# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Upside down???



## sarahbobarah (Sep 5, 2005)

I think I planted my hairgrass upside down..... Uh..... it has little split endy things on both ends (came in a bunch from the pet store) How is it supposed to be planted???


----------



## Jason Baliban (Feb 21, 2005)

The "split endy things" are probly the roots. The roots tend to be a lighter green if not totally white. The upside of the grass is just a point....similar to the end of a needle. Hope this helps.
jB


----------



## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

If you are still not sure just plant the whole thing into the substrate. Geotropism coupled with phototropism will induce the plant to readjust itself if improperly planted. Don't worry. They know which ways are top and bottom


----------



## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

very true paul. also, if you could take a picture and post it, i'm sure we would be able to help you. but as jason said, the bottom should definately be a lighter color.


----------



## sarahbobarah (Sep 5, 2005)

Ok. here is the photo. I couldn't figure out how to put it in the post so it's an attachment. 

Any suggestions?


----------



## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

that looks way too big to be dwarf hairgrass. thanks for the pin in the pic by the way, it helped.

only thing i can say is take the rubberband off and take a new pic for us. can you not ask the people at the store? you might give them a quick call.


----------



## nativeplanter (Jan 27, 2004)

I think what you have is livebearing hairgrass, Eleocharis vivipara. If you look closely at the tips of each stem, a new plant is formed (There seems to be one at the very top of your photo). You can plant each plantlet, or orient the mass so that most of the plantlets have their bottoms (the base of the Vs) pointing down.

Note that this plant will form a mass of tangled stems in your tank. If you want to aquascape, I wouldn't use it. Each plantlet will stay attached to the mother plant, and will grow it's own plantlets from its stem tips. This plant does not need to be planted; I keep some floating in a tank as cover for Elassoma evergladei and their fry, sort of like how one might use java moss for this.

-Laura


----------

