How to store unwanted plants?

[Brenmuk]

I have been collecting alot of plants lately alot more than really looks good in my tank. There are quite a few that I would like to get rid off but am loathe to chuck them because I know I would like to try them again in a new scape at some point in the future.
One thing that I have done is to set up an old coffee jar with a layer of soil followed by a layer of gravel and filled with rain water. It was originally set up to test the soil before I used it in my tank but has since become a storage jar for duck weed, riccia and elodia densa which I nolonger have in my tank. There is also some cryptocorne growing in the soil. There is a tight fitting glass lid that came with the jar and a few snails, the plants grow very slowly and I dont add food/ferts or do water changes - so it is essentially a closed system.
Apart from setting up other tanks has anyone else tried this? What have others used to store unwanted aquatic plants?

 

[Voo]

I keep all mine in a storage tub that i got from Wilko's and a washing up bowl.
They're near a window but not one that faces the sun.

Plants such as riccia don't do well in there, but moss, java fern, crypts and anubias do fine.
I've had anubias and moss in there for over a year or more now 8)

 

[Dan Crawford]

I just give mine away on the forum. Hopefully the receiver will be successful with the plants and in time, if i want to try the plant in another scape then no doubt the receiver will be willing to send some back to me

 

[ceg4048]

Or you could just use them in a salad. Most stems taste great and are less filling.

Cheers,

 

[a1Matt]

Or you could just use them in a salad. Most stems taste great and are less filling.

Cheers,

Saururus Cerneus (spelling?) smells very similar to lemongrass but I never had the guts to try and cook with it for fear of poisoning myself.

 

[ceg4048]

I've tried about 70 species in their submersed form, the tastiest of which is Limnophilia Aromatica. Staurogyne sp is also highly recommended. There's no point boiling or steaming as they are delicate and turn to tasteless mush very quickly. Just about any stem can be used as a garnish or in combination. A little salt, oil and vinegar on a bed of lettuce or with tomato works fine. Very nutritious as they are high in iron, calcium and phosphorous. Definitely avoid ingestion of Crypts, Swords, Mosses and Ferns though. They can be brutal.

Cheers,

 

[Garuf]

I've ate moss and ferns, leave them to Ray Meares, they're rancid.
I ate mine as a dare though, I can't imagine being like ceg and eating the plants.

 

[ceg4048]

Oh well, different strokes for different folks. By the way, is that guy still alive? He does eat some fairly disgusting stuff. Hard to believe he isn't very familiar with a stomach pump or a de-tox center.

Cheers,

 

[Garuf]

Haha, Ray mears is indeed still alive, he's no bear grylls though, that guy is just disgusting at least ray cooks it..

What else is good eating? I always imagine hygro to be, it always smells really vegie.

 

[a1Matt]

Wow!

When I come back from hols I expect that my Rotala Rotundifolia Hemianthus Micranthemoides will need a big trim.

Would these two both be suitable for ingestion?

I hope so and can't wait to try them (assuming that my stomach isn't in a bad way from too much guinea pig and chilli sauce )

 

[beeky]

Would you be visiting Peru by any chance?

 

[a1Matt]

Would you be visiting Peru by any chance?

Yep There is another thread I started today where I announced how excited I am by it ( viewtopic.php?f=24&t=3813 )

 

[ceg4048]

Wow!

When I come back from hols I expect that my Rotala Rotundifolia Hemianthus Micranthemoides will need a big trim.

Would these two both be suitable for ingestion?

I hope so and can't wait to try them (assuming that my stomach isn't in a bad way from too much guinea pig and chilli sauce )

Well, I mean, why wait. Go try some now. What I do to avoid killing myself is to just try a few leaves or a piece of stem at a time. You can tell right away if something is nasty. If I survive the next day I'll have some more. So every water change I wind up snacking. Most are bland right out of the tank, some are astringent. The tougher the leaf the less appetizing, the more flaccid the better generally. HM was OK but personally didn't care for the Rotala.

Do you remember the Kevin Kline's character Otto in "A Fish Called Wanda"? That's me. "Avoid the green ones - they're not ripe yet."

Cheers,

 

[Garuf]

Vallis: Gross, avoid it.
Hygro: bland, tastes like water.
Rotalla: Bitter, funny texture
Bacoppa: the only one that made my mouth hate me.
Hm: tastes a lot like Rockket lettuce.