terminal bud/rosette

[johnson529]

I'm quite new to planted tanks and am currently just trying to learn as much about planting, pruning and propegating them as possible before I plan a proper scape. In my tank at the minute I have:

Pogostemon Helferi
Hemianthus Callitrichoides
Echinodorus Bleheri
Alternanthera Reineckii
cryptocoryne wendtii "brown"
Bolbitis Heudelotil
Java moss

All are doing ok and seem to be growing ok, and am now concentrating my attention on how to prune these plants and if possible plant any cuttings.

I read the article "pruning-A general guide to plant maintenance" by James Flexton and it was a very good read but I'm still struggling to adapt this general guide to some of my plants. Especially the Pogostemon Helferi, crypt, Reineckii and bolbitis.
Any information on pruning these plants would be greatly appreciated.

Also any info on planting cuttings for these types would be appreciated or growing new plants from existing ones. I've read articles on other sites about nipping a terminal bud and replanting it on some species but if I'm honest I have no idea what or where this is, despite searches.

thanks for reading

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
P. helferi is a stem plant masquerading as a carpet plant. Just pinch or chop it at a node and replant the top portion as you do with any stem. The same goes for A. reineckii.

Crypts leaves can be cut at the base if you're just trimming. If you want to propagate then just separate them at the crown and replant the sections.

HC can be just pulled apart at the base and replanted. The same for the moss.

Cheers,

 

[johnson529]

Thanks Clive. When new to this theres something quite unnerving about chopping plants when theyre looking quite well, but here goes.......

 

[ceg4048]

Yeah, I can appreciate that mate. If it's any consolation, just think about your lawn and how many times that gets chopped yet still looks great. Imagine what your local golf course or football pitch would look like if the grass weren't chopped quite brutishly with a rotating guillotine...

Cheers,