Planting Echinodorus Tenellus

[pipsqueak]

Hi, i'd like to ask, how do you plant this plant. Is it true you have to plant it so that the crown is above the substrate? I've tried that but the plant keeps floating to the surface so out of exasperation, i shoved it a little bit deeper so that it wouldn't float up.
Is there a site which gives a guide on to planting different type of plants, or perhaps a book anyone would reccomend for personal reference. Thanks.

[David]

hi PS

for echinodorus Tenellus, it is best to buy them emersed as the plant itself are much longer. To plant this species is a 'labour of love' as each stock is planted individually using a tweezer.

Use your tweezer and grip gently at the root tip. Plug it into your substrate and it need not have the crown above the substrate. After about 4 days (for the roots to grow), cut off all the emerse leaf to 'force' submerse leaves to grow.

[Simon]

nope, just plunge them into the gravel, do not have to leave the crown above the gravel.. note that, if u have them emersed, leave them to develop their root structure for 4-7days then trim away the leaves to help them grow submersed leave better.. or else, just separate each strand and plant them a few cm apart

[juggler]

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On 1/13/2003 11:45:03 PM

Hi, i'd like to ask, how do you plant this plant. Is it true you have to plant it so that the crown is above the substrate? I've tried that but the plant keeps floating to the surface so out of exasperation, i shoved it a little bit deeper so that it wouldn't float up.
Is there a site which gives a guide on to planting different type of plants, or perhaps a book anyone would reccomend for personal reference. Thanks.
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Could be your gravel is too big? 2~3mm sizes is usually used.
Or there could be other fish like CLown Loaches, Corys foraging around and uprooting the plant?
Anyway, plant it deeper a little should help.

[lorba]

What did i was cut away the emerse leaves by half before planting, grow as well.

[pipsqueak]

David, Simon, lorba :
thanks for the advice! that it must have been the vallis that needed its crown to be above, or is it? Anyhoos, gonna cut them later, thanks for the advice once again! And planting the tennellus was so tedius, esp for the 'daughter' plants.

Juggler : I'm using Dennerle, and the clowns tenderly forage around the tenellus, so far they haven't uprooted anything. Thanks for the tip.

[NinjaFly]

pipsqueak,

Do you have any plant eating fish? They can be the source of the plant floating as they may be interested in feasting your plant and had them uprooted.

I used to have the Moonlight Gouramis that love pulling my E. Tenellus and Blyxa Japonica out of my substrate and then munch them!

BTW, I don't understand where the "crown" is. Care to elaborate on that?

[NinjaFly]

Lorba,

I think that planting the emersed ones first before cutting will be better as they promote the growth of the new roots. As suggested by David and Simon, let them stay in for a few days before cutting them.

I have a friend who cut it off first before planting and they rot off. I suspect that without those leaves, they can't survive.

[lorba]

yoz ninjafly, not sure about the rotting part. But i did it for a 4ft, and 2 1.5ft, the plants growing pretty fast tho. Actually it was one of the guy at Teo's who taught me this one.

[vinz]

Crown is the base of the rosette plant where the leaves grow from.

[NinjaFly]

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Crown is the base of the rosette plant where the leaves grow from.
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Thanks Vinz, I get it now...