Yellow Bamboo

I don’t remember exactly when we got the bamboo plants. It was some time during the pandemic because we ordered them on line. They looked nice in the large vase on the sideboard in the dining room. I also added some sticks and a faux flower to jazz it up. At Christmas I always exchange the bamboo for greens, and the bamboo is moved to another location. About a month ago I noticed that two of the stems were starting to turn yellow. And then it got progressively worse - so much so that the stems could hardly stand upright. Some say the reason is dirty water or too much sun. I hadn’t changed anything from before and as far as I know these plants are basically indestructible. Perhaps the moving around caused the problem. But the yellow continued and it was not looking good. So yesterday the two shoots were extracted from the vase. I saved the leaves from the top and added them to the vase - just to see if anything happens. Then a few pothos type greens that I’ve been rooting were added for a trailing effect. They seem to survive well in just water and they also look nice in our wall vase. It’s a lot easier than switching out real flowers every week. So hopefully the fresh water and soon to be spring air will be all the bamboo needs. I guess we will find out in short order. 

Wall Vase Yellow Bamboo

We have had our wall vase for years. Every once in a while we would add fresh flowers to the greens. It has two tiers. At the beginning of the pandemic I ordered some bamboo shoots to put in the top vase. The lower vase now has cut greens that have rooted, a couple of dried flowers, twigs and cuttings from the balcony vines. We have tried a lot of different things - even orchids. But nothing seems to last very long, although the unusual items last longer than any cut flower. So when one of the bamboo sticks started turning yellow I knew it was only a matter of time when it would deteriorate. So I removed the sick bamboo yesterday. Now there is only one bamboo shoot left. Rather than leave it alone the rooted variegated leaves from the balcony flower basket were added, along with a twig and another green that was moved from the bottom vase. The cuttings of another green had rooted elsewhere in the house and it was added to the top vase to give it more volume. I think the bamboo is getting too tall and may need to move it to the lower vase. Right now it’s looking much too green. What’s nice about having the wall vase is that it adds a bit of whimsy to the living room and the greens last for a long time. It’s also a nice spot to appreciate the seasons by adding an appropriate reminder - Christmas ferns, pine cones, and colorful tiny ornaments always look nice. We have even stuffed the vases with small gourds for Halloween and thanksgiving. The sky is the limit for any option. All it takes is a bit of imagination. 

Lucky Bamboo Rocks

Since we no longer have biweekly flower bouquets for our wall vase, my husband suggested bamboo. Then, when we start getting flowers again, they can be added in. We have a small bamboo plant in the bathroom. It survived living in our Capitol Hill condo bathroom over many years. So we ordered in nine pieces through Amazon. In order to keep the stems upright, we like to add stones/pebbles to the container. But the stones weren’t considered a necessity and they took awhile to arrive. In the meantime I split the bunch up in to three vases - the wall vase, the console table plant vase, and the bedroom “regular” vase. When the pebbles arrived they all went in to the wall vase because the top of the vase is too wide to contain the stems. I do miss the fresh flowers and have tried to order the $4.99 bunch via Instacart from Wegman’s or Fresh Market, but they are never available. So for now the bamboo meets the need and looks rather nice. Staying indoors doesn’t bother us too much. Having living plants to care for is a bonus. 

Lucky Bamboo

We had a big change of scenery yesterday. Since we haven’t been outdoors since March 13, items we need the most - particularly groceries - have been delivered to the lobby of our building. We get a call to pick them up. We put on masks and take every precaution when we leave our unit. It’s also the time we pick up mail - otherwise we go at midnight to avoid contact. Whenever possible I try to schedule deliveries in late afternoon or evening to minimize running in to anyone. Otherwise, any non perishable package is left by the door after seven pm. Most of those have been necessities - like toilet paper. It’s an art to snag this item as of late. We used to buy cut flowers every other week or so to put in our wall vase and on the plant console in the dining room. For quite some time, the vases have been empty. My husband was commenting the other day about bamboo plants for the vases. We have a small one in the bathroom that has lasted forever - without a window, but indirect light. Of course, everyone is looking to keep busy indoors - and caring for houseplants has become a big deal. So I found a place in California that ships bamboo plants. They arrived yesterday. The box was sprayed with alcohol, and after being “quarantined” for 24 hours, we opened the box today and unpacked the plants. I still need to figure out exactly where they should go - perhaps a few in the bedroom? Until then, a few stalks were placed in the vase on the plant console, and a few in the wall vase. We may add some small river rocks or maybe we won’t. Such decisions! There’s something sweet about having and taking care of plants. It’s a great diversion that helps us both.