Ludwigia Repens question

[Jeff1192]

While I'm asking plant questions, here's another. I have a really nice clump of ludwigia repens growing. However, the oldest stalks have quite a few roots growing off them. They would look much nicer without all the roots. Is there anything I can do to discourage the root growth?

Thanks,

Jeff

[charlie]

Not much ,i`ve heard of folks trying different approaches, but i`ve never had any success with the adventurous  roots, it`s one of the reasons i hate it  ,there is some speculation that the plant is sending it out to obtain more nutrients, but i`m convinced that`s not so, it`s just the natural behaviour of the plant.

[dan2x38]

Charlie I agree about the roots I don't think there seeking neutrients. I think there are more on a healthy plant. I love the plant as do I ploysperma species put like all hygros they too send out the water roots... wish there was a way to prevnt them. Jeff post in The Krib or Tom Barr's forum he would know.

[Jeff1192]

Thanks for the input guys....that's kinda what I figured. I find that the more I prune it the less roots it seems to send out. It's mostly at the base (the oldest part of the plant) where the roots don't look so good.  Maybe I can re-arrange things a bit to hide that lower part of the plant.

Jeff

[dan2x38]

I read about karen Randell using Wisteria as a foreground plant. She layed sideways letting the water roots take root than pruning it often. Maybe try that with the repens... hey I like that maybe I will try it... 

[kennyman]

Yes it makes quite a root mass. Especially when an old stem acts as a stolon. That is a horizontal stem above the substrate that produces adventitious roots. A bit different than a rhizome which is essentially the same thing under the substrate.

If a customer or client were to ask me about it I would say something like: It a Submerged Stoloniferous plant which creates a mass of stems which lie horizontally near to the surface. It does not lend its self to vertical shoots without continually removing older plants and replanting newer shoots.

[zima]

I constantly (every month - month 1/2) replant the nice pink/purple tops and lose the lower, rooty plant. I know it is not very sustainable, and with all honesty a pain to perform on a regular basis in a densely planted tank, but I really don't like the looks of the heavy root system.

[dan2x38]

When you up root a plant it stalls the growth hence no nutrient pick-up. If you do this to a lot of plants to often and using EI dosing or heavy dosing you could have algae issues.

[charlie]

When you up root a plant it stalls the growth hence no nutrient pick-up. If you do this to a lot of plants to often and using EI dosing or heavy dosing you could have algae issues.

I have not expereinced that as yet, i regularly uproot  top off & replant with no issues as yet.I would think stem plants should not be affected , since their uptake is mainly from the water column. ( I would have to research this one)

[Jeff1192]

I have not expereinced that as yet, i regularly uproot  top off & replant with no issues as yet.I would think stem plants should not be affected , since their uptake is mainly from the water column. ( I would have to research this one)

I would have to agree with this for stem plants. I have never noticed them slowing down if I top them off and replant the tops. I've noticed slowdowns with swords and aponogetons if I move them around the tank.

Just my 2 cents.

Jeff

[dan2x38]

OK I went and looked but could not find the articles again - should have saved them. What it stated basically is to not prune all your plants or do a massive up rooting and continue same dosing it could cause algae to grow. The plants suffer transplant shock for a period of time. That period of time is dependent on the tank set-up, health of plants prior to pruning, etc. I have witnessed this when doing a full tank pruning and continuing with full EI dosing I had algae appear within a day or two. I've come to learn to do particle prunings not all my plants at once. Even now with particle pruning the next dosing I adjust down a little.

This also showed to be true after my reaquascaping. I uprooted 1/3 of my plants and pruned another third but the final third was left untouched. I redid the tank by replanting clippings moving some uprooted plants and excluded some from the new set-up. I reduced my EI dosing by 1/3 maybe a bit less. After a week I started to see a little bit of BBA. I did a large water change 60%. I started treating with Excel & spot H2O2 treatments as well plus reduced dosing even more. Within a week & 1/2 the algae was gone. Now a month later no algae and back to 1/3 normal EI dosing. I reduced the amount of ferts and cut back to twice per week.

When you cut a plant or interfer with it of course it will change it's ability to grow properly for a time hence neutrient uptake. I guess I should have clarified a little more knowing you guys are plant gurus...

Believe it or Not!

[charlie]

Yes cutting & replanting does slow down the uptake for a bit, but i don`t think it is to the extreme where it stops uptake to create a algae bloom, in fact Tom Barr regularly preaches how important it is to prune your plants to keep the tank balanced , he is the real guru along with others that does not include me & you  , infact if i remember correctly, one of the reasonshe offered, is that plants have the unique ability to uptake nutrients & store them,thus stopping it`s uptake, if you don`t prune to instigate new growth, you could end up with a excess of nutrients in the water column same reason for doing large water changes each week.
A good possibility of what can happen if you do a major aquascape disturb the substrate, is that you can release a whole lot of nutrients into the water column that otherwise would not be there, this combine with the added dosing to the water column will invite algae, since our friendly nutrient sponges ( plants) cant take it up fast enough, but that`s only 1 of several wild guesses, for that reason Tom Barr also suggest strongly , that we do water changes after any aquascaping.

[dan2x38]

No, no, no... you missed the point I never said do not prune? What I am saying is by prunning to much at one time or up rooting to much at one time and continuing regular strength EI dosing you risk algae using those excess nutrients. What I said and am saying I've witnessed it and read it. Prune say 1/4 or 1/3 then the next week the unpruned plants do those and so on. That way you do not affect the uptake of any nutrients the plants use them no excess for that week for any algae to use.

I never said stop or no prunning you have to for nice growth, apprearance, and plant health. It is possible to feed algae if you stop the growth of to many plants at once especially with heavy over-dosing.