# Pruning Jungle Val



## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

I cut mine to a ^ at the tips and they have always been fine. Have not had melting or even so much as lost a leaf, and they still grow like crazy to where I have to trim every couple of weeks. Cutting them straight off, in my experience, works as well but causes the ends to melt significantly until they form their "natural" shape. Then the plant will resume it's rapid growth.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

Well thats good to hear because I fear them melting like i read on other post. They are curling and wrapping around the tank. I don't really have a problem with them shading the light since I have mostly slow growing plants.


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## wrangler (Oct 14, 2007)

When I had it in my tank, I would cut the leaves like this / or \. I don't ever remember the tips melting.... And it seemed like no time and they were too long again!


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

wrangler said:


> When I had it in my tank, I would cut the leaves like this / or \. I don't ever remember the tips melting.... And it seemed like no time and they were too long again!


Did it grow from the tips or was it new leaves?
I thought that they couldn't grow from a damage or cut tip?
As you can see below it's running wild, also what can I give my val to give it back it dark green color? I know the light is shining through the leaves but its still lighter in color than before.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

Slightly OT but I love your layout. I too have lots of Anubias and the Jungle Val in my low tech. What is that sword looking mid ground plant on the right?



Patriot100% said:


> also what can I give my val to give it back it dark green color? I know the light is shining through the leaves but its still lighter in color than before.


I'm wondering the same. New leaves are still coming in fine but they are "pale".


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## Cbwmn (Nov 30, 2007)

Patriot100% said:


> Did it grow from the tips or was it new leaves?
> I thought that they couldn't grow from a damage or cut tip?
> As you can see below it's running wild, also what can I give my val to give it back it dark green color? I know the light is shining through the leaves but its still lighter in color than before. QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

> The JV leaves grow longer from the base (roots), not the tips. I just break them off with my hands. The tips do turn slightly brown after awhile.


That's weird I always thought plant grew from the tips and not the base... i guess you really do learn something new every day. Thanks for telling me this, now I can prune them without fear. 



> What is that sword looking mid ground plant on the right?


It's not sword but hygrophila corymbosa


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Ziggy said:


> I question if doing that wouldn't compromise the health of the plant, essentially turning it into a plant with nothing but damaged leaves...?


 
Just make sure your scissors are SHARP, and no jagged cuts. Surgical scissors are best. BUT yea you trim the top.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

So do you have to cut in an angle?


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Patriot100% said:


> So do you have to cut in an angle?


 
Ive done both...angles or straight, the plant doesnt care. The most important thing is that the scissors are sharp. There will be some yellowing after the clipping and then the plant does its job and repairs.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

wrangler said:


> When I had it in my tank, I would cut the leaves like this / or \. I don't ever remember the tips melting.... And it seemed like no time and they were too long again!


Most peoples experiences differ, you just have to experiment and find out what works for you. In my tank, /,\, or -- =melting until it returned to it's natural^ shape at the tips and also resulted in a slow down in growth. The only way I could keep it from melting and slowing down was to do the ^ at the tip.



Patriot100% said:


> Did it grow from the tips or was it new leaves? I thought that they couldn't grow from a damage or cut tip?


They do grow from the base, but will also grow new leaves. Mine are doing both.



Patriot100% said:


> As you can see below it's running wild, also what can I give my val to give it back it dark green color? I know the light is shining through the leaves but its still lighter in color than before.


I would say a good trimming and allowing the light to penetrate further will return them to a darker green color. If not you might be lacking in some nutrient, but not positive as these are relatively easy plants and I am not having this problem.



JasonG75 said:


> Just make sure your scissors are SHARP, and no jagged cuts. Surgical scissors are best. BUT yea you trim the top.


+1! Jagged cuts will still result in some melting.


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