# How to prune Myriophyllum mattogrossense?



## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

I cut off the tops and replant the bottoms leaving the pruned stems in the ground as well. The pruned stems grow new shoots, but this is not the problem. The problem is where the new shoot are growing from.

Most stems I have are predictable as to where the new growth will be after pruning it. Usually, with other stem plants, new buds will form at the node where I cut it and also in other places, but almost always at the node where it is pruned.
But with Myriophyllum mattogrossense new shoots seem to grow in randomly at different locations on the stem and not usually at the point where I cut it.

*Any tips to create new grow where I cut it? 
Maybe I have to cut at a different location to get predicable growth?
Perhaps I need sharper scissors? Who knows ?*

I love this plant, but it is very difficult to shape despite it's ridiculously fast growth rate.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

whenever pruning stem plants, you encourage horizontal growth. any cut releases a specific plant hormone from the cell wall that causes meristematic tissues to grow again. so anytime you make a cut to a stem you have the potential for several new stems to form. this is the same principle you use with a hedge in your garden. cutting vertical growth = thicker hedge.


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

Algae Beater said:


> whenever pruning stem plants, you encourage horizontal growth. any cut releases a specific plant hormone from the cell wall that causes meristematic tissues to grow again. so anytime you make a cut to a stem you have the potential for several new stems to form. this is the same principle you use with a hedge in your garden. cutting vertical growth = thicker hedge.


The problem is not getting the plant to look fuller after pruning....it does this by forming more side-shoots. It's just that the growth does not usually occur where I trim the plant. This makes it very difficult to shape several stems like a hedge.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

that is unusual, what type/how much lighting are you using? describe your system to me


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

*38 gallon:*


2x39 W Hagen Glo T5 HO (6700 K) suspended 2 inches above tank @ 7.5 hours/ day
Pressurized CO2 2.5 bps with inline reactor @ 25 ppm (drop checker)
Ferts: EI Dosing

Do you have this plant?


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

dont have the plant, but i do have close relative in the Myriophyllum family ... i would think everything seems okay ... very strange


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## AquaSox (Jun 9, 2010)

I've was running a PC fixture with similar wattage about 2 weeks ago, but the T5 HO presumably has more PAR as the plants are growing much, much faster...it definitley is higher on the lumen scale. Maybe the Hagen GLO will alleviate the problem.

Perhaps there wasn't enough PAR when I was trimming the plants before....only time will tell.


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