How to make a bamboo shoot grow?

Question

I have a bamboo shoot that is growing leaves out of one place. Are there any secrets to get it to grow in other places. For instance, for a christmas cactus, you stop watering it around Nov and put it in a closet so it blooms for christmas. I was hoping there was something like that for bamboo.

Answer 1

I am guessing that this bamboo is in either a pot indoors or in a vase indoors, as it sounds like it is quite a small bamboo. It should stalk from the top, and the top two or three joints will sprout again at some point.

The first link may be encouraging since you can see the actual growth of bamboo documented in photos, but mind you it is outdoors.

Bamboo grows really fast, and some varieties spread like crazy. If you have your bamboo in a pot or vase indoors, I would recommend you keep it there, as the methods of controlling it once in the ground outside are difficult and intensive.

That said, I believe the answer to your concern with the stalk having only one shoot will be addressed by time. It won't be long and that stalk will either send out more shoots or that shoot will grow and send out more shoots.  The second link below will show pics of exactly what you describe and appears to be quite normal.

Happy Gardening!

Answer 2

I'm guessing that what you have is Lucky Bamboo, which is, strangely enough, not a bamboo at all. It is a resilient member of the lily family that grows in the dark, tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and Africa. Lucky Bamboo has long been associated with the Eastern practice of Feng Shui - or the bringing of natural elements of water, fire, earth, wood and metal into balance within the environment.

What you need to do is to change its water every week, and keep touching its roots to see they do not get slimy. Lucky Bamboo prefers plenty of indirect sunlight and room temperatures at 65-70o.