Live sphagnum moss

C

colinliew

• Aug 20, 2004

• #1

I'm getting a bit tired of having to buy sphagnum moss every once in a while, and was wondering if anyone's tried using Live Sphagnum moss.

Is it more convenient, does it produce better results with Neps, does it look prettier?

Also, any idea where to obtain some? Apparently FEF has stopped selling, but I haven't gone down personally to have a look.

 

S

Sarraceniaobsessed

• Aug 20, 2004

• #2

Colin,
I think it would work just fine. The only concern is it often will over grow smaller less vigorous plants. You could grow your own as it grows like a weed for me. I have top dressed all my sarracenia pots with it to keep weeds down and act as a moisture meter. It often grows from the dried LFS I use in my potting mix. Gook luck!

 

P

pond boy

• Aug 20, 2004

• #3

Dean sells it for $10 a gallon.

 

J

Jason Wong

• Aug 20, 2004

• #4

Never tried it with neps, does quite a bit with doseras and VFTs though. I find sphagnum moss extremely hard to grow in a terrarium though, so if you want to try, try outside.

 

J

Jason Wong

• Aug 20, 2004

• #5

FEf sold live sphagnum?

 

C

colinliew

• Aug 20, 2004

• #6

Jason where did you get yours?

 

J

Jason Wong

• Aug 21, 2004

• #7

I gre it myself, but I don't have much. Hong Yee has them growing like weeds...

 

T

Tamlin Dawnstar

• Aug 21, 2004

• #8

The problem with LFS is that the material is nearly nutrient free. With a good feeding fprogram this isn't a bother, and there are many benefits attached to its use: it is naturally aniseptic and acidifies the mix it is used with. It can grow quickly despite the comments made here and can overwhelm smaller plants if not monitored. Running it through a food processor grants nearly a season of trouble free potting, afterwhich it usually needs trimming. I think very highly of it as a cp medium for virtually every CP imaginable, if care is taken to keep it in check and also to provide regular nutrition along with its employment.

 

C

colinliew

• Aug 21, 2004

• #9

Thanks for the advice, Tamlin. Does that mean that it's possible the moss will overrun the nepenthes plant itself?

 

Flip_Side_the_Pint

• Aug 25, 2004

• #10

it can over run the nep itself but only if the plant is small, like a seedling, and can't out grow the LFS