Aponogetons bulbs

[f-fish]

Anybody on the forum cultivating Aponogetons bulbs - or had success doing it in ZA?

Laure - think you had some a few years ago ..

Later Ferdie

[Altum]

Which of the following do you need to know about...
Do you mean germinating newly acquired dormant bulbs ?
Yes

Or Re-germinating your own ,after intentional dormancy ?
Yes

Or propagating NEW plants from an existing plants (From seed ) ?
Sometimes..

I regularly try to get something new growing , and that includes rhizome and bulb plants..Aponogetons included.

...any idea which species you have?

[f-fish]

I've just started to look into them. Idea would be to do a tank that will suite what they need (fish, water, light, temp and flow) - I am not keen on removing bulbs during the dormancy stage - like it seems one would have to do with some. I've seen a few in the LFS lately (being sold as bulbs since identifying them before / after they sprout could be a challenges).

From my initial searching I would like to get a working propagation going for (hard to assumed easy):

boivinianus
madagascariensis
rigidifolius
ulvaceus
undulatus
crispus
longiplumulosus

These guys have a varied set of requirements - but amount of light vs temperature seems to be the biggest across the list.

Thing is - this seems to be a very good plant to cultivate from seed - just do not know if anybody in ZA has managed. This is probably not a big money spinner for the LFS since the bulbs are cheap.



Do you mean germinating newly acquired dormant bulbs ?
- Yeah add water seems like the easiest (probably happens at the LFS most times)


Or Re-germinating your own ,after intentional dormancy ?
- Read about it - have not tried it. Seems simple enough if your nutrition was OK before the bulb hits dormancy.


Or propagating NEW plants from an existing plants (From seed ) ?
- That is the one i.e. open tanks - flowers, germination of small plants once the seeds drop into the water.

Later Ferdie

[Henk Hugo]

i have loads of seedlings growing in my 2.5m. i see there's another flower stem so i'll get some more seeds soon

[f-fish]

OK so it is doable - so it is time to setup that tank - or atleast start sharing some space in one of the other.

Thanks for the feedback Henk

Later Ferdie

[Laure]

I am trying to rid my tank of Aponogetons. The seeds were dropped all over the place and frequently I find a new one sprouting up in between my carpet plants. Removing them is challenging without disturbing the carpet. Not the smartest idea I had to cultivate Aponogetons in a tank with small carpet plants. ;)

[boebie]

Are you willing to sell some Laure? I'm keen to get some.

[f-fish]

cultivate Aponogetons in a tank with small carpet plants. ;)


LOL - I can only hope for such good fortune ... well I have setup a 2ft for just this purpose .. not sure if the tank will be to shallow for actual cultivation. Plants are looking a bit shabby - once LFS growth / man handling has been replaced by in-tank growth I will post some pics.

Later Ferdie

[f-fish]

Now what - I think the lace plant either likes the tank or it is fearfull and wants to try and propagate before it is to late, either way - That looks alot like a flower stem that is pushing up.

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Do I need to do anything special here ?

2 ft tanks has no heater - small eheim and a HMF, 18 watt boyu red and a recently added clf (after I saw the flower stem)

Anybody got tips on what to do next ? No fish ... currently no fertz still on the first water change after doing the HMF thing a few weeks ago. Or do we just ignore it?

Thanks Ferdie

[Zoom]

If it's not broken... don't fix it.

(Beautiful plant none-the-less)

[f-fish]

Been a week and we have a flower -

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Do I need to be the bee or should I just leave it?

Funny thing is the flower is probably 80cm away from the plant base - it curled in the 2ft tank.

Still no water change or a heater ... Ja been following zoom's advice - let it be.

Later Ferdie

[Henk Hugo]

Just leave it - i normally get 10 to 15 viable seeds off each flower. I just let them fall into the tank - i now have bit of a problem with a forest of aponogentons....

[f-fish]

Thanks Henk will do .. I can only hope for a lace plant forest ..

[Firefly]

How easy are these to grow? Do they grow rather fast when compared to Vallis?

[f-fish]

Firefly - this is my first go at growing them .. so I would not be able to say for sure - I suppose it depends on what you mean by grow, cause net and books contradict on the needs of these plants are.

Vallis I have always found a quick grower, but these bulbs all look good for the first season. My understanding is that the second growth season is the issue - hence I am glad to see a flower that might drop seeds.

