# Help? I'm Killing Lucky Bamboo



## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

My brown thumb strikes again! At this point I've killed duckweed, water sprite, lucky bamboo, spider plants... Basically all I can grow is algae, and now my current lucky bamboo is starting to worry me.

It's not in my tank yet, just a cup of conditioned water for quarantine. Gets indirect sunlight pretty much all day depending on the weather. Two stalks are doing just fine- dark green leaves, healthy roots, no problems. The third, a cool swirly stalk, seems as though its leaves are just disintegrating. They're wafer-thin in places, drooping and yellowish. The stem and roots seem fine. Is it done for? I though about plucking the worst leaves off, but decided to get some advice first.

In another cup I'm trying to root a leaf shoot, the original stalk turned yellow after two healthy years so I decided to try and save what I could. It's still green, still looks like the leaves are growing, but the stem is dark yellow-orange at the bottom and it's gotten some sort of white fuzz that keeps coming back.

Is there any hope, or should I just accept my fate as a plant murderer?


----------



## TheFishyFoxy (Nov 9, 2013)

Bamboo isn't a true aquatic plant, so a couple of leaves need to be sticking out of the water. Is the bamboo in some kind of substrate? With just my household bamboo, we put it in regular water with rocks. It's green now and used to die fast!


----------



## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

Only about an inch of the stem is below the water, sorry for the confusion. I bought it from a store that had it completely submerged which is what I think damaged the leaves. No substrate, just a bare cup the same water I use for my fish tanks. I can put in some gravel and see if that helps anything I suppose.


----------



## sponge1234 (Oct 29, 2013)

Does the bambo have any light? That might explain the dying leaves. And i read that you have also had spider plant? spider plant is a non-aquatic plant too.


----------



## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

Again sorry for the confusion, the spider plant was not in my aquarium- it was just an example of an "easy" plant that I've killed.

My window faces east so I do get sunlight, I try and keep the plants out of the direct sun though. And my room light is a tube florescent, no idea the specs since it's school-issued.

(Sorry if this posts multiple times- having computer trouble)


----------



## gracierat (Aug 15, 2013)

Have you used any ferts? I have lots of lucky bamboo, it's one of my favorite house plants. I put 1 drop of miracle grow liquid plant food in each of my vases every time I change the water, also they are very sensitive to fluoride and chlorine so I use distilled water for mine. I have had mine for years, and they do great, lush and green. I change the water about every couple of weeks, mine are in glass vases with pebbles, so I just empty, swish with clean water, then refill and a drop of liquid plant food. I do want to try some in my tanks, I just haven't done it yet


----------

