# Pruning Swords



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Hey there!!

In my 20g I have an Amazon Sword... but it must be a dwarf, because it's quite small...

I just planted a HUGE Amazon Sword (2 actually) in my 36g tank and I'm wondering..... how do I prune it? I mean... when it starts to grow uber tall and then over shadows the other plants, how do I prune it down so it stays shorter - I basically don't want it any taller than it is: 

Aquarium Gallery - 36g Bow Front plants in!

It's the plant in the back center.

Thanks!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You don't prune swords to make them shorter. All you can do is remove leaves to size you want and they must be removed at the base of the crown.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks Susan. I'm a bit confused when you say remove leaves to the size I want.... do you mean just remove any that grow larger and keep the smaller ones? 

Then, it will still grow tall, just with smaller leaves?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Leaves start from the center. When the outer leaves get too tall, peel them off.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Got it - When outer leaves grow too tall, cut them off as far down the stalk as possible. Thanks!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

No, better to peel them downward until the leaf comes off. I never liked doing it to my swords very much. A sword looks much better with a full lower area and that is hard to do if you are trying to keep small. With low light, ferts, and no CO2 I doubt it will grow all too fast. The Amazons grow too fast for me though. Think a Kleiner Bar Sword would have been more to your liking. I have had one for a year in a high-tech tank and the leaves are still only about 10-12 inches long. It can still get pretty large, but from what I've seen in both of the plants I have had they grow much slower.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm a bit confused as to how you 'peel' leaves..... if I peel the leaves/stem, it will up root the plant when it gets to the bottom........ or am I not getting what you mean? lol.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

It peels off like an onion. You hold the plant still with one hand and peel the leaf with the other. When the plant gets rooted it will be much easier. You can also cut as close as you can if you like. Peeling gets it all of though. Your choice.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Aaah, I see. I didn't realize they were 'onion like'. That makes much more sense now, lol.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

What I do is split the root ball, put the larger section against the glass in the corner and the smaller one wherever else. It is easier to pill the plant up gently and then try to split the roots with your fingers, careful not to break anything.


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