamboo yellow. Although your blinds may have been turned, at some point in the day direct sunlight may have shone through; move the plant to an area with more a indirect light source. Your well water may have some trace elements that the lucky bamboo doesn’t like; which is why I recommend distilled water. If you change the water, I believe your lucky bamboo will recover.
i have had my lucky plant for years, i decided it needed a new vase. its 3’tall
i put them(3 stalks) in a clear vase with green glass rocks, looks so pretty. now the stalks are turning yellow!! what happened???
thank- you
Nina,
Did you fertilize the lucky bamboo when you transplanted it? Did you move it into an area with more light?
If you fertilized it, change the water using distilled water and don’t fertilize for a couple of months.
If you moved it into an area with more light, step it back from the light and then gradually move it towards the light.
If you used tap water the chlorine and fluoride in the water could be the problem.
When using tap water put the water in a container and let it set for 24hrs then pour it in your lucky bamboo container.
Hi,
I had the same issue and noticed that my stem, which was the longest and biggest, was turning yellow, though the leaves looked healthy and green. I immediately took the plant out, and took the pebbles out, and found a key inside lying in it. Don’t know how that happened, but I believe that was what was contaminating the water. Anyway, I washed the pebbles, and washed the roots, and put the lucky bamboo back in, and filled it with filtered water. So hoping it becomes healthy again.
I have a lucky bamboo plant in my cube at work, its in a container with pebbles and water. I’ve had it for 2 1/2 years with no problems. We’ve moved to another building recently, where the air conditioning appears to be much colder. My bamboo plant started turning yellow at the stalk and is moving up to the leaves. I don’t see any mold or insects, just some sticky brown syrupy substance on the leaves? Any idea what can be causing this? Is it the colder temp, or is someone watering my plant with Coca-Cola?
Tara,
Your lucky bamboo is probably going through transplant shock. Several conditions maybe contributing to this — if you are not using distilled water (the water in the new building may have more flouride or chlorine) — temperature change (yes) — too much fertilizer —
Solutions — change water using distilled water
propagate new lucky bamboo to replace the compromised stalks
time will cure the temperature change
As for the brown sticky substance — usually some form of pathogen (insects or fungus) are the cause. Try this take a moist cloth and wipe off the sticky substance if it reappears get a magnifying glass and take a closer look you will probably find some type of sucking insect.
I bought a three-stalk arrangement of Lucky Bamboo sometime in February, or shortly before that. One stalk at a time, it has turned yellow and gotten mushy, from the the top of the stalk to the bottom. The first stalk died maybe a month or two after I bought it. I changed the amount of light it gets, and how often I add water, and I’ve never used fertilizer. There’s only one stalk left now, and it’s yellow-brown, shriveled, and squishy at the top.
Is there any way I can save it?
Tammy,
If the roots have not rotted you can cut the top off and start a new plant with the healthy roots and stem. However, usually a mushy stalk means the roots have rotted and the only way to start a new plant is to cut the top off and root it. In your case the top has been compromised and is not suitable for rooting. If you root any part of the plant be sure to use distilled water instead of tap water.
Jamie, thanks for sharing your expertise, I had no idea how to care for my bamboo but now I think I may be able to stop killing my poor arrangements.
Jamie,
your responses to previous inquiries of others helped. One question : I had my bamboo at home over the summer and took it back to work. Everything was business as usual until about 3 days ago when the stalk began to turn yellow! I remember that I had added some water to it at my work site. I have now brought it home and rinsed it out, adding distilled water. The stalk is still firm – once it’s yellow, it’s always yellow, right? And I should just go ahead and cut off the yellow parts and make the best of what I have left?? thanks!
Nancy,
It depends if the stalk is slightly yellow it may come around. Give it about a week and see if the color changes. If the stalk is completely yellow and starts to soften then you will need to cut it off and start over.
Transplanting a bamboo plant to a new pot, office environment. Roots are red? Is this normal. Can I safely trim the roots back?
