Trimming Plants

[Guppylover]

I have a plants that growing out of my tank, it's about 5cm out of the water already. How do you trim plants? Without killing the whole plant.
Do you like have to first wash the scissors then cut the plants diagonally right above the leaves or what?

 

[Teelie]

I trim mine just below the leaf on the stem itself. I have a few that are well above 3-5" above the water line- or would be but their leaves all bend once they hit the surface instead of growing straight up and out.

 

[Guppylover]

Mine grow straight up, it is hitting the glass now... time to trim ^___^

 

[smithrc]

keep the bits you trim and replant them

 

[Max]

keep the bits you trim and replant them

if you get enough you could sell them!!!

well you could....

 

[Guppylover]

Really, so with the leftovers I could just stick them back in the gravel and they would grow... just like that?! Sounds a bit to easy to be true.

 

[guppygirl]

Yep, it is as easy as it sounds. The hard part is trying to KEEP them in the gravel without curious fish digging them up!!!!

 

[Lateral Line]

In most cases, with stem plants, yes, you can put the prunings in the gravel and they will shoot. You might want to consider cutting well below the surface. You'll probably get a couple of new branches on the original stem from just below the cut, if you cut lower, it will bush out your plant.

I'm guessing to a certain extent as I don't know what plant it is, but that is the case with many stem plants, (practically all of the common ones).

>>> The hard part is trying to KEEP them in the gravel without curious fish digging them up!!!!

Certainly true.

 

[spottedbovine]

I agree, cut below the water, just below the node at a 45 degree angle, if you cut above the water you sometimes get an airbubble at the base where u cut. I just leave my cuttings floating at the surface of the tank till thay grow roots........hope this helps

 

[Max]

I just leave my cuttings floating at the surface of the tank till thay grow roots...

how long does that take? i havnt ever left them on the top

 

[Colin_BC]

I mention a another post (click here) about the hormones causing vertical growth and how it can be manipulated to make one stalk really bush out. When you prune a plant, it has a similar effect. Pruning removes the central growing tip with the lions-share of what causes the most vertical growth. Whats's left and newly-produced distributes the rest of the growth nodes below. Nodes that were formerly up-tight to the plant begin to grow new tips and then begin to bush out. The node closest to the top usually turns into 2 new vertical tips. In my experience with most plants, aquarium & garden, you prune 1 vertical tip and end up with two shortly after, plus bushier growth below. Bending, as in my post (link above) gives a little faster results with no cutting of the plants.

Just my 2 cents for what it's worth...

Colin