Trimming...

[HiJaC]

Hi,

A couple of questions on Trimming plants....

First -

Stem Plants

I've always assumed that when trimming stem plants you cut and discard the base section of the plant. Replanting the top.

But surely this looses the existing root structures and stunts growth until they get back. Also in my tank I have the joy of the "making the stems stay in the substrate" game.

Is it ok to trim the tops of some stem plants? And how does it effect the regrowth?

Java Moss

I'm really beginning to like my Java moss, and now it is settled in the tank its really spreading along the wood nicely.

I was reading the ADA awards site comments (the one where Amano was judging - he's quite a hard man to please) and it mentioned trimming the moss to promote denser growth.

Does anyone have experience of this? How do you manage and manicure your Moss?

Best Regards,

John

 

[rich311k]

You can leave the stem plant bottoms planted. They will grow new shoots from the leaf nodes. Done properly you can get a nice bushy effect. Sooner or later the bottoms will get so ragged looking that you will want to remove some of them.

I generally just use my hands and rip hunks of moss off when it starts getting over grown looking. You could use scissors as well.