Teresa,
You might have red algae growing on the roots. Algae is a result of too much light or fertilizer. If you can re-pot your lucky bamboo in an opaque container that will help. Before you place the lucky bamboo in a new container wash the plant stalks, container and any rocks you are using and start over with clean water. You can trim the roots back.
You might be interested in the Flower Shop Network newsletter Caring for Lucky Bamboo
I’ve had my bamboo shoot for 3 years now, and it’s always prospered well. A few months ago, I noticed that the ends of the leaves were turning yellowish, and a friend of mine who’s grown babmboo for years said it was common because I was using tapwater, and that it was fine; he always used tapwater and many of his bamboo plants had their brown tips for years. I didn’t start worrying until about 1/4 of the leaves turned completely brown and curled up. Since then, the rest of both leaves have turned yellow, save for a small patch of green on each, the stalk leading off the main stalk to the leaves is mostly yellow, and the main stalk itself is yellowing. For the past several weeks I have been using nothing but bottled Deer Park water with the shoot.
The stalk itself is still very firm, so I suppose that’s a good sign. Can you suggest anything for me to try? I thought it might be getting too much sun down on the dining room table, so I moved it up to my room where only a slight bit of sun gets in, which I thought would take care of the plant’s need for indirect sunlight. But it is still yellowing. The dining room windows are curtained, but I thought that maybe they were letting in too much light; I guess not. Please help me if you can; it was a gift from my girlfriend and I have grown very fond of it.
Rob,
Lets address the issue of leaves turning brown. Two things can cause it to turn brown: 1 – fluoride in the water (tap water often contains fluoride) and 2) air that is too dry.
So, if you change to distilled water and mist the leaves every day or so, then you can elevate the browning. The problem now is that it has gone past browning into yellowing. Yellowing is usually caused by too much light or fertilizer. Unless you recently placed the lucky bamboo in the dining room, I don’t think light was the factor. If you have fertilized the lucky bamboo, then the fertilizer may have caused a problem. I recommend changing the water (check you bottle water – some bottled waters still contain additives) and giving it a few days to adjust. If the stalk continues to yellows cut it off and let it produce new growth. To encourage new growth – cut the stalk about an inch above a node making sure there is green growth only; then wait a few days and begin misting the cut section. Don’t fertilize your lucky bamboo again until you have a full set of healthy leaves.
Keep in mind that when we move plants they go through transplant shock and it takes a little time for them to recover. So try to place your lucky bamboo in it’s permanent home after you cut the yellow off.
Hello, i have lucky bamboo stems were growing so well and now these stems were veru taller. then i thought to cut in the middle and cut and try to to grow again put in different vases. with the roots one and cut part of sterms both are going to turning yellow. and without the roots are going to dry from the top too. please accept my reqest and let me know to meke them healty againg.
Thanks
Raj
Raj,
I’m not sure why they are turning yellow. When you cut lucky bamboo it is best to put it in fresh distilled water with no fertilizer. If you fertilized them after you cut them then the fertilizer is causing the problem. If you use tap water the fluoride and chlorine could be a problem. Re-cut the lucky bamboo and remove the yellow parts. Stalk with roots – make your cut about an inch above a node (raised ring on stem) and place in container with fresh distilled water. Wait two days and then lightly mist the cut surface every couple of days to encourage new growth. On the lucky bamboo stalks that don’t have roots cut again – make sure there isn’t any yellow. Dip the cut in rooting hormone and let dry overnight. place in a container with fresh distilled water. do not fertilize either for a couple of months. Try not to expose either to direct sunlight – they prefer indirect light. You might want to read Caring for Lucky Bamboo
Good Luck.
Hi,
I have lucky bamboo stalks in a glass container with pebbles and water. Their leaves were all dark green but recently some new leaves are growing light green, However it seemes that they dont have any problem and are not yellow, is it normal or should I change the location with less light?
Thanks.
