Forcing Plants to Creep

[Purrbox]

I've read many times where this or that plant can be forced to creep. Never any details as to how this is accomplished. So what exactly is involved in forcing a plant to creep?

[travis simonson]

That's a good question. I haven't had much success forcing any plant to creep that doesn't do it naturally. Using tons of light has always been the best way I've found to keep plants close to the ground - I like to call it "light pressure" You can always try clipping the plant like you do with Glosso plantlets and placing it into the substrate. If it tries to grow upward from there and you're feeling ambitious (I tried this with H. micranthemoides "Erect" with limited success) you can bend the plant over and push the new growth into the substrate in an attempt to get it to grow laterally rather than vertically. I'll admit I've never had much luck doing it though. What plant(s) are you considering trying this with?

[src]

Most stem plants will grow upward under weak light, and outward under strong light. Right now, almost ALL of my plants are trying to creep, and it's a pain cleaning up all the hanging roots.

[czcz]

I like to do it with H. zosterfolia and L. brevipes. The idea is to use these plant's habit of naturally bending as it gets close to the light, but force it near the substrate. You're just using horizontal growth to your advantage.

As Travis said it takes a lot of light (and good CO2 and nutrients), and as you know the stem will root from the horizontal position and then send growth upwards, which will again bend with the light. If you have the right conditions the plant will basically do this on its own, and then the trick is lots and lots and lots of trimming to force the plant to keep splitting and staying low. In the end you'll have a dense rooted portion and lots of plant for shaping as you'd like.

[Purrbox]

Mainly I was curious about getting the Hydrocotyle Sibthorpioides to creep. While I don't mind it vining throught the tank, it'd be nice to get it to stay closer to the substrate.

I'd be tempting to try it with the Hemianthus Micranthemoides 'Erect' as well, but so far I'm actually having a fair amount of sucess keeping it low with severe pruning. It's branching nicely and isn't near as straggly as my previous attempts. It also seems to be putting out runners through the gravel, as I've had a few plants pop up about a half an inch away from the others. Blended with Marsilea Minuta this makes for a very appealing foreground affect.

I'm trying similar tactics on my Elatine Triandra, which has decided that it's not particularly fond of creeping in my 10 gallon most likely due to getting shadowed by the fast growing stem plants. I'm having a bit less success with it, but haven't been nearly as good about keeping it trimmed as I should be. Might be worth trying some of the methods to force it to creep as well.

[czcz]

Just FYI, getting H. sibthorpiodes or H. leucocephala to stay low can be a headache with a light substrate. I don't think this is a light issue as much as it is the runners take a minute to get a root system going, and the plants just seem to love to float. A couple of your and my gurus loosely wrap a lead weight around the stem to help keep it down. Also, IIRC Tetrin forced H. leucocephala down repeatedly and used a couple strategic weights.

H. verticillata is way better and more effective as a round substrate shape imo.

Great news and tips about the HM 'Erect.' I'll have to try that -- my regular HM still hates me.

edited: spellin'

(Moved to Aquascaping)

[Purrbox]

Sounds like I need to pick up some plant weights. I was already planning on buying some to weight down seaweed that I bought to feed the shrimp, might as well try it on the Hydrocotyle Sibthorpioides while I'm at it. Since the Hydrocotyle Sibthorpioides is in my tank that doesn't have the Turface MVP, I may still be able to have some luck getting it to do what I want.

One of these days I'd like to have a chance to play with regular Hemianthus Micranthemoides, as it would be interesting to see how it differs from the Hemianthus Micranthemoides 'Erect'.

[Zezmo]

For the Hydrocotyle type plants, and even some of the hygrophila species, keeping them creeping takes some maintenance every couple days.
Highlight, CO2 etc, can make it easier, but what really works is continually burying the growing tips. Every time the growing tip emerges from the substrate, produces a leaf node, and then keeps growing. Bury that growing tip. There are many plants that respond to this treament that are more traditional ground covers, Glosso, Elantine triandra, E tennelus, Ranalisma rostratum etc. Keeping the growing tip burried even helps these plants form a better carpet.
For stem plants, like Hygro species, you can use the air roots, as each node drops roots, bury those roots. Though I have only done this with hygros, I bet you could do it with other stem plants.

[newfound77951]

My Ludwigia repens grows roots at each node like a champ, I bet it would creep if forced. So does the Myriophyllum mattogrossense and the Hygros. I'm forever clipping off hanging roots!

The repens would look nice. Maybe I'll try and report back on how it works.

[Purrbox]

Just wanted to add that with frequent severe pruning the Hemianthus Micranthemoides 'Erect' is now creeping all on its own. Looks really nice this way and blends with the Marsilea Minuta creating a denser carpet.