Later Ferdie

[Firefly]

Thanks. Congrats and good luck.

[f-fish]

Time for an update ... the original tanks that had only silica and red jasper as a substrate did not do so well - first I managed to kill the flower by covering the tank for the winter and I neglected to do some water column fertz - both my bad. The good news is all the bulbs survived. I replanted them a slightly smaller 2ft (it also has a HMF) but this time I added some JBL substrate that was capped with silica ... and WOW added to this the CFL vs T8 I am very happy with the growth of this tank in the last month or so.
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This evening I spotted what looks like another flower - not from the lace but one of the other bulbs ... so I might get some seeds this time round.

11565

If I do manage to get seeds and small plants the tank on the right that shares the CFL will be the ideal place for a nursery.

Maybe I should think about a taller tank for some of these guys hmmm..

Later Ferdie

[Sean J]

Hell, that is pretty cool!! Good luck propagating. Pity that Lace Plants flower died. Nice little project this, can't wait to see results.

[azurekoi]

I have pulled 3 bulbs of my A.undulatus in the past 3 months or so with another 2 currently on the one mother plant...But with A.undulatus,it aint a real feat - they do it by themselves....

[f-fish]

hmm - have not seen any extra bulbs on any of them ... that will also be cool - but I really want to get the seed thing going. Soooooo hope that the Aponogeton madagascariensis will push 1 more flower. Loads of new leave - still have a few dying leaves that now have algae on it but these pull free from the bulb with some ease after a while.

Did a quick google - "Reproduction with this plant occurs through bulb separation, or formation of seeds after flowering. Allow the new plant to develop a root system and immature leaves prior to separating it from the mother plant. At that time, it can then be planted in a different location. " so bulb separation is even possible for madagascariensis ... no rush on my side.

[azurekoi]

A.undulata does not produce flowers - instead,on the infloresences a few small bulbells are produced(Actualy the only way I have to tell it apart from A.crispus - wich produces flowers,not bulbells))

Years ago I had some A.madagascariensis - produced viable seed twice and the mother pants made a few Daughter bulbs in the 5 or so years I had them..So just be patient - super patient....

[f-fish]

.. a week - this morning the probably close to a meter long stem with bud started to open.
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by this afternoon we have a winner ...
11738

now we wait some more (been here before)

Later Ferdie

[Henk Hugo]

I now have a major problem with my aponogetons in my 2.5m tank. The one half of the tank has over 15 flower stems and they have started to block out some of the light! Now the question is - do i cut them off or let them be?

[f-fish]

Hmm - It seems I to only the get them to about 3 weeks of flower - then they dry. So the question is do yo want to propagate via seed - if not then it is cosmetic. But blocking the light - eish, maybe cut a few and leave the flowers along the sides of the tank?

Later F

[Henk Hugo]

I normally just leave them to propagate by them selves - this has now led to a variety of cross breeds and a forest of aponogetons of various sizes etc.

[f-fish]

Nice problem to have .. he he he .. One thing I think I am doing very wrong is my tank is it is to shallow for this sport - these bulbs all seem to want a good 500mm of water column - the 200mm - 400mm I give them seem to be part of my problem.

[Henk Hugo]

mine reach the top (and then some) at 80cm....

[tracyp]

some advice please? I have nice fat green seeds... should I leave them be, or try to germinate elsewhere? If so : how?

[Henk Hugo]

just let them be - they will drop to the bottom and make a root and root themselves and start to grow pretty fast....

[tracyp]

:cool: thanks, Henk!

[Henk Hugo]

See i have t his problem - then the bloody riccia which came in with some cuttings gets stuck in there and grows faster than what i can throw it out. It's becoming a nightmare for me.

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[tracyp]

To quote Lewis Carol "Off:laugh: with their heads!"

[Henk Hugo]

I'm about to do just that.... but i cant get it over my little black heart to do that....

[Razer2007]

Can that plat be planted that it looks good?

[f-fish]

Well I have all but destroyed my tank that had the bulbs in them - I forgot I had a thin layer of PFP also - now that is all on top. Move some of the girls to the tank out-side that I am using for the root tab test it is 600mm deep so that might support flowering better. Still hopping to get 1 more flower before winter. Don't think they will survive out-side in the JHB winter an no heater.

Later Ferdie