Rhizome plants in general

[Verminator]

I have a couple of plants that have rhyzomes. Anubias and Java fern. On both specimens some of the leaves look old, and half dead. I want to trim them off, but am worried this will kill the plant.

I just want to check if its possible to trim the leaves off from the joint to the rhyzome. Obviously this will leave a bare section of rhyzome if say 3-4 leaves need to be trimmed (which in my case they do) So my question ultimately is in this bare section i'll open up will new leaves grow out or will it just grow from the end of the rhyzome spreading?

Expereience so far with my Java fern has been that after 1 month of it being trimmed it actually hasnt grown new leaves in the area trimmed.

Thanks in advance, James

[corywink]

no, new leaves will not grow at the area where you cut the old leaves. However if you have enough leaves, you can cut the rhisome and a new plant will sprout, that's how I propogate anubias. You can do this with java ferns aswell but new plantlets also grow from the leaves in java ferns.

[Verminator]

So that means that practically i have about 4 good leaves on several rhyzomes that will no longer sprout leaves. I think i may just kill it off and buy new and start again. Seeing as though its basically impossible to propagate new plants from it. Thus why i have several rhyzomes now, due to propagation attempts over the last 2 years which have all consequently failed miserably.

Thanks though, James

[dagger13]

once for java ferns i had so many baby plantlets on the parent leaves so i just separate them and grow them some else or just slot it in ur tank or wood somewhere

[Verminator]

One thing about my Java fern is that new leaves over the last two years have never grown more than 3 inches. The initial plant was about 5-6 inches in length, but this has since died off. The java ferns i have now are those plantlets which i attatched to wood, these have never grown above 3 inches. As if they are dwarfed. I'm bemused by it all. I may just scrap it, and buy new and try again.

[StanChung]

Hi Verminator,
Java ferns are quite easy to grow and they grow into large bunches over one year period, I suspect you have it competing for nutrients with stem plants. In this case you may need to increase your fert dosage to match.

I've seen may LFS here with beautiful stem plants and glosso but the ferns look like they've been bleached with green veins. Some type of mineral/nutrient deficiency.

edit-As to your question-Yes you can cut it close to the rhizome. Do not cut till you see new shoots.

Bolbitis are pretty tough.
Java fern not as tough but still very plus their leaves can have babies.

[Verminator]

Yes, i do have a few stem plants, 6 stem plants with 5 different species of stem plants within my main tank. Plus alot of crypts to compete for nutrients.

I use the Flourish range of nutrients to add to my tank, currently i follow the recomendations on the back of each container for the size of my tank (180 Litres).
If i'm going to increase it i'm worried what this will do to my livestock, if anything? And if i do increase it, any idea how much by?

Perhaps double? I don't know, this may be rather naive and extremely stupid Any help much appreciated.

[StanChung]

Hi Verminator, [I feel strange calling you that]

I think you can safely double the dose and wait. Fishes would not be overly stressed. The dose is usually not enough. If you need to be certain you are hitting the ppm's. You can use this to calculate>
APC's fertilator

[Verminator]

Ok i will do Worried by overdosing, and how severe the consequences can be, if at all severe. Totally oblivious to the dangers of doing so.

The names James, by the way if it gets tiresome [odd] calling me Verminator

[StanChung]

Hi James,
Plant fertilizers are not dangerous in general except for some of the elements in the toxic form. No need to be overly afraid unless you keep very sensitive species like shrimps. We dose 7X more than we are supposed to for weekly doses anyway. If you split it up into per day as plant absorbs, theoretically it should be of little impact to the inhabitants. Of course after awhile this becomes a chore. LOL. So 2X or 3X weekly is more doable.

[Verminator]

And a little less damaging to the depth of ones pocket too I see now. I shall start a new regime of x4 what i was doing originally, and hopefully that twinned by two new lights i shall purchase for my tank plant growth should pick up

Thank you StanChung