Noosha,
Have these new leaves always been light green or just recently? If they have always been light green they may just be young and will eventually turn darker green. However, if the leaves were dark then became green then they may be in the process of turning yellow. In this case there are two reasons that contribute to yellowing leaves – light and fertilizer. If you haven’t fertilized you lucky bamboo, I would try moving it away from the light slightly to see if the leaves become darker. If this doesn’t do the trick and the leaves remain pale but not yellow, try fertilizing the lucky bamboo. Use a water soluble fertilizer at 1/10th the normal strength and give the lucky bamboo a very small amount.
Hello there,
In December, I bought my boyfriend’s mom some “lucky bamboo” as Christmas present as well as a house-warming present. The bamboo stalks have been holding up great until recently. One stalk out of five has recently started to die :(. I have the same recurring problem as alot of other people have had…the stalk is going yellow from the top down and has grown very mushy in the yellowish areas. I haven’t read very many promising posts… but I guess the bamboo is giving me some hope as the leaves are still quite green.
From what I understand, my boyfriend’s mom waters the plant with tap water, doesn’t fertilize it and leaves it in the same area with indirect sunlight. Do you have any ideas of what could be causing this yellowing in just one stalk?
As well, is there a possibility that this yellowing could be transferred to other stalks?
Any help you can provide would be great,
Thanks so much!!
ps. I wish I had known i could attach an image of my bamboo plant!! …Then I would’ve taken a picture.
Carmina,
It is a good idea to remove the yellow stalk from the others, just in case the problem tries to spread. Fluoride can be a problem for lucky bamboo and tap water usually contains fluoride. Unlike the chlorine it doesn’t evaporate but it usually causes brown leaf tips not yellow. Do I understand that only the stalk is yellow and not the leaves? This would indicate a fertilizer or chemical problem. So it could be the tap water.
I would remove the yellow stalk. If you are able to cut off the healthy part of the lucky bamboo and start a new one do this separately from the other stalks. Take and clean the container and the stalks that are still healthy. This way we can eliminate any bacteria that might be a problem. To do this take a wash cloth with a little soapy water and wipe the stalks. Set them aside and wash the container with the soapy water, rinse throughly and fill with distilled or filtered water if possible. Then place the stalks in the container and proceed as normal.
You can still send me a photo if you would like. You can upload it in the comments imapge upload feature or email them to me at jadams@flowershopnetwork.com.
Good Luck.
on these blogs i’ve read the leaves turning yellow. I have experienced the stalk turning yellow but the leaves are still green. What to do ? I mixed straight bamboo with the curved stalks and one of the curved stalks turned yellow the store i bought it from told me to insert small holes into the stalk to allow more water to be absorbed by the plant with a needle and it didn’t change anything so i cut the stalk up til the top where it was still green now i have a 2nd one turning yellow should i throw away both yellow stalks? is one yellow stalk infecting the other ones? please advise thank you so much
Joanne,
The lucky bamboo stalk usually turn yellow and die because of a fertilizer issue and sometimes as a result of fungal or insect damage. I don’t quite understand the advise you got about inserting small holes into the stalk. This is not a good idea. How long did you have the lucky bamboo before it started turning yellow? I suspect that the bamboo was given too much fertilizer prior to you purchasing it. Unfortunately once fertilizer damage occurs there is little you can do. Try changing the water replacing it with distilled water. Take the stems that are yellow and cut the green tops off and start new plants. Read Caring for Lucky Bamboo, it will have propagation instruction at the bottom of the page. The yellow stalks are not infecting each per say. But they may have all been exposed to too much fertilizer. Please keep me posted and let me know if you need further advise.
