# Growing Dwarf Baby Tears Terrestrially



## SpaceMan (Aug 25, 2013)

About 3 weeks ago I planted some dwarf baby tears terrestrially to see how they would do. I've kept them in a very humid environment about 2 feet from a 36W light. 

So far they have done very well, but I'm not seeing full ground coverage just yet. Have any of you had good luck with growing baby tears terrestrially? Should I do any fertilizing?


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## greenman857 (Dec 13, 2010)

I think lack of light is the limiting factor here.

Keep it very humid and maybe double the lights?

If nutrients were deficient (and light adequate) you'd more likely see longer "sickly" looking shoots I'd think. 

This my best guess so take it with a grain or two


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

You'll be ripping it out in no time...


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

If it's the aquatic plant _Hemianthus callitrichoides_ (as it appears to be,) he won't have much trouble keeping it controlled. The terrestrial baby tears (_Soleirolia soleirolii_,) though, does grow very rapidly. 

In transitioning to its terrestrial form, _H. callitrichoides_ takes some time to settle in before it sets off. The plant looks to be quite healthy and green as it is, so I wouldn't worry too much. If it starts growing excessively vertically, you should consider increasing the amount of light it is receiving, but until then, I wouldn't worry about it. It looks pretty compact at the moment. 

You can use a diluted fertilizer to speed its growth, but I probably wouldn't bother unless you observe nutrient deficiencies. 

Good luck!


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

I generally put aquatic plants directly in viv, without problems. I tried with mosses (Taiwan and Java moss), Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Java fern and Anubias nana. I know that Hemianthus is sensitive to fungi (Phytium), but a friend of mine grows it in viv with large tinctorius successfully.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

thanks for the clarification...I've looked for that variety of Baby Tears and have never been able to find it...so once again an assumption....would like to be able to locate some of that...does make an open sort of ground cover as an alternative to mosses..


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## Gerhard (Oct 28, 2013)

Use to grow it in 2L containers on the window sill. Just added a small amount of osmocote to the bottom of the container.


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## SpaceMan (Aug 25, 2013)

Interestingly enough, my terrestrially planted Hemianthus callitrichoides are doing better than their aquatic counter parts.

In the aquatic system, I've got vertical growth and browning/dying of stems. I assume this is a symptom of low light and a nutrient deficiency? I'll check the water quality tonight, but the pH when I last checked was about 6 or 6.5. I have a makeshift CO2 system and a diffuser, but nothing in the water to act as a buffer since I'm using RO water. 

I also have my makeshift canister filter (for testing purposes) processing the water in this system. I'm guessing at the moment it hasn't really established a strong biofilter in my media, as it's only been running for a few weeks. 

Should I consider an aquatic fertilizer? They're planted in what is essentially black silica used for sand blasting. (Black Diamond 20-40 Blasting Media, 50 lb. - Tractor Supply Co.). There is also no biological waste in the system except for plant decay. 

I'll post some pictures tonight.


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## Agrippa (Jul 4, 2006)

For the purposes of grow-out tanks, I wouldn't bother with RO water. While it's great for reefs (since we re-constitute it with salts) and vivariums (because it keeps glass clear,) its purity is not helpful for plants. 

You don't need to worry about aquatic cycling having a negative impact on plants- they aren't damaged by ammonia and nitrite at normal levels, and a fishles system will have almost none. Based on your description, you are likely right that your plants are suffering from nutrient deficiency, particularly since they are growing in an intert substrate. _H. callitrichoides _benefits greatly from bright light, CO2, and a rich substrate, and while the former two parameters are helpful for good growth, the latter is very much necessary. The plants growing in your terrestrial setup also have access to light and CO2, but, more importantly, a nutrient-rich substrate. As a result, they are growing better. 

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ails.php?id=51&category=genus&spec=Hemianthus

I would suggest dosing with a plant supplement or supplements. Macro nutrients like phosphate, nitrate, etc. are likely to be of the most use to you right now, but micro nutrients (iron, magnesium, etc.) may need to be supplemented as well, depending on how long you intend to keep the plants growing in silica. Seachem makes a line of affordable plant supplements likely available at your local pet stores:

Seachem. Flourish Nitrogen

There are, of course, other options including root tabs, replacing the silica with a nutrient-rich substrate, or dosing with DIY aquatic fertilizers (more affordable in the long-term.) Depending on which option appeals to you most, I can provide more information or links.

Good luck.


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