Trimming/pruning Cambomba

[ZoddyZod]

Hello,

My cambomba plants have doubled in size and now lean at right angles underneath the waters surface. I need to get them back down to size.

Do I simply cut the excess from the top? Can that excess then be replanted?

 

[ian]

yep, cut and replant. The lower you go the more it will bush out. Have a net handy though when you prune it, cos it goes everywhere!

 

[ZoddyZod]

yep, cut and replant. The lower you go the more it will bush out. Have a net handy though when you prune it, cos it goes everywhere!

I was hoping that pruning would help them to 'bush'. At the moment they are a bit sparse with about an inch between leaves.

 

[Nick16]

cut just above a node.

a node is where there is a small thickening of the stem where leaves come out. the thickness will only be for a few millimetres but if you cut slightly above the node, say 1cm, you should get 2 new stems growing out from the node. thus you will go from having 1 stem planted in the substrate and 1 stem in the water column to 1 stem in the substrate and 2 in the water column. This saves you having to plant loads and aloads into the substrate to get the desired bushy effect. 'Dutch' style scapes use this to best effect.

After a while you will have to toally rip up and replant as this process cannot go on indefinately. This is simple as you just uproot, choose the nicest looking stem of the 2 that have grown and replant it. (if they are both really good, cut them both off and wack in the gravel!)

 

[ZoddyZod]

cut just above a node.

a mode is where there is a small thickening of the stem where leaves come out. the thickness will only be for a few millimetres but if you cut slightly above the node, say 1cm, you should get 2 new stems growing out from the node. thus you will go from having 1 stem planted in the substrate and 1 stem in the water column to 1 stem in the substrate and 2 in the water column. This saves you having to plant loads and aloads into the substrate to get the desired bushy effect. 'Dutch' style scapes use this to best effect.

After a while you will have to toally rip up and replant as this process cannot go on indefinately. This is simple as you just uproot, choose the nicest looking stem of the 2 that have grown and replant it. (if they are both really good, cut them both off and wack in the gravel!)

excellent, thanks for the advice.