Not having much luck with 'lucky bamboo'

I need help with my 4-year-old "lucky bamboo" plant, which is growing in water with rocks. I've tried to get help, but everyone gives me vague information. The plant has a couple of problems. To start, it needs to be transplanted, and I don't know how big the new pot should be. And the leaves keep turning yellow and are slowly dying. But my biggest problem is the stalk: When the outgrowing stalk gets to twice the size of the original, it's supposed to be cut off and transplanted. I need to know how to cut and transplant the stalks - some of which are four to five times the original height and leaning like they're going to fall and break. (I use rubber bands to attach them to shorter stalks to keep them from breaking.)

- Cathy Sheehan, Port Washington

Your bamboo isn't technically a bamboo, at all. "Lucky bamboo" is a common name for Dracaena sanderiana, which is said to bring luck. True bamboos are invasive grassy plants, which are said to bring headaches. Typically, lucky bamboos are sold in bundles of stems tied together with ribbons in an opaque ceramic container filled with pebbles and water. They're actually pretty easy to care for, requiring only moderate indirect sunlight, monitoring of the water level, which could require topping off every two or three days, and a complete change of water about once a week.

If your tap water is chlorinated (check with your water company if you aren't sure), fill a container with water and let it sit for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate before watering plants with it. If your water contains fluoride, use bottled water because fluoride may not age out of the water like chlorine does. Keep the water at a level where it just covers the pebbles, and check that the bottoms of all the stems in the bundle are level before returning them to their vase.

Infrequent water changes and chlorinated or fluoridated water are the most common culprits of yellowing leaves. Insufficient sunlight can cause this problem as well, but use caution because the plant does not do well in bright conditions. And never allow fallen leaves to remain in the water.

To manage the size of an overgrown plant, trim the offshoots from the main stalk with a sharp knife and discard, or simply move the plant into a container that will support its height. Don't overfill it with water, though, as roots will sprout on whatever plant material is submerged.

Examine the original. You'll notice a succession of rings around each stalk. If you want to try to make another plant, use a sharp knife to cut a stalk just above a ring, ensuring you select a piece with at least one leaf node. Return the original stalk to its vase and place the new one, cut side down, into another container filled with water to cover the bottom fourth of the stem. Adding rooting hormone to the water can be helpful but isn't necessary. When reddish roots grow, you can move the stalk into a decorative container with pebbles.

To give lucky bamboo plants a boost, add a single drop of a liquid fertilizer like Green Green to the water once a month.

My lawn is starting to get compacted. My plan is to rent an open core tiller in the fall to core aerate the lawn and then dethatch it in the early spring. Is that the proper course of action?

- Paul Deleva, Sound Beach

Core aerate around Labor Day and again around Memorial Day, unless you're growing Zoysia, which should be aerated in late June. Afterward, it would be a good idea to put down about 1/2 inch of compost over the area. I don't recommend dethatching, as those machines can do more harm than good. Core aeration helps to dethatch, so stick with that.

A small layer of thatch is not a problem. To determine whether yours needs attention, lift up a small portion of turf with a shovel and examine the area between the grass and the roots. Thatch is a spongy brown layer of dead organic material at the base of the grass. If it's less than 3/4 inch thick, leave it be. If it's thicker, test the soil's pH level. It should be between 6.3 and 7.0. Follow the test result recommendations for adjusting the pH, which will go a long way toward helping the lawn break down excess thatch on its own.