Find Your Ask the Expert: lucky bamboo
Help my lucky bamboo’s stalks are turning yellow I change the water everyday and the water is spring water what am I doing wrong I do not want my plant to die it is inside out of direct lite ty for your help Lisa
Lucky Bamboo – Yellow Stalks and Spring Water
July 23, 2008 by
Lisa,
First it isn’t necessary to change your water every day. Second, lucky bamboo stalks that turn yellow from the bottom up are a result of over fertilization. Usually to counter act the over fertilization we clean the container and change the water. However, depending on the spring water you are using this might be the problem. Fertilizer is composed of salts and some spring water contains salts and other ingredients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. For a plant that is already stressed these may cause further decline. Distilled water is recommended for lucky bamboo because it has gone through a process that removes most of these issues. Lucky bamboo stalks that begin to turn yellow find it difficult to recover. But don’t give up change the water one more time with distilled water. Mark the place where the yellow and the healthy green touch. Wait a few days if the yellow continues you will probably need to cut the top off and start a new plant. Read Caring For Lucky Bamboo, it has a section in it that will tell you how to do this. If you have any other questions please let me know.