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Re: stem plants
I, too, have left the leaves on freshly cut stem plants (probably thousands
of plants over several decades now), and have yet to observe any problems -
although in my case, it wasn't to challenge any "truisms" - it just never
occurred to me to remove them.
jim
>Subject:Stem Plants
>
>In the spirit of questioning "truisms" int the planted tank, here's one for
>you. Over and over I hear the advice to strip the bottom leaves off of
>stem plants befor planting so that they don't rot in the substrate. Many
>years ago, in a desperate attempt to keep freshly cut stems down in the
>substrae, I started leaving those bottom leaves on to act as an anchor.
>I'm sure it's true that these leaves eventually rot away, but by then the
>stem has developed some roots, and can stay down in the substrate on its
>own. I have never seen any adverse effects to the plants. If anything,
>they do better because they stay put so I don't have to mess with them over
>and over again. I _do_ remove any damaged or rotting areas on the stems
>before planting. Has any one had any problems leaving leaves on the lower
>part of a stem that could really be attributed to this and not some general
>unthriftiness?
>Karen Randall
>Aquatic Gardeners Association