Who Gives A Fish Forums

18 month old Echinodorus radicans here. Been keeping on top of dead leaves and regular trimming to keep it in check.

Now I'm left with a bunch of stems at the base and it's looking a bit untidy. Any advice on how to get some new growth going or a better way to trim would be great.

Echinodorus plants, like your radicans, grow new leaves from the crown's centre. As the outer, older leaves age, they may yellow and die off, depending on the conditions. When removing these dead leaves, try gently pulling the leaf stem down towards the substrate - the entire leaf and stem should break off.

It's best to wait until the old leaves have brown, soft stems at the base. This way, the plant can transfer mobile nutrients from the older leaves to the new growth, maximizing nutrient use.

Do you use substrate tabs? These can greatly benefit sword plants like yours, which are heavy root feeders.

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. I'm using easy life root sticks for fertilization, hoping that'll help with the growth.