My best experience with stem plants, especially hygrophelia and the type, is
to lob the tops off and try replant them.

Eventually, though, you'll have to get rid of either the tops or the bottoms,
because you'll run out of space to plant.

Another issue is that you will
never have solid growing plants with well established root bases. If you
constantly are tearing up plants you don't give them a good chance to grow
good...

Generally not a problem with stem plants. They don't rely on their roots much,
and can grow just fine floating. And they root very, very fast if they are
growing well.

FWIW, some stem plants, like Hygrophila and Rotala, can be "topped" and still
look good. If you cut them back hard, they will grow back bushier than ever.

Most stem plants, though, never look right if you keep topping them.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/