They told me to use bottled water so i\’ve been using Deer Park bottled water not distilled water. My straight bamboo i\’ve had for over 6 months and they are beautiful. I just got the curvy bamboo about 4 weeks ago and the 1 stalk turned yellow after only 2 weeks and the 2nd one turned yellow a few days after the first one started turning yellow. I had them in two separate containers and mixed them into one now i\’ve separated the yellow from the green bamboo and the green bamboo is still hanging in there but the yellow one is still sprouting green leaves but the stalk won\’t change back to green. Should i switch from bottled water to distilled water? thanks Jamie
Joanne,
Lucky bamboo is sensitive to salts, chlorine and fluoride. Your bottled water can contain salts and fluoride so you might want to use distilled bottled water instead. However, I doubt that water is the problem since you have your other Lucky bamboo for 6 months without any problems. It is my thought that the lucky bamboo was over fertilized before you got it. I would take the lucky bamboo with the yellow stalk and the green leaves and cut the yellow stalk off and root the top of the lucky bamboo. You can create curly lucky bamboo with your straight stalks or by manipulating the piece you cut off the top of the yellow stem. Keep me posted. Oh and always clean you containers and change the water when your lucky bamboo has decay issues.
Thank you so much for all your prompt responses I’ll try to cut off the yellow and root the top of the lucky bamboo
I need help I have had my bamboo for years and I put it in the window I have now learned that was a mistake two of my stalks already died and the big one is wilting in the middle can i cut it off and save some of or not. Thank You
Brandy,
You can start new plants from your stalk. First have you removed the lucky bamboo from the window and changed the water? If not this will need to be done. You can try to create new plants from both the top and the stem.
Just follow these directions.
New Lucky Bamboo can be created through vegetative propagation. Begin by finding a node – the raised rings that grow around the stalk – make a cut about an inch above the node. You will now have a top and a bottom. Leave the bottom in the original container. The bottom will have no leaves and after a few days will need to be lightly misted every few days to encourage new growth. The tops will have all of the leaves. Take the top and dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Let it dry overnight before placing the top in the original container or a new container.
Just remember that you will need to cut only healthy tissue and remove any bad sections.
Hi Jamie. I’ve read some great bits of info. on here, and I really appreciate your advice. I have a beautiful bamboo plant that was the centerpiece on the head table at my wedding. It has about 10 stalks, 2 of which are heart-shaped.
Unfortunately, our cat loves to eat bamboo, so we have to keep the plant in our den with the door closed so the cat can’t get in. We rarely use this room, and lately I am noticing some of the bamboo leaves are turning light green/yellowish. I use only distilled water. I have also tried moving the plant various distances from the window to see if the light was affecting it, but the leaves still seem to be getting yellow.
I am wondering if being in a closed-off room is affecting the plant? I know plants need carbon dioxide, so is it possible that the bamboo is not getting enough fresh CO2 circulation? Would that cause yellowing of the leaves?
I would appreciate your feedback. This plant has a lot of sentimental value and I don’t want to lose it! Thanks!
Janae,
Chances are the damage occurred before you got it. Do this Change your water one more time and clean the container. Place the Lucky bamboo about six feet away from the window if the blind is open about 1 foot if the blind is closed. As long as you heat and cool the room the sir quailty should be ok. However the humidity wont be sufficient for the lucky bamboo. Mist the air in the room around the lucky bamboo every three days. Don’t do anything else to the lucky bamboo for at least two weeks — this means don’t move it; don’t change the water; don’t fertilize it. ghe only thing you need to do during this time period is mist it or add water if needed. The yellow should stop spreading in about a week. Good Luck.
I recently purchased a set of 3 bamboo to go with a stalk I had for close to 6 years. The stalk I had for the 6 years was normally just kept in a glass with plenty of water. When I got the new bamboo I decided to put them together and shortly after the one I had forever started to turn yellow from the bottom up. It seems to of stopped about 3 segments from the top and the leaves and the top segments are doing well and are firm but the others segments are turning yellow and mushy and is turning brown near the rocks. I just hope its not to late to save the stalk I have had for 6 years.
Chris,
Did you have the rocks before or after you brought he new lucky bamboo stalk home? If you added them after you got the new stalk, you will need to clan the rocks and the container. They may have something the lucky bamboo doesn’t like. Be sure to fill the container with distilled water before you place the lucky bamboo back in the container.
