# Growing Utricularia Graminifolia (UG) From Clippings using DSM



## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Such nice looking UG. My emersed UG project was a complete and utter failure.


----------



## glndrifts (Jun 8, 2010)

This is good to know. O-O I'll be trying this later.


----------



## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

gus6464 said:


> Such nice looking UG. My emersed UG project was a complete and utter failure.


Do you mind sharing what happened? I'm looking to learn.


----------



## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

When I grew UG emersed I started it on flora-base under 55 watts of PC lighting from AHSupply and it took roughly a month and a half to get going. It seemed to grow a lot faster submersed. I've heard it has trouble growing on rich substrates, but I am beginning to wonder how true that claim is since flora-base is relatively nutrient poor, and by comparison aquasoil is pretty rich. I wonder if my slow growth was a result of this or if the plant truly grows as slowly as that while emersed?


----------



## Jalopy (Aug 11, 2013)

Cool project.


----------



## amphirion (Nov 13, 2008)

Zapins said:


> When I grew UG emersed I started it on flora-base under 55 watts of PC lighting from AHSupply and it took roughly a month and a half to get going. It seemed to grow a lot faster submersed. I've heard it has trouble growing on rich substrates, but I am beginning to wonder how true that claim is since flora-base is relatively nutrient poor, and by comparison aquasoil is pretty rich. I wonder if my slow growth was a result of this or if the plant truly grows as slowly as that while emersed?


i used to think this as well with regards to it growing poorly on rich substrates... apparently, Tom Barr has refuted this claim.

another interesting tidbit about utricularia in general. none of the plants within the genus have true roots. just lots of stem, bladders, and the "leaves" that they produce, which are not leaves at all, but rather photosynthetic structures which are called--i forgot.  any who, the true leaves are actually the bladders themselves.


----------



## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

I have mine growing emersed in an old soup container with a substrate mix of sphagnum peat and sand. It seems to do fine with periodic flooding as well.


----------



## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

AnotherHobby said:


> Do you mind sharing what happened? I'm looking to learn.


I had it in a tank with a bottom layer of sphagnum peat moss with osmocote, then a layer of mgocpm, and then a final layer of fluval plant stratum. I had it covered so high humidity and it never took. I also had some anubias Nana petites in the same tank and they grew like wildfire.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## Jalopy (Aug 11, 2013)

Hey, let me know if you're looking to sell some of your UG when you're done growing them out. Thanks.


----------



## Greenz (Aug 27, 2013)

I've had it growing emersed in my tank for about 3 weeks now and its doing pretty well. Very intrigued by this plant. I havent noticed any bladders yet but during maintenance, when I'd pick up an individual leaf off the substrate with my tweezers - I did notice the new "roots" it was growing So I just starting sticking burrying them in to help spread faster :icon_smil


----------



## Psiorian (Jun 23, 2013)

AnotherHobby said:


> I'm starting this thread so that I can track/document the growth of using simple clippings/trimmings of utricularia graminifolia (commonly referred to as UG). I'm curious to see how well it works, and how long it takes. I'd love to hear from anybody else who has tried doing this.
> 
> I've know it's possible to grow the clippings emmersed, but I didn't find really good info on it, other than people saying it works. The clipped leaves can grow roots from either end of the blade, so I should just be able to spread it over the substrate and let it grow, so that's exactly what I'm trying.
> 
> ...


I was just going to message you about your emersed UG project and I came across this thread.

I have mine doing exactly what you're doing, except I'm not allowed to use a pyrex dish  and I didnt poke holes in the cover, maybe I should do that.

My first attempt failed because I used some top soil and 90% of the UG melted on me.

Some people said that UG likes a lower pH so, I broke down and I bought aquasoil and with my 5 blades (with roots) left from my first attempt it is filling in nicely.

I saw the most growth when I was out of town for a week and I didnt get to mist it, when I came back the humidity was about 50% and it really grew fast.

Based upon your growth. I'm going to poke holes in my cover and add more light, trim and propagate them. :thumbsup:


----------



## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Psiorian said:


> I have mine doing exactly what you're doing, except I'm not allowed to use a pyrex dish  and I didnt poke holes in the cover, maybe I should do that.
> 
> My first attempt failed because I used some top soil and 90% of the UG melted on me.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing — good info! Interesting about you going out of town, because I leave tomorrow morning and won't be back until Sunday. I was a little worried, but I'm less so now, and I'm sure it'll be fine. If I remember, I'll post a pic this evening when I get home. It's continuing to fill in at a decent rate and is looking quite good at this point.

I poked the holes because mold scares me, and air exchange helps prevent it. After watching it slowly kill lots of plants in my tank a few months ago, and kill all of the HC in my DSM a few months before that, I really don't ever want to see it again if I can avoid it.


----------



## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

Right now I got Tropica 049 and HC growing emersed in a tank with just random Fluval stratum I had left over and O+ tabs and it's growing pretty nicely. I don't cover the tank at all and just throw water in there when it gets low. The 049 melted almost completely as it came from a flooded a tank but a week later it started to sprout new growth everywhere. The leaves also look cooler in their emersed form IMO.

Got a Trithuria Sp coming in today that will go in the same tank and see how it does.


----------



## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

gus6464 said:


> Right now I got Tropica 049 and HC growing emersed in a tank with just random Fluval stratum I had left over and O+ tabs and it's growing pretty nicely. I don't cover the tank at all and just throw water in there when it gets low. The 049 melted almost completely as it came from a flooded a tank but a week later it started to sprout new growth everywhere. The leaves also look cooler in their emersed form IMO.
> 
> Got a Trithuria Sp coming in today that will go in the same tank and see how it does.


I'm confused... this thread is about growing out UG clippings?


----------



## gus6464 (Dec 19, 2011)

AnotherHobby said:


> I'm confused... this thread is about growing out UG clippings?


It was directed to the post about whether or not to cover the container completely and mold.


----------



## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

gus6464 said:


> It was directed to the post about whether or not to cover the container completely and mold.


Ahhhh... Got ya!


----------



## II Knucklez II (Oct 31, 2011)

any updates on how it went?


----------



## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

It went pretty good until I went on vacation and the person watching my house forgot about it and it dried out.


----------

