Lucky bamboo – Garden For Indoor

Turning yellow often signifies that your Lucky Bamboo is suffering from one or more problems. To fix this and regain their green vibe, you must know the reasons behind the issue and do counter steps. You will learn all these in this article. Overwatering watering is the primary cause of lucky bamboo turning yellow. Besides, Lucky Bamboo turns yellow due to lack of light, lack of nutrients, and low humidity. Incorrect temperature, low quality, and poor condition of water also compromise their health. Moreover, physical injuries, insect infestation, and nutrient deficiency can also cause lucky bamboo to turn yellow. In article will help you figure out the possible causes and solution to the yellowing problem. Can Yellow Lucky Bamboo Turn Green Again? If the Lucky Bamboo is just suffering from nutrient deficiency, you are lucky. If they make up that loss, there is a chance to bring back their true color. Otherwise, the yellow parts of the Lucky Bamboo won't return to green again. But don't lose hope, cutting the yellow leaves will make room for new growth. While for the stem, you can save the remaining part by replanting it. Though trimming will help, you still need to determine the main reason behind the issue. Failure to do so will lead to the continuous yellowing of the other parts. And this can further damage the entire plant and may even result in death. What Does It Mean When Lucky Bamboo Turns Yellow? Like most plants, yellowing means there is something wrong with the Lucky Bamboo. It is their way of showing you that they are suffering from certain problems. These include compromised requirements, environmental issues, chemical damage, insect infestation, and disease. If you were to address the problems properly, they will recover. Causes of Lucky Bamboo Turning Yellow Treating the yellowing Lucky Bamboo without the right information may worsen its condition. This article will explain several causes and include proper ways to solve them. Direct Sunlight Can Cause Lucky Bamboo Turning Yellow Lucky Bamboo originally thrives in lush rainforests. They are receiving only indirect light that is creeping out from the top. This simply means direct sunlight is not one of their requirements. So, if your lucky bamboo is getting direct sunlight, it will scorch the leaves. Prolonged sun exposure can even result in a sunburn. All these lead to the yellowing and drooping of the leaves. How to Fix Place your Lucky Bamboo in a warm spot with sufficient yet indirect light. Some examples are shady corners and the top of the table next to a bright window. Trim off the yellow or burned leaves. This way will prevent the unnecessary supply of essentials to these hopeless leaves. And divert them to the growing ones, instead. Too Much Fertilizer Overfertilization results in the formation of excess salt and minerals. Such conditions will harm helpful microorganisms in the soil. It will also alter the pH level of the soil, making the nutrients less available to the plants. Additionally, too much fertilizer specially nitrogen encourages the sudden growth of plants with undeveloped roots. Poor root structure will fail to support the entire plant. Because it can't supply an adequate amount of water and substances to the entire plant. All of these will weaken and stress the plant. These results in their stunted growth and defoliation. Wilting, yellowing, and even browning of the leaves, as well as stems, will also occur. How to Fix If you notice white crust on the topsoil and corner of the pot then you change the potting soil with a new one.You can reduce the overfertilizing effect by washing off the soil with a lot of distilled water. Pour water on the soil and let it drain out through the bottom, in this way the water will wash away the excess fertilizer and salts.Moderately feed your Lucky Bamboo with fertilizer, every month or so. I recommend using a balanced fertilizer, half of the recommended dose on the package. Little is better than too much. Incorrect Temperature Temperature is another important factor to consider for the optimal growth of Lucky Bamboo. It is for the reason that it affects certain physiological processes. Lucky Bamboo prefers a temperature ranging from 65°F to 95°F (18°C to 35°C). And this makes them ideal for environments like homes and workplaces. The too high temperature will make the respiration fast. If there are insufficient plant sugar and starch, high temperatures may break down these components as well. This will continue up until there's nothing left for the plant. Meanwhile, the too low temperature can cause chill damage to the plant. The water inside the leaves cells will freeze, expand, and destroy them internally. All of these can result in wilting, yellowing, and even falling off the Lucky Bamboo leaves. How to Fix Temperature Issues Be watchful if your lucky bamboo is somewhere where temperature can drastically change. This includes those spots near windows and doors. While these areas are great for summer, they become drafty in winter. Use a device to monitor the temperature and humidity. Nowadays a single device can let you know the temperature and humidity. Low Humidity Can Cause Lucky Bamboo Turning Yellow Another possible reason behind the yellowing of the Lucky Bamboo is low humidity. Humidity is the ammount of water vapour present in the air. When the environment gets drier, rapid transpiration (way of losing water through leaf pores called stomata) happens. In this condition, water from leaves tends to escape faster. Failure to immediately replace this water loss will result in the yellowing of your lucky bamboo. This plant requires a high relative humidity of 50% which is not hard to maintain. Normal household humidity is 40-60%. How to Fix Low Humidity Problem