Now the only way to save the older piece of lucky bamboo is to re-root it. Start by cutting off the yellow part of the stalk. You should now be left with a healthy piece of lucky bamboo. Dip the stalk in rooting hormone (you can find it at your local nursery & garden center) and let it dry overnight. Now place the stalk in the container with the distilled water. In a couple of weeks new roots should form. Don’t fertilize for a couple of months. Please keep me posted.
My lucky bamboo is yellowing from the top it is curly. Can I cut off the yellowed part. If I do will it grow back in the curly formation?
Jessica,
You can trim off the yellow top from your lucky bamboo. However it will not grow back curly. Spiral or curly lucky bamboo is created by manipulating the lucky bamboo stalks. If you want your lucky bamboo to be curly you will have to manipulate the plant to do so. Read the post about curling (spiral) lucky bamboo. It will give you the steps to manipulate the lucky bamboo stems.
I have a stalk of curly, lucky bamboo with leaves near the top which I love! The top of the stem is yellow and a little mushy though. The leaves, however, are still green and the segment it is on is starting to turn yellow. Is there any way I can save it with the leaves too? It is in a container with rocks and I was changing the water every week. I\’ve had it for a few months (with the rocks) and only recently has it turned yellow. I have never fertilized it. Last week, I put distilled water in it and removed it further from the light, but there doesn\’t seem to be much of a change. Can I cut off the yellow, mushy part and try to save the leaves and half yellow segment? If so, what do I do about the exposed, cut edge then? Thank you!!
Tessa,
You need to cut the yellow parts out. If the leaves have healthy green stalk attached to them you can cut the yellow part off and the green stalk will form new roots. However if the yellow goes to the base of the leaves there is no way to save the leaves. However the green stalk with the roots will form new leaves. In my reply to Brandy I detail how to remove the yellow and start new plants. Good luck and If have any other questions please let me know.
I’ve had my lucky bamboo for over 2 years and it’s been quite healthy. Just recently I’ve noticed one stalk going yellow – but only on one side of the stalk! I wouldn’t describe it as mushy by any means, but it is a bit less firm in the yellow areas than the green ones.
I have not changed anything in how I care for it. For example I’ve used the same kind of water since I got it and I’ve never given it any fertilizer. I’ve never exposed it to direct sunlight. It’s going yellow from the bottom, but only on the one side. The leaves, other stalks, and even the top of the stalk in question are all still nice and green.
The only thing I can think is possibly a draft, but any draft from the window wouldn’t blow directly on the plant, the way it’s positioned. We’ve had a couple of cold nights but we’ve had similar cold nights in years past and the bamboo didn’t turn yellow until just now.
What could be causing this and is there anything I can do to save/salvage the plant?
Katie,
For the time being move the stalk that is turning yellow to a separate container. When you move the stalk examine it closely. Does it have a sticky substance or unusual bumps on the stalk. If it does it may have an infestation of scale, aphids or spider mites. This can be taken care of with an insecticide or by wash it with a light solution of soapy water.
A temperature change could cause stress in the plant. If this is so the plant would more than likely turn a brown or black.
One possibility is the need for fertilizer. If the stalk is more of a pale yellowing but still firm it might need a very week solution of water soluble fertilizer.
If you could send me some pictures at jadams@flowershopnetwork.com, I might be able to determine what is going on. I think we have a good chance that the stalk can be saved.
Jamie,
About a year ago, I bought a lucky bamboo for my father, and until recently, it was doing wonderfully. About a week ago one of the salks started turning yellow, and we haven’t been able to figure out why. We’ve changed the lighting, it’s been getting the same water that we always have used (tap), and we have never fertilized it. I was wondering if maybe we have to change the pot it’s in? or if there is an underlying issue? I haven’t seen any kind of parisite on it, and it isn’t mushy, just yellow so far.
any idea what could be causing this?
