leaves growing out of my Singapore moss!

[jtjh85]

Think the photo is a bit misleading but the leaves are definitely growing out of the moss... coz both the moss and the leaves aren't attached to the rock yet...

looks a bit like anubias don't you think?

wonder how it got there... I don't have any anubias in my tank[/img]

[FC]

Dear Jonathan,

Welcome here!

I hope you do not mind me pointing you to this thread http://www.killies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2978. I hope that you join/help us in our cause to improve posting quality here.

I look forward to your positive response.

Thank you!

[jtjh85]

Oh okay. I apologise. I did not realise that this was the practice at this forum.

And I'm definitely all for the practice of good english.

Cheers

[timebomb]

And I'm definitely all for the practice of good english.

I'm delighted you are with us on this, Jonathan.

What you have growing out of your moss isn't unusual. It looks like a Anubias and my guess is there's a bit of a rhizome there somewhere, under the moss.

Loh K L

[Happy Camper]

Hi Jonathan

Loh KL is correct, you probably had a tiny bit of Rhizome caught in the moss and it started to grow. This is a great way of propogating plants with rhizomes or even some African Violets which I tried not so long ago. Java ferns, Bolbitis, some Crypts and Anubias do well with this method.

You can grow the moss emmersed in shallow container (only a bit of water to keep up humidity. Take your Anubias Rhizome and slice it up into many pieces with a razor blade, place the pieces on top of the moss (this acts as a growing medium and giving off natural anti-fungals will keep the rhizome pieces from rotting). Within 2 - 4 weeks you will see leaves sprouting from the rhizomes. Let them put on a bit of growth and then they will be ready to be planted into the aquarium. Its a great way of quickly propogating slow growing plants like Anubias.

Here's a picture of the above method I tried with African Violets, as you can see it works very well:

Here's my homemade Nano Greenhouse


Here's what it looks like with the lid off, the violet leave just sits on top of the moss, the new shoots have since been sliced with a razor blade and planted in potting soil for the 'hardening off' stage. They are still small but doing very well.


Kindest Regards
Cameron James

[joteo]

Dear Cameron,

Thanks very much on showing us pictures of the way you propagate African Violets. My father propagates African Violets too, but in potting mix and it's usually a hit or miss affair.

As you suggest the same for the anubias rhizome, does it require to have at least one leaf on the rhizome?

Thank you
joanne

[Happy Camper]

Dear Cameron, Thanks very much on showing us pictures of the way you propagate African Violets. My father propagates African Violets too, but in potting mix and it's usually a hit or miss affair.

Hi Joanne, I will admit that with this method I have also had a few misses, but usually hits generally. There is a trick: when placing the Violet leaf on the moss make sure that the base of the leaf stem is a clean cut, if you don't do this then you will just get root development at the end of the leaf stalk, hence forming only one new plant. When the leaf stalk is cut you tend to get many plants forming on the stalk as opposed to only roots (as in the pic above). Let the plantlets grow in this stage until 1-2cm high (or until roots start developing). You will probably get 5-10 plants growing in a little clump, you can separate them with a sterilised razor blade into individual pants and then they can be potted into normal AV potting soil. If your father is looking for difficult to find species then let me know and I'll look out for them, I don't mind sending you a leaf or 2 to start the cultures.

As you suggest the same for the anubias rhizome, does it require to have at least one leaf on the rhizome?

No, you can slice the rhizome with a sterilised razor blade (either boiled or drenched with anti bacterial soap) into many pieces and new plantlets will eventually develop (they do fine on my bathroow windowsill). As long as they are on the moss they will not rot or get fungi. I highly recommend it, it works like a bomb.

Thank you
joanne

No worries, did you receive my ammended payment for the web contribution?

Warm Regards
Cameron

[joteo]

Hi Joanne, I will admit that with this method I have also had a few misses, but usually hits generally. There is a trick: when placing the Violet leaf on the moss make sure that the base of the leaf stem is a clean cut, if you don't do this then you will just get root development at the end of the leaf stalk, hence forming only one new plant. When the leaf stalk is cut you tend to get many plants forming on the stalk as opposed to only roots (as in the pic above). Let the plantlets grow in this stage until 1-2cm high (or until roots start developing). You will probably get 5-10 plants growing in a little clump, you can separate them with a sterilised razor blade into individual pants and then they can be potted into normal AV potting soil. If your father is looking for difficult to find species then let me know and I'll look out for them, I don't mind sending you a leaf or 2 to start the cultures.

Okay, I will try this. But I need to start an emersed form of moss growing first.

As you suggest the same for the anubias rhizome, does it require to have at least one leaf on the rhizome?

No, you can slice the rhizome with a sterilised razor blade (either boiled or drenched with anti bacterial soap) into many pieces and new plantlets will eventually develop (they do fine on my bathroow windowsill). As long as they are on the moss they will not rot or get fungi. I highly recommend it, it works like a bomb.

OK, I will try this out very soon. Does your bathroom windowsill get a good sun? Mine never gets the sun. It always feels like a cloudy day.

No worries, did you receive my ammended payment for the web contribution?

Yes, I did. Thanks very much. The list of contributors has been updated at the Notice Board under "How this website is funded".

Thanks
joanne

[Happy Camper]

Okay, I will try this. But I need to start an emersed form of moss growing first.

OK, I will try this out very soon. Does your bathroom windowsill get a good sun? Mine never gets the sun. It always feels like a cloudy day.

