What is the best way to trim swords? I have a huge one in my one of my tanks. The leaves reach the top of the tank and are now spreading over the top shading the rest of the tank. Do I just cut them off at the base? Cut them in half? What is the best way to attack it?
Most older sword leaves droop down towards the bottom. Trim these leaves first since they're the oldest and are going to die anyway. If, after you've trimmed all the leaves that are touching the bottom or nearly touching the bottom, set your sites on leaves that touch the glass or other objects.
Personally, I like plants covering the glass so I leave those alone, so I make sure leaves that block the center-most part of the aquarium are trimmed back.
Trim the entire leaf at the base.
You can easily trim up to one-third of the plant without causing any problems (assuming you have a well established root system).
I trimmed two swords a couple weeks ago and filled a gallon container. They looked a little ragged after the trimming but now they look great.
After trimming, give them a dose of iron.
