# Planting Baby Tears



## timewalker03 (Feb 27, 2007)

Need some help with how to plant baby tears. I see that many people tie it to rock or driftwood to get it to grow, but is it able to be planted in the substrate as a foregound cover or does it even do well that way. Also does it grow well from cutting? Thanks and any help would be great.

Sean


----------



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

If by baby tears, you mean H. micranthemoides, just plant it like any stem plant. I have is as a foreground, and I just keep it trimmed real low and it forms a nice sod. You can use it as a foreground or as a bush if you let it grow up.

As far as planting it, just plant individual stems.


----------



## dansbdk (Mar 16, 2008)

BabyTears will definately grow from cuttings!, and very quickly too under medium high, to high light, with lots of nutrients!

I have some that's grown 12" tall, and 10" around in just over 3 weeks time! (in high light, and lots for it to eat!) 
A small cutting I started is half the size of the parent plant already! You'll find it will take up a lot of space if you don't trim it often. I've found 1, or 2 plants in a 55 gallon tank is more than enough!

Unless you're willing to constantly trim it (almost weekly in high light), 
I would not suggest it as a carpet, or as a foreground type plant. 
It would do much better as a backround plant. 
Or trimmed, & maintained as a large bushy plant

It will elongate it's stems if the light is to low, or nutrients are too low. 
Although some folk do grow it in lower light, IMO, it doesn't look as pretty, or as compact. The tiny leaves get larger, the stems elongate between leaves, and it just looks scraggily to me when grown under lower light.

As far as substrate planting, I've found you need to weight it down real good for about 2 months until the plant's roots are well established. And I've found the best way to do that is to plant it so the roots are well under the edge of a rock, or some driftwood as it tends to want to float to the surface while pearling (giving off oxygen bubbles).

It's one of the simplest plants to grow, and propagate for the beginner! 
Difficult to kill! It's one of my favorites!
I hope that helps you!


----------



## dansbdk (Mar 16, 2008)

Cool Bert!, I never knew anyone to use it that way as a sod. But, I learn something new everyday.
I'd suggest making new cuttings by taking small bunches of stems. Planting by the each would take forever!


----------



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

dansbdk said:


> ... Planting by the each would take forever!


That's exactly how I do it.  Just like if you were sprigging grass on your lawn. In time it grows out and covers the area, then you keep it trained low by cutting any stems which grow up instead of across the bottom. Soon you have your 'sod'. When it gets too thick you rip it all out, take out individual sprigs and start over again. The rest of the sod I usually trade in to my lfs or put up for sale in the f/s forum here.


----------



## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I actually just lay the stem out horizontal on the substrate with enough gravel on top of it in key places to keep it in place. Roots will form all up and down the stems and it will root into the gravel in a week or two if you have good light. You have to have bright light though. It makes a great ground over, or a tall bush. I love this plant for that reason. Real easy to work with.

When I took this photo a few years ago, I had micranthemoides and Glossostigma in the foreground on opposite ends of the tank. The micranthemoides out grew the glosso easily and soon over took it.


----------

