Question: I have several bamboo plants that the stalks are all yellow/brownbut
the shoots (leaves) are all still green. What should I do? Is there a
way that I can remove the green shoot clusters and re-root them to
grow once again?
The plants themselves are about 5 years old, but I have a twisted
stalk one that is over 7 years old and under the same light, water,
feed everything and it didn't happen to it.
I would truly appreciate any help that you could give as I really
feel badly about the loss of these plants. Thanks in advance for your
time.
Hardiness Zone: 7a
Sherry from Omak, WA
Answer: Hi Sherry,
I am going to assume your talking about ribbon dracaena (a.k.a. Dracaena sanderiana) or as it is commonly referred to, "Lucky Bamboo". In general, these plants are tough and seem to be able to hang on for quite some time even once they enter an apparent state of decline. Once their shoots turn yellow, though, there is not usually a whole lot you can do to reverse the damage and revive them. The good news is, you can still cut off some of the remaining healthy green shoots and root them in water.
I'm curious. Are they all in similar types of containers (ceramic or glass is best)? If the bottoms of the containers hold rocks, are the rocks all the same kind? If not, could some type of metal from either the rocks or container be leeching into the water holding the sick plants?
Are the 5 year-old stalks related to each other (from the same plant)? Are they together in the same container? If so, you may want to remove the sickest stems from the container and change the water to prevent anything from spreading to the remaining stalks.
You said you feed them all the same kind/amount of food, but is it possible that you overfed them? If so, change the water immediately and don't feed them for at least a month. Remember that even though they are all "bamboo", as individual plants the younger plants may still react differently to water chemistry, food, etc., than your older plant.
Normally when Lucky Bamboo stalks turn yellow, it is an indication of something in the water, or a sign that the plant has been overfed. My only other suggestion is to place the bamboo in a dark room for a few days and then bring it back out into the light to see if it perks up at all.
Good luck!
Ellen
About The Author: Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
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