Here are the ways to help your lucky bamboo with low humidity: Get a humidifier. Humidifiers are the easiest way to increase the humidity of your room.Another DIY way is to make a gravel tray or pebble tray. Just put some pebbles on a tray and pour water on the tray. Now Keep the plant atop of a pebble tray. This works through evaporation from below up. If you have plenty of plants, place them together. This will create a microenvironment with increased humidity. Mist the plant. Spraying water to the plant will help increase the humidity. But you have to do this frequently since it lasts only for a short time. Be warned that this method can attract fungal growth. Insect Infestation Although rare, insects can attack your Lucky Bamboo. Mealybugs, mites are the most common pests for this plant. Do not underestimate those tiny pests. They can bring your plant serious and severe damage. These insects love sucking the plant juices from stems to leaves. Moreover, they secrete a growing medium (known as phony dew) for the fungi. When the fungal growth occurs there will be black or brown spots on leaves. This incident affects the food production process of the plant as it can not perform photosynthesis due to damaged cells on the leaves. Such conditions will lead to yellowing, curling, and even falling off the bamboo leaves. Not eliminating pest infestation can damage the entire plant. How to Combat Insect Infestation Solve the insect issues with these helpful procedures. For light infestation, remove the insects by gently wiping them with a rubbing alcohol solution. You can also use alcohol or a mixture of mild soap and lukewarm water. Treat the plant with insecticidal soap. Dilute the soap in a gallon of water or depending on the product label. Apply it through the foliage using a soft cloth or cotton. Trim the affected parts. This will prevent the further spread of infestation in the remaining areas. Just make sure to disinfect the tool.If the Lucky Bamboo is growing in the water, consider cleaning the vase and pebbles too. Afterward, refill it with distilled water. Isolate the infested Lucky Bamboo. This will stop pests from spreading to other plants. Discard the plant if it's severely damaged. Destroy and throw it away. Injured Stem Like humans, plants feel unwell and sick too if they get an injury. The stem helps to flow nutrients toward the leaves. Bending or breaking of the stem will cause an interruption of supply to the proceeding parts. The effect will show in the yellowing, dropping, and weakening of the affected parts. Some instances include intensive plucking of leaves, extreme pruning, and breaking their stems. How to Do About Injured Stem Cut the upper part from the broken stem. Unfortunately, grafting won't work for Lucky Bamboo so there's no way to reconnect them. But don't worry, it will give room for new sprouts.Using a shear, trim the stalk just above the node. This will encourage the growth of new offshoots. Protect the cut stem by sealing it with melted soy wax. This method helps the wound ditch infections. Also, choose an unscented, uncolored, and non-petroleum-based wax.Place the stalk back to its original place again. With sufficient water and a good environment, it will grow lush again.Place the Lucky Bamboo in secure places. This is to prevent them from falling off. If they're in higher places, kids or pets will not reach and damage them.Make sure that the laces or ribbons around them are not too tight. Too firm wrappings can also cause stem injury. Water Quality Like most plants, Lucky Bamboo is also finicky when it comes to water quality. They are susceptible to damages caused by unfiltered chemicals in the water. Such chemicals include fluoride and chlorine. You will not notice the effects overnight. It is because these chemicals gradually accumulate over time. These toxic substances will inhibit essential plant processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and metabolism. Sooner, the plant will start to wilt, turn yellow, and even brown. How to Ensure Water Quality Do not give your plants a tap or city water. It often contains disinfectants like chlorine.If tap water is all you have, then let it sit for 1-2 days. The chlorine will evaporate eventually. You can Collect rainwater or buy purified water. Install a water filtration system. It is a useful investment for your plants that will last. You can also try the DIY approach in distilling water. It will just take time and require effort. Stagnant Water If Lucky Bamboo is growing hydroponically, you should frequently check the water condition. If you leave the plant still for many months, unclean water invites creepy organisms to grow. This includes bacteria, fungus, and mold. They can weaken, reduce defenses, and even give the plant diseases. Additionally, stagnant water exposed to light is subject to algae. Algae is a problem as it can invade the vase. It will also steal nutrients that are only intended for the Lucky Bamboo. All conditions can lead to the distortion and discoloration of the foliage. Yellowing or browning of the leaves can also happen. How to Avoid Stagnant Water Change the water at least every two or three weeks. Fresh and clean water will discourage the growth of adverse organisms. Clean the vase and pebbles as well. Wash them using a mild soap and thoroughly rinse them. Pick darker ceramic vases. This kind will discourage algae production as it blocks lights. Or just avoid placing the clear container somewhere with excessive light exposure. If there's already an algae build-up in the vase, the following ways will help you: Gently remove the Lucky bamboo from its initial vase. Rinse its roots in clean water before you transfer them to another container. Separate the stones from the polluted water using a