Plant Positions Explained

[markandhisfish]

im looking at plants on a website that has plants categorised by location . and it has alternanthera reineckii given as a midground plant , yet states a max height for the plant of 20" now maybe im being thik here but surely that would make it a background plant?

 

[markandhisfish]

is it that it will grow that tall but its more ommonly used as a midground plsnt but pruned back to restrict its height? or is that 2 dumb questions in 1 post

 

[SuperColey1]

Yes it will more than likely be pruned back.

However those position guides are pretty misleading really

If you have a 1ft tall tank then your background plants aren't going to be the same as a 2ft tall tank. A small nano may be using only the lowest of the 'midground' plants as its background etc.

I wouldn't go by any height guides if I were you. Most of the Crypts suggested max heights are way under the heights I grow them to. I just sold some plants that were 60cm long after I've been taking the longer leaves off. The longest ones of that plant I had was 80cm. All the guides say it only grows to 40cm. A bit of a difference there. lol

Take guides for what they are and then research. You will get a better guide from seeing certain plants in someone else's tank than from a measurement that people seem to pick out of the air.

AC

 

[markandhisfish]

so if a plant is getting too tall for its position you can safely for want of a better phrase, take a bit off the top without killing the plant?

the tank im top bidder on at the moment is 400mm deep , so basicly according to the "guide" the afforementioned plant would in fact be suited to the background?

 

[SuperColey1]

so if a plant is getting too tall for its position you can safely for want of a better phrase, take a bit off the top without killing the plant?

Thats how all those scapes you see have created the bushy appearance.

They cut the plant at one third up from the bottom. then it branches and they keep repeating until they get the bush. The 2 third bit you chop of can be pushed back into the substrate and start over again.

AC

 

[markandhisfish]

i see. and you can do that with absolutely any plant?

 

[SuperColey1]

stems. yes.

Supposedly start 3 nodes up, then each new prune should be a further node up.

AC

 

[flix_cw]

stems. yes.

Supposedly start 3 nodes up, then each new prune should be a further node up.

AC

Ok this is where i get really confused. I've got some hygro polysperma that i want to make bushy.

For example, i've got one particularly tall stem, but leaves are only growing on the top quarter, making it look very top heavy. If i just chop it halfway down and replant the top half, will the remaining bare stem sprout leaves?

 

[flix_cw]

Ok i think i've got it now. The most effective method seems to be to uproot, trim off the bottom, re-plant the top part. Seems like a lot of work! Might look into finding a rosette replacement for my H. polysperma!

 

[SuperColey1]

For example, i've got one particularly tall stem, but leaves are only growing on the top quarter, making it look very top heavy. If i just chop it halfway down and replant the top half, will the remaining bare stem sprout leaves?

It should do and I would expect it too however I am by no means an expert with stems

AC