ILuvMyGoldBarb
04-04-2008, 12:37 AM
Have you ever looked at a beautiful dutch setup and wondered how they got that beautiful look out of something as common as Rotalla roundifollia? How did they get those stem plants to look so full and rich? Well, it doesn't happen overnight, it takes time and work.
Achieving that nice full look from your stem plants requires 2 types of pruning. First, you will need to trim the tops of the plants and snip each new branch close (how close depends on how full a look you want. As you cut each of these it will cause the plant to branch. The more you cuts you make the more they will branch. After a short time you can have 10-20 branches coming from the main stem. Second, to maintain this nice rich full look, trimming from the bottom will become necessary. To do this you pull the plant out from the roots and trim the necessary amount from the bottom of the plant and then replace it in the substrate. Finally, you will reach a point where you simply have too many plants to maintain the look. At this point it will become necessary to dispose of some of the stocks. here's where you get a chance to cover some of your costs. You can sell these plants online or to local hobbyists. Some stores may even be interested in taking some of them. However if none of those are an option please be sure to dispose of them properly. Some of the plants we keep can survive in our native habitats and can be invasive species. Be sure the plants are disposed of in a method that ensures that this will not happen.
Achieving that nice full look from your stem plants requires 2 types of pruning. First, you will need to trim the tops of the plants and snip each new branch close (how close depends on how full a look you want. As you cut each of these it will cause the plant to branch. The more you cuts you make the more they will branch. After a short time you can have 10-20 branches coming from the main stem. Second, to maintain this nice rich full look, trimming from the bottom will become necessary. To do this you pull the plant out from the roots and trim the necessary amount from the bottom of the plant and then replace it in the substrate. Finally, you will reach a point where you simply have too many plants to maintain the look. At this point it will become necessary to dispose of some of the stocks. here's where you get a chance to cover some of your costs. You can sell these plants online or to local hobbyists. Some stores may even be interested in taking some of them. However if none of those are an option please be sure to dispose of them properly. Some of the plants we keep can survive in our native habitats and can be invasive species. Be sure the plants are disposed of in a method that ensures that this will not happen.