colander. Consequently, sprinkle the stones and the vase with salt for some minutes. Afterward, brush off the algae until they're gone. Rinse the pebbles and vase well. Bring back the plant to the cleaned base. Carefully position the pebbles and fill filtered water. Nutrient Deficiency Nutrient deficiency is evident in their leaves that are turning yellow, wilting, and drooping. You may slow and stunted growth. If this is the case, Lucky Bamboo is lacking either macronutrients or micronutrients. Macronutrients are what the plants need in a large amount. While micronutrients are the substances needed in smaller portions. The combination of these two is essential to assure vigor and healthy growth for the plant. Macro nutrients like Nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium deficiency are the usual causes of the yellowing incidents in lucky bamboo. How to Fix Nutrient Defficiency If you are growing a Lucky Bamboo in water, add some liquid fertilizer. Water alone cannot supply all the essential nutrients for a long time. Meanwhile, do the following ways if your Lucky Bamboo is growing in a pot: Water the soil sufficiently. Nutrients supply from roots up to foliage needs water. Ensure that the soil is within the acceptable pH range. Lucky Bamboo prefers a pH level of 6.0 to 6.5. Soil with pH out of this range will make some of the nutrients unavailable for the plant. How To Revive Bamboo Leaves Turning Yellow? Now, there is still chance to revive yellow Lucky Bamboo leaves. Here are the 6 effective ways to bring back your lucky bamboo to it thriving shape. 1. Choose The Right Container While Lucky Bamboo often comes with a container, you have to make sure if it suits them. The best container for Lucky Bamboo has the size twice larger than its root ball. Too small or large storage will cause root bounding or waterlogging, respectively. If these happen, damaged roots won't properly deliver nutrients to the plant. Pick a vase that is tall enough for them. This is to stabilize them at their peak height. A glass vase is good to pair with decorative stones. But avoid placing it in spots with low light exposure. Such conditions will induce algae production.Include dark-colored containers in your options. You can switch to these if you are quite busy. These are ideal if you cannot always monitor your plants from varying light conditions.If the Lucky Bamboo is soil-based, check if there are holes in the base of the pot. You can also add some by drilling it. This is for good drainage. 2. Proper Watering Practice Water your Lucky Bamboo moderately. Allow the top surface of the soil, around two to three inches, to dry before watering again. You can check it by lightly poking your finger deep down or using a moisture meter. Too dry soil will prevent the supply of essential substances from roots up. It is because there is insufficient water as the means. On the other hand, overwatering will drown the plant. It can lead to root rotting. And rotten roots can no longer uptake nutrients functionally. 3. Ensure Nutrient Supply To meet sufficient nutrient supply, feed the Lucky Bamboo with fertilizer. Do this at most once a month, depending on the plant's needs. Always go for natural and organic fertilizer. Some examples are fish emulsion, cured manure, and organic compost. It both improves soil quality and the ability to hold water and nutrients. Try to avoid chemical fertilizers, they are highly concentrated that can harm both the plant and soil microorganisms. 4. Ensure Enough Light Keep the Lucky Bamboo in spots with light that is not directly coming from the sun. Never leave them under the full sun. Intensive rays will destroy them. Their foliage will discolor as if the sun burnt them. Meanwhile, do not hide them in dark places. The inadequate amount of light will degrade the food production process of your lucky bamboo. Artificial lights are good alternative sources if there is not enough natural light. 5. Use Proper Potting Mix Lucky Bamboo requires soil that can hold moisture and nutrients and drains well at the same time. Buy or make your standard potting mix. Generally, vermiculite, composts, and builder sand or peat moss make it. Take equal parts of each component and mix it thoroughly. Do not use clay soil. Being heavy doesn't necessarily mean it's a quality soil. 6. Avoid Stressful Condition Like humans, plants fret from stressful conditions too. Extreme external conditions like rapidly-changing weather and temperature leads to stress on plant physiology. Strog drafts can snap the lucky bamboo stalk and tear the leaves. Hot days dehydrate the plant quickly. Humid and windy conditions encourage pest infestation. You need to be careful not to expose your Lucky Bamboo in these conditions. These can also further lead to nutrient deficiency, poor health, and stunted growth. FAQs Can yellow Lucky Bamboo turn green again? If the culprit behind the yellowing issue of the Lucky Bamboo is nutrient deficiency, yes. It can return to its true color once it regains enough essential substances. Otherwise, you cannot bring back their green appearance. Should I cut yellow leaves off the Lucky Bamboo? Unless the reason for the yellowing is nutrient deficiency, cut the affected portions. Trimming off the yellow parts will also stop unnecessary nutrient supply in them. This method also encourages new growth. Can you overwater Lucky Bamboo? You should not overwater Lucky Bamboo. Excessive amounts of water can rot the roots. Rotten roots will weaken, damage, and even kill the entire plant. Final Words You have now learned the factors to look out for when the Lucky Bamboo turns yellow. You are also well equipped with knowledge on how to approach and fix them. (Source: University of Georgia Extension, Integrated Pest Management, University of Missouri)