Converting an amazon sword to emersed form

[belleora]

I'm in a bit of a pickle with a massive Amazon sword in a tank I'm dismantling - it's just too big to relocate to my other tanks. The plant looks incredibly healthy, so it'd be a waste to get rid of it. I recall it was initially grown emersed, given the leaves had to adapt to the submerged form. Has anyone attempted converting one of these plants back to its emersed state?

I've never tried growing a plant emersed before - does this mean the roots need to stay submerged, or can they thrive in very wet soil?

[juicebox]

I'm intrigued by the idea of converting it back too, I've always been curious about emersed growth but never had the chance to try it myself.

[rockyfox]

Came here expecting an answer, but I guess not. Honestly, I think it's probably doable, but don't quote me on that, I'm no expert.

[luminx]

I'm pretty sure you can convert a submerged plant to emersed, I've just never actually tried it myself. What I do know is that the submerged leaves will probably wither and die off, but new leaves should grow in their place to adapt to the emersed environment.

To give it a shot, you'll need some organic potting soil, a tank or tub to grow the plant in, some kind of lighting - it doesn't have to be specifically for plants, just something to give it enough light. You'll also need a spray bottle to mist the plant and soil daily, and some plastic wrap to keep the humidity up.

As for your question about the roots, they don't need to be kept underwater. Just make sure to mist the plant and soil at least once a day, and you should be good.

[belleora]

I'm pretty sure you can convert a submerged plant to emersed, I've just never actually tried it myself. What I do know is that the submerged leaves will probably wither and die off, but new leaves should grow in their place to adapt to the emersed environment.

To give it a shot, you'll need some organic potting soil, a tank or tub to grow the plant in, some kind of lighting - it doesn't have to be specifically for plants, just something to give it enough light. You'll also need a spray bottle to mist the plant and soil daily, and some plastic wrap to keep the humidity up.

As for your question about the roots, they don't need to be kept underwater. Just make sure to mist the plant and soil at least once a day, and you should be good.

That makes perfect sense, thank you for explaining it so clearly. I think I've decided against trying to convert my Amazon sword, to be honest. I'm not really interested in propagating live plants on a large scale, and with electricity costs being what they are, running an extra light just isn't worth the expense and hassle for one plant. I should have realized it would need a humid environment too - I guess I was just hoping for a simpler solution. However, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge, and I'm sure it will be helpful to anyone who wants to try growing plants emersed in the future. Thanks again for your helpful response. I'm glad to say that my plant won't go to waste, as I'll be offering it to another hobbyist if they're interested.

[coltin]

I'd suggest a more gradual transition for your Amazon sword. Place the pot in a large container of water, and let it sit outside in the sun. As the water evaporates, the leaves will start to dry out and eventually the water level will drop below the leaves. This will trigger the growth of new terrestrial leaves.

You don't need to keep the roots consistently wet when growing out of water. I've had success with growing mine in standard 20-30cm plastic garden pots, using regular potting mix. I placed the pots in larger trays, which I'd fill with water when I watered the plants. Once the trays were dry, I'd water the plants again.

I also used a liquid soluble plant fertiliser, like Thrive, every two weeks. The plants responded well to this and grew similarly to any ordinary garden pot plant.

[belleora]

I'd suggest a more gradual transition for your Amazon sword. Place the pot in a large container of water, and let it sit outside in the sun. As the water evaporates, the leaves will start to dry out and eventually the water level will drop below the leaves. This will trigger the growth of new terrestrial leaves.

You don't need to keep the roots consistently wet when growing out of water. I've had success with growing mine in standard 20-30cm plastic garden pots, using regular potting mix. I placed the pots in larger trays, which I'd fill with water when I watered the plants. Once the trays were dry, I'd water the plants again.

I also used a liquid soluble plant fertiliser, like Thrive, every two weeks. The plants responded well to this and grew similarly to any ordinary garden pot plant.

That's really helpful to know, thanks. I think I might give it a try over the summer, see how it goes. It would probably need to come inside for the winter, like a calla lily - they don't survive the frosts here, so need a bit of protection. But swords do put out a lot of roots, and they grow so quickly, maybe it would just bounce back in the spring.

[rockyfox]

I'm in a bit of a pickle with a massive Amazon sword in a tank I'm dismantling - it's just too big to relocate to my other tanks. The plant looks incredibly healthy, so it'd be a waste to get rid of it. I recall it was initially grown emersed, given the leaves had to adapt to the submerged form. Has anyone attempted converting one of these plants back to its emersed state?

I've never tried growing a plant emersed before - does this mean the roots need to stay submerged, or can they thrive in very wet soil?

Thanks for keeping me on my toes, will definitely update you guys on how the sword conversion goes