Java Fern Question

[Ook]

I noticed that the tips of my java fern is putting out small roots and a
small upward growing shoot. The leaves themselves are very stiff and point
up, so the tip isn't likely to contact the gravel soon. Can I cut the leaf
off and put it so the tip is contacting the gravel? I'm wondering how best
to allow the tips to anchor themselves so they can grow on their own. Any
voices of experience.

[Limnophile]

"Ook" > wrote in message
...
>I noticed that the tips of my java fern is putting out small roots and a
> small upward growing shoot. The leaves themselves are very stiff and point
> up, so the tip isn't likely to contact the gravel soon. Can I cut the leaf
> off and put it so the tip is contacting the gravel? I'm wondering how best
> to allow the tips to anchor themselves so they can grow on their own. Any
> voices of experience.
>
Java fern will grow if you plant the stem in the gravel, if you tie it to a
piece of wood with string, if you leave it floating, or if you cut a leaf in
half and bury it partially in the gravel. If a friend wants some java fern,
I just take one of my larger ones and tear off a few pieces. It grows
slowly, bit it's VERY hardy. That's why it's one of my favorite plants. It's
taken about 4 years, but I have some java fens the size of a basketball.

Limnophile

[Brian S.]

Wow, can't wait for my Java Ferns to get that big! I bought one from the
LFS about two months ago and I can't even really see if it has grown.

But, when I bought it, it already had two baby starts on it and took those
off. One didn't make it (ended in the filter somewhere) and the other was
planted in the sand and is now about 3x as big as it was.

I went to the LFS yesterday to get some hornwort for my tank and saw that
they had some pretty big java fern plants... hope mine get that tall.

Typically though, I wait until there are plenty of roots and leaves on the
start before pulling it off the 'mamma plant'. This way there is more that
can be buried in sand, rock, etc and it won't rise to the surface.

Brian S.

"Limnophile" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ook" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I noticed that the tips of my java fern is putting out small roots and a
> > small upward growing shoot. The leaves themselves are very stiff and
point
> > up, so the tip isn't likely to contact the gravel soon. Can I cut the
leaf
> > off and put it so the tip is contacting the gravel? I'm wondering how
best
> > to allow the tips to anchor themselves so they can grow on their own.
Any
> > voices of experience.
> >
> Java fern will grow if you plant the stem in the gravel, if you tie it to
a
> piece of wood with string, if you leave it floating, or if you cut a leaf
in
> half and bury it partially in the gravel. If a friend wants some java
fern,
> I just take one of my larger ones and tear off a few pieces. It grows
> slowly, bit it's VERY hardy. That's why it's one of my favorite plants.
It's
> taken about 4 years, but I have some java fens the size of a basketball.
>
> Limnophile
>
>

[Ook]

How big will these "starts" get? Right now it's 1/4 inch root sticking down,
and 1/4 inch shoot sticking up.

"Brian S." > wrote in message
news:UuLld.609750$8_6.574527@attbi_s04...
> Wow, can't wait for my Java Ferns to get that big! I bought one from the
> LFS about two months ago and I can't even really see if it has grown.
>
> But, when I bought it, it already had two baby starts on it and took those
> off. One didn't make it (ended in the filter somewhere) and the other was
> planted in the sand and is now about 3x as big as it was.
>
> I went to the LFS yesterday to get some hornwort for my tank and saw that
> they had some pretty big java fern plants... hope mine get that tall.
>
> Typically though, I wait until there are plenty of roots and leaves on the
> start before pulling it off the 'mamma plant'. This way there is more
that
> can be buried in sand, rock, etc and it won't rise to the surface.
>
> Brian S.
>
> "Limnophile" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Ook" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >I noticed that the tips of my java fern is putting out small roots and
a
> > > small upward growing shoot. The leaves themselves are very stiff and
> point
> > > up, so the tip isn't likely to contact the gravel soon. Can I cut the
> leaf
> > > off and put it so the tip is contacting the gravel? I'm wondering how
> best
> > > to allow the tips to anchor themselves so they can grow on their own.
> Any
> > > voices of experience.
> > >
> > Java fern will grow if you plant the stem in the gravel, if you tie it
to
> a
> > piece of wood with string, if you leave it floating, or if you cut a
leaf
> in
> > half and bury it partially in the gravel. If a friend wants some java
> fern,
> > I just take one of my larger ones and tear off a few pieces. It grows
> > slowly, bit it's VERY hardy. That's why it's one of my favorite plants.
> It's
> > taken about 4 years, but I have some java fens the size of a basketball.
> >
> > Limnophile
> >
> >
>
>

[Limnophile]

"Ook" > wrote in message
...
> How big will these "starts" get? Right now it's 1/4 inch root sticking
> down,
> and 1/4 inch shoot sticking up.
>

If it has enough light and fertilizer, yours will grow to 30+cm across like
mine. Of course, it may take 2-3 years. Right now I have about 15 Java
ferns, four of them bigger than 20cm. All of them started from three 6 cm
plants I bought in 1999.

Limnophile