# Java Fern babies



## DrakeScree (Jan 30, 2013)

How do I plant my Java Fern babies? My Fern has maybe 10 small plants hanging off it and growing roots everywhere but in the substrate. I tried cutting two small ones off and planting them, but they never grew larger or grew roots into the substrate.


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## alipper (Nov 6, 2012)

Java fern is a plant that likes to be tied to DW or rocks, that's my experience. It also is a heavy feeder from the water column.


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## micheljq (Oct 24, 2012)

If Java Fern rhizome is buried in substrate, plant will die.

Michel.


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## Ceri-rust (Feb 11, 2013)

I use mono filament to tie it


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## DrakeScree (Jan 30, 2013)

My Java Fern that is budding all the small plants is in the substrate and doing great. But I wish I knew that in advance.

So if I pull off the baby plants and tie them to driftwood, they will continue to grow? How do I tie it. It sounds more complicated than I am imagining it. Tie it just like moss?


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## mfurufuru (Mar 20, 2012)

Yes.pretty simple

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## mfurufuru (Mar 20, 2012)

How big are the plantlets? I usually wait till they are about half an inch to an inch before i remove them. its pretty simple though.

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## DrakeScree (Jan 30, 2013)

Some are up to an inch. Going to try it out tonight. Thank you for the help


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## DrakeScree (Jan 30, 2013)

Some are up to an inch. Going to try it out tonight. Thank you for the help


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## alipper (Nov 6, 2012)

DrakeScree said:


> My Java Fern that is budding all the small plants is in the substrate and doing great. But I wish I knew that in advance.
> 
> So if I pull off the baby plants and tie them to driftwood, they will continue to grow? How do I tie it. It sounds more complicated than I am imagining it. Tie it just like moss?


I try to stick the java fern into any holes/cracks in the driftwood, grows great and you don't have to tie them.


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## Indian fern (Jul 16, 2012)

alipper said:


> I try to stick the java fern into any holes/cracks in the driftwood, grows great and you don't have to tie them.


I also did that to my anubias.I hate tying anubias as the thread is unsightly. My java fern has 9 leaves and each leaf has 4-7 plantlets. Just let them grow until the parent leaf is starting to die.


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## Fish Ed (Oct 25, 2011)

alipper said:


> I try to stick the java fern into any holes/cracks in the driftwood, grows great and you don't have to tie them.


+1 same!

It's just too difficult to tie such a small plant.


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## Sluggo (Nov 6, 2010)

micheljq said:


> If Java Fern rhizome is buried in substrate, plant will die.


 
The key word here is "buried." I have never had problems growing it in the substrate; you press the roots into the substrate and leave the rhizome on top or just below the surface.

If you want the plants in the substrate but the roots are not long enough to bury, you can super glue the rhizome to a rock, then bury the rock.


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