Trim or Let em ride?

[jrmakawoody]

What is the "rule" for trimming off half dead leaves. I bought an amazon sword that has some half dead leaves. I know that these are probably going to fall off, but while I wait for new growth, trim them off? or keep them there until they fall off? I learned that there are certain plant hormones that promote new growth, which is a result of pruning. Is this the same case with this particular aquatic plant?

 

[nick_76]

in gardening, or with my houseplants, i tend to trim. dont know if it does any good but it looks much better..and with dying or mostly dead leaves, id rather the plant invest its energy into its healthier portions. That being said, i have no evidence it actually helps anything, but it does force me to examine the plants health a little more closely

 

[jrmakawoody]

The brown spots are ugly, i think I will chop them off later today... Do you cut the leaves closest to the stem?

 

[pbmax]

When I trim ugly leaves off of swords I pull the leaves off of the base with a quick tug, if possible. Sometimes the plant won't give up its leaves without uprooting - in this case I'll trim with scissors as close to the base as I can get (or use my fingers to snap the leaf stem - not as clean, but it works in a pinch).

I haven't noticed any problems when tidying my swords this way; they're pretty robust.