Yes, I did. Thanks very much. The list of contributors has been updated at the Notice Board under "How this website is funded".

Thanks
joanne[/quote]

Hi Joanne

The moss does not need to be in emmersed state to start, just as long as it is moist it will be fine.

My bathroom is like yours, looks like a cloudy day outside, will be fine.

Thanks for the update on the web funds, glad it made it through.

Hope you have a nice weekend, cheers for now.

Kind Regards
Cameron

[joteo]

Hi Joanne

The moss does not need to be in emmersed state to start, just as long as it is moist it will be fine.

My bathroom is like yours, looks like a cloudy day outside, will be fine.

Thanks for the update on the web funds, glad it made it through.

Hope you have a nice weekend, cheers for now.

Kind Regards
Cameron

Dear Cameron,

I've tried as you suggested and will let you know how it goes.

Thanks
joanne

[keehoe]

Hi Cameron, Can share with us why you choose Java moss as the "companion" of African Violet?

One of my taiwan friends sent me some java moss grown emerse form. After keeping them for a while, i realise a lot of seedling grown out of that. The size and the leaf shape looks like gloxinia/ AV. But i can't be sure as they are still young.

[Happy Camper]

Hello Keehoe

The moss has natural anti-fungal properties and thus is able to prevent the rotting of the rhizomes in plants like Anubias and Crypts. But it seems to work just as well with AV's. Another reason is it's more practical in terms of space; you don't need pots of sand to propogate the leaves, only a small drip tray with lots of moss.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Cameron

[keehoe]

Hello Keehoe

The moss has natural anti-fungal properties and thus is able to prevent the rotting of the rhizomes in plants like Anubias and Crypts. But it seems to work just as well with AV's. Another reason is it's more practical in terms of space; you don't need pots of sand to propogate the leaves, only a small drip tray with lots of moss.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Cameron

Hi Cameron, I thought only Spaghnum moss has that capability of "creating" suitable environment for itself rather than Java moss?

[Happy Camper]

Hello Keehoe

The moss has natural anti-fungal properties and thus is able to prevent the rotting of the rhizomes in plants like Anubias and Crypts. But it seems to work just as well with AV's. Another reason is it's more practical in terms of space; you don't need pots of sand to propogate the leaves, only a small drip tray with lots of moss.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Cameron

Hi Cameron, I thought only Spaghnum moss has that capability of "creating" suitable environment for itself rather than Java moss?

Hi Keehoe

Perhaps, but the proof is in the pudding, it works like a charm.

Regards
Cameron

[joteo]

Hi Cameron,

You were absolutely right. I put in a leaf of an African violet and it now has roots and I'm noting some nodules. In fact, the leaf had a crack/cut in the middle and roots have grown from that crack/cut too.

My father has taken your method further. He has also tried propagating with java ferns with another leaf cutting - I forget what plant - and has achieved success.

He says not only does this method give a lot of plants, it is also faster than putting it in soil.

Propagating in soil, he finds that a few leaves will grow fast, then they reach a dormant stage. Then one plant survives and grows and the rest die. Not so in this case.

Before my post goes too far beyond the "planted tanks" topic, I have to say that the anubias I cut up and put through your recommended method hasn't shown any progress at all. Maybe it's just such a slow grower I can't see any change. The good thing is, whatever I cut still looks green and fresh, without any fungus.

I was wondering if all mosses have antibacterial properties or is it only particular to java moss?

Thanks
joanne

[Happy Camper]

Hi Joanne

FANTASTIC to hear it's working for you and your father, I hope I have'nt gone and created 2 plant propogating monsters

I think all plants excrete natural anti-fungal chemicals but I'm no expert so don't quote me on that. I just borrowed the method for African Violets after seeing it being used elsewhere by other gardening folks. Some plants like certain Crypts just refuse to grow with this method while others seem to flourish, you and your father will need to experiment with other plants and see how they do, so far I find that the fleshier leaved plants do well. Give those Anubias some time, they will sprout.

I guess this method is a macro mode of Micro or tissue culture. If you and your dad really want to propogate plants at home in a huge way then go to http://www.kitchenculturekit.com/kit.htm and do some reading. There is a DIY kit you can make for yourself and you can propogate 100's of plants at a time in a very small space, but you need to work in a makeshift sterilised lab constructed out of an old fish tank or other covering. I'm sure you'll find it interesting.

Apologies for going off topic on this thread , I think perhaps we should make it private from now on.

PS. Thanks to Loh KL for popping in to my new forum and saying hi. You are but a gentleman

[timebomb]

You're welcome, Cameron. It is my pleasure to help you kick-start your forum. By the way, I tried to answer several queries from your members but for some strange reason, I couldn't find the "reply to post" button. It was there when I made my earlier post but I couldn't find it when I logged into your forum just now.

Someone must have stole your buttons, Cameron

Loh K L

[Happy Camper]

You're welcome, Cameron. It is my pleasure to help you kick-start your forum. By the way, I tried to answer several queries from your members but for some strange reason, I couldn't find the "reply to post" button. It was there when I made my earlier post but I couldn't find it when I logged into your forum just now.

Someone must have stole your buttons, Cameron

Loh K L

LOL, That was me trying to be clever, I made you a 'special guest' but for some reason you lost permission to post! I have rectified the problem (sorry about that)........NO ONE STEELS MY BUTTONS

Offering the moss to some of the new members was just awesome, I can't thank you enough