# Baby tears ques:



## agzuny (Nov 17, 2004)

Right now, I'm growing baby tears in a middleground bush like aquascape. Before, they used to grow perfectly but these days that have been growing with stems that have roots coming out of them. In a stem plant, it looks very distracting and doesnt look good at all. I'm not sure why its growing this way now, but if anybody knows why, help would be great. 

Thanks


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## paul236313 (Jul 23, 2004)

This usually happens when your plants depend on the water colum for nutrients.What susbstrate are they in maybe try adding something to the substrate like flourish tabs.


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

Paul is correct they are trying to get nutrients from the water column. What I usually do is trim it right before the root hairs start and it seems to make the plant root better and get nutrients from the substrate. Also, adding substrate additives will help. Even some stem plants I cannot get to stop having root hairs along the stem so I hide them with midground plants.


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## agzuny (Nov 17, 2004)

I have Flourite substrate, brand new from only around 3-4 months ago. Also, if I was to add the substrate tabs, how would I add them since my baby tears are grouped together in bunches with stems dispersed throughout the substrate. Would I just add a few into different areas and the nutrients would spread? Or one tab by each group of stems. 

Thanks


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## paul236313 (Jul 23, 2004)

Each tabs will give you about 3-4 square inches so you can plant near your baby tears.Be sure to burry them deep as possible


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

It's best to plant any substrate amendment close, but not underneath, your plants. Contact with highly concentrated elements/molecules can cause physical damage to the delicate roots of our plants. This is especially true with tabs containing Urea and Ammonia but has happened to me using Flourish tabs. Putting the tabs two inches or so away from the plant will allow the roots easy access to the suppliments at a much more tolerable concentration.

Best,
Phil


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