Java fern "roots and plantlets"

[gunpilot]

I have a java fern that is developng roots and at least one plantlet at the end of a leaf. From what I have read here, that is an indicator that the parent may be dying and trying to reproduce. I am fine with that...the cycle you know. What I would like to know is how to manage this and take advantage of this bonus that has been presented to me. Any ideas??? Experience??? My limited background with houseplants, etc, leads me to beleive that anchoring the roots may be an approach, so that the roots, plantlets, etc, can anchor. Any thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

Jack

[SuperiorMN]

In my experience, the little plantlets mean the fern is doing very well, not dying. I get about two little plantlets a month from my biggest java fern. I leave them on the parent plant until they're roughly two inches long, then tie them to driftwood with cotton thread. By the time the thread dissolves, the plant will have developed enough root structure to hold onto the driftwood.

[mrbigmuscles]

fern is weird. on my driftwood i tied down 4 plants. two have grabbed on (three weeks now), and two will float away if disturbed, their roots haven't grown at all :(

[EcoPit]

I have had the same experience as Superior. My java ferns produced those little plantlets by the dozens, and the parent plants were doing fine. Set the plantlets on driftwood or even just the surface of the gravel. They will sprout up like weeds.

[gunpilot]

Superior;

Do you cut the plantlet off or pull it off or what??

Jack

[SuperiorMN]

Sometimes they fall off, sometimes you have to gently pull them off. You won't be ripping the plant apart, trust me, they'll come off fairly easily.

And yeah, as EcoPit said, they will grow like weeds if you have decent tank conditions. Most of mine are actually planted in the substrate right now, as I have run out of driftwood space for them! They look fairly good among the Dwarf Sag., as they're a darker green.

HTH

- Marty

[Roan Art]

Man, I'm glad someone asked this question! My betta tank looks like the invasion of the java babies and I had no idea if I was supposed to remove them and plant or leave them :)

What do they do in the wild? Do the babies just fall off the mother plant?

How do I divide the rhizome ones? I've got one plant that is starting to look like a line up at a Rolling Stones concert.

Roan

[kveeti]

Roan, I've just cut my rhinzones with scissors between stems.

Is there a certain size the babies have to be to take them off? Do they have to be as big as 2 inches?

I've had 1 or 2 babies at a time before and just let them grow until they were larger. But today I'm going to begin to transfer everything from my 29 to my 50... and wouldn't you know it, I suddenly have about 3 dozen babies on my ferns. I would love to take them all off and tie them to my new driftwood piece, when they grow I'd have an instant garden. Because I also remember reading someone saying it's a bugger to try and tie them after under water. However these are soooo small I just might do them damage.