Re: [APD] cutting crypt roots

["Jerry Smith" <jerrytheplater at hotmail_com>]

Rich

I read in one of my books that the roots will mostly die anyway after 
planting, so they should be pruned off. I don't have any of my books handy 
as I have lent them all out to a friend that I am helping start a plant 
containing aquarium. If I did I would give you the reference.

I did just go to Jan D. Bastmeijer's web site on Cryptocoryne's and found 
this quote:

"Potting your Crypts
All the roots of your dug out Crypts will die and will cause problems in 
your pots. Shorten the roots to about a few cm, just to give the plant an 
anchor. Remove the older leaves to just two or three."

The page link is: 
http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/Cryptocoryne/Howto/howto.html

There is a photo there of someone cutting to root ball with a pair of 
scissors to trim all of the roots.

I have been cutting all of the roots on my crypts for at least 10 years and 
to my recollection, I don't think any of the plants have died. It could be 
the damage caused by planting the crypt will cause the roots to die anyway. 
The idea is to keep the dead material away from the plant. I don't usually 
dig up my plants to look at the roots. It can be a year or more before I dig 
up a plant.

When I transplant my cactus, I need to wait 3-5 days before watering to 
allow any damaged roots to callus over. Otherwise the plants can rot 
starting at the root damaged area. Cactus can die from this. I have killed 
some due to watering too soon after transplanting.

In terrestrial potted plants it is often recommended to cut the root ball 
vertically up the center to stop the encircling roots from choking the plant 
in a few years. The two sides are too be spread out at the bottom of the 
hole when planting. I have seen a photo of a dead tree where the tree was 
strangled by a root that was growing in a circle around the tree's root 
ball. The tree started out as a container grown tree.

Jerry Smith


>Message: 4
>Date: Thu, 17 May 2007 13:53:18 EDT
>From: RMGTBTS at aol_com
>Subject: [APD] cutting crypt roots
>To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
>
>I am really curious on Jerry Smith instructions to cut the roots of  
>crypts.
>
>If the roots are healthy why? IMHO the plant is going to immediately go  
>into
>root production mode to offset the loss and not put out new leaf growth as
>quickly.
>
>I have been getting crypts from lowcaster shipped from the far East for 3
>years and i have never cut the roots.
>Rinse clean yes trim any rotted or unhealthy looking yes but not white firm
>roots. The ones that have not done well have been the ones with the 
>smallest
>root  growth and seemed to be harvested off of a rhizome.
>
>any crypt farmers want educate me i have my pith helmet on, fire away
>
>rich green
>milton ma
>
>


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