Pam,
Although you have always used tap water, it may be the problem. Tap water from city systems contains fluoride and chlorine. Usually the percentage rate at which these chemicals are add to the water system is the same. However, occasionally the percentage can change slightly. It only takes a slight change for these two chemicals to cause a problem with the lucky bamboo stalks. Fluoride especially can cause problems with dracaena as a whole. Lucky bamboo is a species of dracaena. When fluoride is a problem it usually presents itself by turning the leaves yellow, but it can also turn the stalks yellow. I would recommend changing the water and cleaning the container. If you must use tap water place it in an open container for 24hours before your use it.
In case bacteria is the problem, cleaning the container with soapy water and rinse it thoroughly should help the situation. I would segregate the yellow stalks from the healthy ones if possible. If there is some underlying disease that we don’t know about this should keep it from spreading.
One other thing to check is temperature. A drastic change in temperature can also cause a problem with this nature. Check air flow patterns. If the plant is in the direct line of exterior door opens or heat/air vents this could be a problem and the plant should be moved.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
My lucky bamboo is getting yellow from de bottom to the top. I noticed something was wrong because it smells awful. The leaves still green; the roots are dark; the stem is mushy. I took it off from the pot, that I cleaned it, and clean the pebbles too, but I didn\’t return it there, I put it into a glass of water, then I took it off again. I did this yesterday. What can I do to keep it alive?
Lily,
You have to get rid of the mushy stem. Start a new plant from the green top. Follow the procedure I gave Brandy above. Since it turned yellow from the bottom up, I would just discard the part attached to the roots. You would need a healthy green section attached to the roots in order to save them. Once you cut the healthy green top off and it starts to root follow these practices:
Keep in bright light but not direct light.
Keep 2 to 3 inches of water in container at all times. Replenish water with distilled water.
Wait a couple of months before you fertilize and then only with a very diluted solution.
Good luck and keep me posted.
Thank you very much! I will try right now recommendation and keep in touch…
I have three stalks of lucky bamboo that has been thriving in my room for two and a half years. I’ve always used tap water on it, but I let the water sit before using it, and I’ve never used any fertilizer. About a month ago, I took the bamboo out and washed the container, and it was fine for about two weeks after that. Then, the shortest stalk started turning yellow from the top down. The leaves stayed green until just a few days ago, when they started turning yellowish, too. I’ve been washing some scum off of the bamboo for awhile now, but it’s on all three of them, and the other two haven’t seemed to be bothered by it.
I moved the yellowing one into a separate container two days ago, but I haven’t noticed any difference. The yellowing of the stalk has reached to about a centimetre above the roots, where it’s still healthy green. The stalk isn’t soft by any means, but it still looks unhealthy.
I’ve read through a bunch of the previous comments, and I checked for spider mites, which don’t seem to be present. Could it be the water? Or a problem with the light, or some kind of disease? Do you think I can fix it? I could send you a picture if you’d like.
Maria,
Since you have been using the same water all along I doubt that water is the issue. I don’t usually talk about nutrient deficiency in lucky bamboo, but in your case we might take a look at a calcium deficiency or even a trace element deficiency like manganese. Try using a very diluted amount of water soluble African violet fertilizer. Schultz has one that has trace elements. Unfortunately correcting a calcium deficiency is harder. I don’t know of any fertilizer with water soluble calcium. Check with your local garden center (not a discount store like Walmart or Lowes) but a real nursery & garden center. They might know of a fertilizer that you can use.
I will try looking for a fertilizer for it. In the meantime, I’ve noticed that the top of the stalk is becoming more brownish and wrinkling, and the leaves are yellowing more. Can it still be saved, or is it too far gone to help it?
Maria,
If the stalk is getting really soft and wrinkled, I would cut off the brown part. The green stalk will put out new leaves once the brown has been trimmed off. If you are not sure how or where to cut it. Take a picture and upload it here. Then I can tell you how and where to trim it.