This is a simple method and the regrowth and labor are far better for foreground ground covers than the older uproot and replant the tops type of methods.
Amano has long shown folks how to do this carefully. But.....many do not see/look at these lessons I suppose. Like many hobbyists, we often just let the rug grow......and grow.........and like the bean stalk.........the rug pulls off or gets so large we no longer find it aesthetically pleasing.
Gloss is a classic weedy foreground plant. HC is as well. Care needs to be given when trimming it down.........but it's fairly easy to mow a good sized area fairly quick, then net up the left over leaves that float to the surface.
Prior to trimming:
A few minutes after the trim:
1 Week later:
New growth is tight, small and rapidly filling in.
This only took me maybe 5 min to trim and 2-3 min to net up the leaves.
Not a horrid tale of nightmarish intense trim sessions weekly...........
Curved scissors are nice to trim accurately, particularly for the smaller and more delicate species like HC. For well rooted foreground plants like Crypt(yes, you can mow these down, the root crowns will resprout) or Starougyne, larger utility type scissors work or fingers.
You can see how low I trim the foreground plants, this way they keep that nice low cover. I sell the tops etc........in 2-3 weeks, the new growth fills in and it's honestly not that much work/labor. I would never do this if I had to do the old dutch style of uprooting and replanting only the tops.
The tank also would not look nice or recover fast. Most of the time, I'd be waiting for the growth to fill back in, for the plants to send down roots etc.
This also reduces the mess made when trimming.
Hope this helps.
Amano has long shown folks how to do this carefully. But.....many do not see/look at these lessons I suppose. Like many hobbyists, we often just let the rug grow......and grow.........and like the bean stalk.........the rug pulls off or gets so large we no longer find it aesthetically pleasing.
Gloss is a classic weedy foreground plant. HC is as well. Care needs to be given when trimming it down.........but it's fairly easy to mow a good sized area fairly quick, then net up the left over leaves that float to the surface.
Prior to trimming:
A few minutes after the trim:
1 Week later:
New growth is tight, small and rapidly filling in.
This only took me maybe 5 min to trim and 2-3 min to net up the leaves.
Not a horrid tale of nightmarish intense trim sessions weekly...........
Curved scissors are nice to trim accurately, particularly for the smaller and more delicate species like HC. For well rooted foreground plants like Crypt(yes, you can mow these down, the root crowns will resprout) or Starougyne, larger utility type scissors work or fingers.
You can see how low I trim the foreground plants, this way they keep that nice low cover. I sell the tops etc........in 2-3 weeks, the new growth fills in and it's honestly not that much work/labor. I would never do this if I had to do the old dutch style of uprooting and replanting only the tops.
The tank also would not look nice or recover fast. Most of the time, I'd be waiting for the growth to fill back in, for the plants to send down roots etc.
This also reduces the mess made when trimming.
Hope this helps.
