My vals didn't grow much the first couple of weeks I've had 'em, but recently they've been growing like crazy. Two blades in particular have been growing 1/2 " - 1" a day at least, and have hit the surface. Can I just snip it? Doesn't look as nice though when the top is flat though. There's a few blades of tiger vals that were cut or torn when I bought 'em, and they're growing very slowly, so I don't want to mess up the health of the plant.
Trimming Tiger vals
- Thread starter Bender81
- Start date
Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
Its actually best to prune this plant by removing the leaf from an inch or so above the substrate and remove the whole leaf. I have trimmed off the top portion of vals and left them just long enough to be equal to the surface of the water, so it makes the trim look almost invisible. Once this plant takes off there is no stopping it. I love vals.
Unless you intend to pull older leaves off at the crown of the plant, it is advisable to let them grow even if they hit the surface and droop over a bit.
Cutting them at mid-leaf or above will usually kill a leaf over time.
If you don't like the look of them when they reach the surface, you might consider a shorter variety of Val.
Len
Cutting them at mid-leaf or above will usually kill a leaf over time.
If you don't like the look of them when they reach the surface, you might consider a shorter variety of Val.
Len
Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
I've been cutting about an inch above the substrate, to thin them. Its true the cut leaf will die off eventually, but the new growth is so much that I don't notice the leaves that die off.