• If bamboo yellows, it may be lack of nutrients, or a natural growth pattern.bamboo image by micha from Fotolia.com
  
  If you have a bamboo plant, you are probably used to seeing its bright green foliage year-round. If the leaves start turning yellow, you may be worried that you have a problem. Watch the yellowing closely to see how it spreads. If it looks like it is causing damage to the tree, you made need to make some changes to the bamboo's environment to help it survive.
  
  

Water

• Too much water and too little water can be dangerous to bamboo. Too much water will waterlog the roots, leading to rot and the eventual loss of leaves. Too little water and the bamboo will start to wither, with the same symptoms showing. Make sure that the soil that your bamboo grows in is well-drained, and water the bamboo frequently if the soil feels drier than usual.
  
  

Soil Conditions

• If water isn't the problem, then your soil conditions might be. Soil low in nutrients can starve the bamboo and lead to yellowing leaves. Bamboo can grow very quickly in the springtime, and may draw nutrients from the ground faster than you can replace them. Make sure that your bamboo is well-fertilized before spring growing times.
  
  

Contamination

• While bamboo has natural defenses against mold and pests, it can sometimes be attacked by bacteria, mold or algae around its roots. This is more common with lucky bamboo (actually an unrelated, though similar, water plant), but normal bamboo grown in moist climates may also suffer from the problem.
  
  

Aging

• Aging leaves are a natural part of bamboo growth. Like tree needles, the leaves bamboo creates last only several years before they must be replaced. The old leaves wither, turn yellow and eventually drop off to be replaced with new shoots in the natural green color of the bamboo. If your bamboo appears otherwise healthy and strong and is a few years old, it may be a natural process.