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25
June
2009

Trimming Stem Plants

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trimming-header

Hopefully with this post, I’ll be able to help you get the best from your stem plants. I’ll show you some of the techniques i’ve acquired for trimming various stem plants.

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The most important part of the trimming process is to have a good quality pair of ordinary kitchen scissors or surgical scissors. For trimming sessions that consist of huge densities of stems such as Rotala Rotundifolia, Rotala sp. Green or M umbrosum I’ll opt for sharp kitchen scissors and cut through them like cutting hair.
To pick out individual stems that may grow quicker than the rest of the pack I’ll use good quality surgical scissors and precisely cut just above the Node.

For plants such as Hemianthus callitrichoides (HC) due to the low growing characteristics, to successfully cut this plant you’ll need slightly curved scissors. Another thing to take into account is the ability in using both left and right hands to get to the opposite hand when within the aquarium. This comes with practise.

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Don’t be afraid to trim! When I first started trimming plants, there was always a fear, an uncertainty! The only thing you have to get right is the timing.

Here’s a demonstration of trimming with my latest aquarium, Autumn Blush. The tanks is 3 weeks old now, and it’s time for it’s first “proper” trim. I did trim Alternanthera reineckii and Eustralis stellata a week previously.

this shows the aquarium prior to it’s trim.

before

The use of sharp kitchen scissors.

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For the real delicate stems such as Hemianthus micranthemoides, surgical scissors are essential. With this plant i’ll just nip out the stray stems. Good light is keeping this tight and compact.

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And finally, the scape after trimming.

after

When trimming stems there are a few things to consider. One being the final layout appearance. Deciding the height of the stems in the final look is an important part of trimming. Try to use wood, rocks and even other plants like crypts to dictate where the first cut should be.
Hopefully you can see from the above images, the trim line is just about inline with the anubias. On the left it’s the same, so Hemianthus micranthemoides, will cover the rough parts of the lower stems in time. The same goes with the right, with E Tenellus and crypt sp. being the trim line.

Here’s a short video showing a trimming session.

I’ll keep updating this post over time so be sure to check back.

- Mark Evans


7 Responses to “Trimming Stem Plants”

  1. Richard says:
    June 28, 2009 at 15:45

    Very detailed Mark.

    Job well done ;)

  2. saintly says:
    June 29, 2009 at 19:39

    Thanks Richard,

    in time, I’ll update this post as i gain more experience with different stems.

  3. LondonDragon says:
    July 7, 2009 at 18:24

    Great stuff Mark, thanks for sharing :)

  4. ashpitt says:
    September 7, 2009 at 08:44

    Yet another neat tank Mark!!
    1 quest frm me. which one is easier to get bushy HM or rotala?

  5. ashpitt says:
    November 12, 2009 at 01:27

    Hey Mark,
    need your assistance on HC trimming.

    1)When is the best time to do it? As for now my HC is about 1 inch thick and the unroot stem easily melts. I will find lots of detached HC tips floating in my tank every morning. Un-easy sight to wake up for.
    2)How radical or low should I go to ensure my HC bounce back. I ask this due to my previous experience with glosso. I used to have a lush glosso carpet but they are gone after i trimmed them as a golf green..no single leaf left. (bad guide posted in Youtube) Whats left for me is a field of melting glosso stem.
    Guidance needed

  6. James says:
    November 12, 2009 at 02:36

    Hiya bud, I can’t speak for Mark, but from my own experience with HC I tend to give it a trim every 4 weeks at first, simply to encourage runners so it fills out more. After a couple of months or so I’ll reduce trimming to every 8 weeks or so, but I’ll go at it harder - trimming back to around 1cm in height. There’s bound to be a bit of dead matter under the cushion of fresh growth, but it should come back nice a green within no time. I think the downfall of the Glosso was getting rid of all leaves, as these are needed for photosynthesis. HC should have plenty of leaves left even when hacked right back. If you’re unsure, trim one area slowly, reducing the height each time. As soon as you feel uncomfortable with what you’re doing, hold off on trimming further and monitor new growth over the next few days.

    [edit to add some pictures]

    [ Trim 1 · Trim 2 · Trim 3 · Trim 4 · Trim 5 ]

    Hope this helps… We have more planting and trimming tips coming soon too, and might do a special on HC, so look out for it :)

    - James

  7. ashpitt says:
    December 24, 2009 at 17:44

    Thanx heap James,

    Yeah your guide is a huge help added the pictures are bonus.
    Looking forward for the next tips from Plantedbox.com

    Cheers,
    “Merry X’Mas”




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