[mrramsey]

New to plants and maintenance... Any suggestions on my water wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)?

When I initially got it from petco it had 5 stems and a bunch of roots. I separated into 3 plantings and they initially grew fast. I trimed and planted 2 additional stems. They are growing new growth at the top but the bottoms are quite bare. I assume that this is from the length of time that they were crammed into the petco tank in tight groups.

What can I do to improve this? Cut the stem way down and replant the upper sections that have the newer growth?

 

[JeffHerr]

On these plants, you pull the stem out, cut and discard from the bottom and replant the top. It'll grow fast enough that it'll fill in in no time.

If you have smaller plants than what you show in the pic, I might let them keep growing with the bare stem to allow more growth before you trim. But the ones pictured look tall and healthy.

 

[mrramsey]

On these plants, you pull the stem out, cut and discard from the bottom and replant the top. It'll grow fast enough that it'll fill in in no time.

If you have smaller plants than what you show in the pic, I might let them keep growing with the bare stem to allow more growth before you trim. But the ones pictured look tall and healthy.

So discard the bottom roots and all?

 

[shinycard255]

So discard the bottom roots and all?

No, obviously make sure the roots are in the substrate. Cut about 2" above the substrate and replant what you cut. What you cut and replanted is going to continue growing, but also where you cut from the original stem, a new plant will start to grow

 

[Politikz_Amore]

Plenty of times, I trim the stem as high up the plant as needed,
leaving the original with one or two leaves, often the pruning
will encourage new growth.

After a few days/week, if no new growth starts to emerge,
or when the plant starts to melt away,
discard the remaining portion.

 

[mrramsey]

OK so I started a little experiment in my QT tank.

I pulled one of my sickly looking wisteria stems and trimmed 2.5" above the roots, removed the mid section and replanted the top.

I will see how well it does. The lighting in this tank is not the best - 15watt 8500k bulb. It is only a 10g tank.

 

[JeffHerr]

For me, this plant grows so fast, I've never really needed to propagate, just trim. So yes, I throw away roots and all. But you can certainly split and keep both. I'd imagine the bottom (old) growth will look different from the top you replanted.

 

[amberoze]

If you let the stem grow tall, the bottom leaves will begin to fall off because the top leaves will block the light from the lower leaves. If you trim the tops as has been suggested, you'll see more side shoots and be able to plant more stems and have thicker growth.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Merth]

Mine sprout new growth right from the cut section so I leave them behind and continue growing....I also have left the leaves floating til they grow roots and plant them to start new plants. It really is an easy plant to grow. One thing they like is ferts literally grow like a weed if u dose.

 

[WestHaven]

Mine sprout new growth right from the cut section so I leave them behind and continue growing....I also have left the leaves floating til they grow roots and plant them to start new plants. It really is an easy plant to grow. One thing they like is ferts literally grow like a weed if u dose.

I just did this last week. I had several plants that I trimmed, and I left one trimmed portion as a floating plant. The fish love it too.

 

[laqu]

my betta LOVE to sleep in the floating trimmings