Cutting Java Fern Roots?

[cryosniper]

I bought a couple of java ferns from petco a while back. They came in those little plastic tubes and had stringy brown roots wrapped all around the rhizome forming a big stringy brown ball. I've had them tied to rocks for about 3 months now and they haven't attached yet. I now plan to do a complete tank renovation and was wondering if it would kill the plant if I cut off all the brown roots so I could attach the fern to a piece of driftwood? Obviously I will leave the rhizome alone, and aren't the brown roots only for attaching anyway?

 

[aaronnorth]

They do absorb nutrients aswell, but just trim them down to about 1cm, then the plant can use its energy on growing leaf mass rather than roots.

Thanks, Aaron