Plants die after trimming

**octopus** · 31st Jul 2013, 09:17

After a major overhaul. Changing of soil, plants and dosing regime has yielded some encouraging results in healthy and algae free growth. Now i am motivated to try my hands at scaping. But base on my past experience every time a plant is trimmed either it dies or the tip becomes black(algae i suppose). Also some of the plants that have nice bloom at the top looks awkward after a trim. Sorry for this silly question. Do you trim the top or uproot and trim off the base?. Or is there trimming technique that have been overlooked?.

**thebaldingaquarist** · 31st Jul 2013, 10:29

Every plant in the scape should have an ideal height. This ideal height is the height at which the scape looks most natural and pleasing.
Everytime you trim, should try to trim 10% lower than the ideal height. so that even when an awkward bloom occurs, the scape will still flow.

Thats what i do.

As to why the plants die after trimming,
1. was there enough leaves left on the plant for it to survive?
2. what time did you trim? i find aquatic plants shrivel up sometimes. I think internal water loss?

**Shadow** · 31st Jul 2013, 10:56

depending on the plant, not all plant can be trim the same way. Most of the plant need about 2-3 weeks to recover. During that time it does not look good. Stem plant normally will die off after 4th or 5th trim, you need to replant the cutting after 4th or 5th trim

**AQMS** · 31st Jul 2013, 11:34

Originally Posted by Shadow

depending on the plant, not all plant can be trim the same way. Most of the plant need about 2-3 weeks to recover. During that time it does not look good. Stem plant normally will die off after 4th or 5th trim, you need to replant the cutting after 4th or 5th trim

Really? Is there any article that i can read about this..

**David** · 31st Jul 2013, 11:35

Personally when it comes to stemmed plants, when it gets too tall or too bushy, I will remove the whole stalk of the outer perimeter (if not all) and trim it at the root level and replant. The reasons this is my preference is:

1. I keep the stemmed plant tips (some stemmed plants tips have different coloration and the tips are most beautiful).

2. If I trim it across like a barber, the tips are lost and 2 to 3 sub branch will emerge

3. Some stemmed plants goes mushy for awhile before they recover.

4. Lastly the bottom of the stemmed plants would have lost its leaves due to insufficient light.

This is why, currently I avoid stemmed plants as due to my nature of work, time is an issue for me. Perhaps my coming tank in Malaysia would have stemmed plants. My personal rule of thumb is not exceeding 10% of tank area.

**Shadow** · 31st Jul 2013, 13:13

Originally Posted by zerofighterx101

Really? Is there any article that i can read about this..

If you do ever maintenance stem plant like rotala, ludwigia for period of time, you should have experience it

. Different plant species have different mileage of course, HM seems to last forever.

**octopus** · 31st Jul 2013, 14:04

Originally Posted by David

Personally when it comes to stemmed plants, when it gets too tall or too bushy, I will remove the whole stalk of the outer perimeter (if not all) and trim it at the root level and replant. The reasons this is my preference is:

1. I keep the stemmed plant tips (some stemmed plants tips have different coloration and the tips are most beautiful).

2. If I trim it across like a barber, the tips are lost and 2 to 3 sub branch will emerge

3. Some stemmed plants goes mushy for awhile before they recover.

4. Lastly the bottom of the stemmed plants would have lost its leaves due to insufficient light.

This is why, currently I avoid stemmed plants as due to my nature of work, time is an issue for me. Perhaps my coming tank in Malaysia would have stemmed plants. My personal rule of thumb is not exceeding 10% of tank area.

100% agree to all the points. I would rather bottom trim than live with the uncertainty of top trimming. I cant live w/o stem plants....

**octopus** · 31st Jul 2013, 14:14

Originally Posted by Shadow

depending on the plant, not all plant can be trim the same way. Most of the plant need about 2-3 weeks to recover. During that time it does not look good. Stem plant normally will die off after 4th or 5th trim, you need to replant the cutting after 4th or 5th trim

Hi Shadow, looks like you have all the answers. That's amazing

. This is too complicated for me. I will take the path of David. Thanks Guru for your active participation.

**David** · 31st Jul 2013, 14:48

Errh I strongly believe that Shadow is more experienced then I am. Looking at his tank and mine....my tank is a far cry.

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