4 leaf clover problem

[Cliffz]

Folks,
a few weeks ago I bought a 4 leaf clover pot plant (that didnt sound good) about 5 inches high. I noticed the leaves are browning. everything else in my tank is doing fine--Any suggestions?

Any tips on trimming Penny wort--its growing up to surface and covering left side of tank surface--shading lower plants from lite
Also have a bulb "lily" ? beautiful like elephant ear leaves- its grew to hit surface can I just cut these long runners off at base?
55 gal
65x2 x8hr light
Greg watson ferts
injected co2
Thanks Cliff

 

[JDogg]

what you are seeing is the emersed (out of water) growth dying off, it will be replaced with underwater growth that is maybe an inch tall and looks nothing like clover

 

[Cliffz]

JDogg,
Not sure if i understand--The entire plant is underwater and was where I bought it. hmmmmmmmmmm?

im italian and german--not irish--maybe thats it?
thanks

 

[JDogg]

JDogg,
Not sure if i understand--The entire plant is underwater and was where I bought it. hmmmmmmmmmm?

im italian and german--not irish--maybe thats it?
thanks

yea, but it has to be underwater for a while before the leaf type switch happens, how long was it in the tank at the store?

 

[dapellegrini]

^ Yep - I thought my clover was doomed, but it has come back with a vengeance. This plant is typically grown out of water to avoid algae and infection and then sold to your LFS, who drops it in a tank of water to sell it. Takes a couple of weeks for it to start looking bad, but it will need to loose all of it's old leaves and grow new ones. Should be fine. If it is in an area of direct light, you will most likely see one-leaf clovers appear as new growth.

With your Pennywort, massive trimming any which way. The stuff grows back so fast it almost doesn't matter. Just leave at least one root/node.

Lilies can be harder to control, but if you keep cutting off the stems that run for the surface (at the base is fine) they should start to fill in underwater.

 

[Cliffz]

folks,
Thanks -I now understand the 4 leaf clover mystery! One more question--The Clover came in a plastic pot which I discarded and removed all the plant wool. I planted the clover in one clump. Should I separate it and spread it out? How does it propagate? Thanks

 

[JDogg]

folks,
Thanks -I now understand the 4 leaf clover mystery! One more question--The Clover came in a plastic pot which I discarded and removed all the plant wool. I planted the clover in one clump. Should I separate it and spread it out? How does it propagate? Thanks

when i got mine i planted it in little clumps, and it spread out from there with runners

 

[Hoovercat]

Clover makes single-leaved straight line runners with little branching IME. Once it has healthy submersed growth (short one leaved stubs), I would seperate into as small bits as I wanted to plant. Right now it's stressed by switching growth processes.

 

[dapellegrini]

Kinda like this:

 

[Cliffz]

Wow! Excellent pics-Thanks--
I would love a low carpet like that!! My clover is like 8 inches high and all the leaves are turning yellow-brown, no low runners like you have!
bummer

 

[rich311k]

it will adapt Cliff. just be patient.

 

[dapellegrini]

Ya, that's how I got mine. I actually thought they were all dead at one point... If I remember right it took about 3-4 weeks to see it start to turn around for me. This is not a fast growing plant, even under the best conditions.

It is interesting to see the different heads it starts to get. Most reduce down to one leaf, but you will start seeing submerged 2,3 and 4 leaf heads over time.

 

[Cliffz]

Grasshopper has to learn patience!!

thanks guys!

 

[dapellegrini]

Yep... If you play it out right, you should be able to get it to do something like this:

 

[gu2high]

dapellegrini, I am really impressed with the pictures. I couldn't believe it is 4-leaf-clover. It is beautiful and ideal for fry. But one issue with that dense ground cover, it is hard for fish to find food once the food drop to the ground. I guess even cories can't find the food.

 

[dapellegrini]

It is a kind of stiff plant, but I drop wafers on there every day and have no issued. Between the cories, botia, farlowella, shrimp and snails, it seem to stay clean above and below.

 

[Cliffz]

WOW!!!!

Now let me understand--you bought it low and let it spread? I only see it in stores about 8 inches high. I love the look What awesome pictures! Thanks
I have
2x65w -6hrs
55gal
injected co2
greg watson ferts

 

[dapellegrini]

When I got mine it was maybe 5-inches tall (emersed growth). After several weeks the tops of the tall leaves started to turn black and I saw my first runner.

When I tore down my setup in January I found tons of it that I didn't know I had growing under other plants and driftwood. I used it to plant the beginnings of a carpet. It has taken about 3 months for it to fill in now, but I am very happy with it.

Here is a shot a few weeks after it settled in my latest setup. The yellow leaves were new sprouts:

That was back in February.

 

[Cliffz]

Sent PM