How to keep new plants in substrate?

[Ben K]

Question, is there any tricks in keeping new plants buried within the substrate?

My substrate is 1/3 black gravel 2/3 Flourite Black Sand. I find trying to keep plants in this substrate, which is really soft and light, very hard. The one bushy steam plant I bought, I had to find a spare lead band that I get with plants some times and use it to weight it down in the substrate.

Is there any other method?

Is the lead band that comes wrapped around the base of some plants alright to be left in the substrate with the plant indefinitely?

 

[theotheragentm]

For some stem plants which are pretty tough, I just bend the stems a little and put a rock down over it.

 

[Ben K]

Okay, I'll have to grab some river rocks or something. Any other hints or tips?

 

[travis simonson]

Using forceps or tweezers to plant your stems is a great help. Planting the stems one-by-one, as much of a pain as it is, will also help. Push the individual stem as far down into the substrate as you can with the forceps. If it still comes up you may consider increasing the depth of the substrate so that you have enough to hold it down. I use weights as a last resort.

 

[Ben K]

I'll have to see if I can find some tweezers that are not too hard as I would rather not damage the base of a plant...know of where I could get such a thing?

 

[travis simonson]

I use stainless steel forceps that I got on Ebay. They were quite inexpensive and work great. Plant stems are a lot tougher than you might imagine and I've never had any problems with them getting crushed by the forceps.