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How do you remove pests from live Sphagnum?

seedjar

Let's positive thinking!
I have lots of Sphagnum growing in my pots outside - not as much inside. I want to bring some cuttings in, but I'm wary of bringing pests into a warm, sheltered environment. There's already a population of miniature slugs that are constantly messing up my smaller plants, not to mention some obnoxious earthworms.
So, does anyone have a method for getting an aseptic culture of Sphagnum? Once I tried to wash some with rubbing alcohol, and it kind of worked, but I think I didn't rinse it enough afterwards because there was lots of die-off a few days later. Any tips would be great.
Thanks,
~Joe
 
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You could submerge the moss underwater for 3 days....will drown anything living in it and the moss will probably enjoy it anyway. ;)
 
i dont think that would kill snail eggs
 
nope, i dont think those eggs + the slime around it let through much oxygen anyway, it would prllly kill the young snails that happen to hatch underwater though.

Wouldnt microwaving also kill the moss ?
 
  • #10
A non issue if it's for cuttings. IME microwaved LFS has always came back from what I assume is the spores.

I think he wants live LFS:

Once I tried to wash some with rubbing alcohol, and it kind of worked, but I think I didn't rinse it enough afterwards because there was lots of die-off a few days later.
 
  • #11
Yes, I'm trying to keep as much alive through this as possible. Maybe I could rinse it thoroughly with a neem-based product or something...
~Joe
 
  • #12
So, does anyone have a method for getting an aseptic culture of Sphagnum?

A two-step quarantine should be enough for use as a substrate:
- step 1: keep the sphagnum under water for several weeks
- step 2: drain well und keep the sphagnum in a tightly closed glass container for several weeks

Step 1 of the quarantine should provide a sphagnum with only aquatic living pests in it, like mosquito larvae, small water beetle larvae and other.

Step 2 of the quarantine let the water insects die, or at least hatch and die.
 
  • #13
You might be able to freeze it. Many Sphagnum bogs are snowed under during the winter. The tricky part will be thawing it out slowly but maybe in the fridge would work. Try a test clump.

Or maybe CO2 fumigation. Do it in the dark to prevent O2 production from photosynthesis.
 
  • #14
I have grown hydroponically for a number of years with a perpetual indoor garden.
When I get pests in the media, I use a product called "pyganic" as a drench. It is non systemic and easily washed away. I would think soaking the moss in the pyganic for two hours and rinseing very well would kill all the bugs within the moss, eggs and all.
If you would like to give it a try, I will send you some to mix up. Just PM me with your addy.

---------- Post added at 03:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:41 PM ----------

You might be able to freeze it. Many Sphagnum bogs are snowed under during the winter. The tricky part will be thawing it out slowly but maybe in the fridge would work. Try a test clump.

Or maybe CO2 fumigation. Do it in the dark to prevent O2 production from photosynthesis.

my thoughts are...if the bugs live in the moss in nature during freezing, they would survive the freezer.
 
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  • #15
for slugs and probebly snails put a shallow dish with beer in it with the pot, the slugs are drawn to it and will drown in it. Works great indoors but the squirrels and chimpmunks like it it and usually get to it all before the slugs do if its outside
 
  • #16
I notice that my tanks with sphagnum especially the nep tank is infested with fungus gnats and small black snails the size of like...maybe a lowercase o in font size 11 tahoma. I spot them especially in the dark and many are drawn to the nep pitcher peristomes. They don't really seem to do much damage. (Not to steal the thread...but do they do any serious damage?) I would be concerned if there are big snails though.
 
  • #17
I notice that my tanks with sphagnum especially the nep tank is infested with fungus gnats and small black snails the size of like...maybe a lowercase o in font size 11 tahoma. I spot them especially in the dark and many are drawn to the nep pitcher peristomes. They don't really seem to do much damage. (Not to steal the thread...but do they do any serious damage?) I would be concerned if there are big snails though.


A Drosera would take care of the fungus gnats.
 
  • #18
I notice that my tanks with sphagnum especially the nep tank is infested with fungus gnats and small black snails the size of like...maybe a lowercase o in font size 11 tahoma. I spot them especially in the dark and many are drawn to the nep pitcher peristomes. They don't really seem to do much damage. (Not to steal the thread...but do they do any serious damage?) I would be concerned if there are big snails though.

Those little snails are orchid snails....and if you have orchids they eat the roots right off...they don't seem to damage CPs though.
 
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