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Sphagnum & Live Sphagnum

I know we use sphagnum moss for all of our plants but I hear about live sphagnum being a decorative moss and that it's useful for growing from seed(I think). If there is a difference, can you tell me what it is and does what is the advantages of having live moss?

Thanks.
 
The only thing ( I think I know ) is it isn't so compact and allows for 'breathing' . It is helpful for some seed to grow this way...so they don't fall victim to rot.

That isn't to say you can't grow them other ways, I think that people ( me excluded ) have had good expierence with it.

I think many things are all about a matter of what you feel comfortable with.

If you are 'decorating' your pots/bogs live moss is awesome. But finding it is the problem. Not many people have it.

Goodluck with your search!!
smile.gif
If you find some, share with us where you got it
 
Does it look like moss(green) because I was in France a few weeks ago and saw some CP's. They had something on the top which was multicoloured(bits of green, white, red). Looked okay but I preferred the green. Also if people suggest that I use live moss to grow whatever, is normal moss a good substitute? I'm sure it is but would like to make sure.

Thanks
 
Stick with sphagnum, there are some mosses that are deadly to plants (go figure) and some will simply strangle them out...

Sphagnum is easily managable, and found in most CP's natural environments...

and would you all think i was a jerk if I jokingly said the difference between sphagnum and live sphagnum was that in one of them (Sphagnum) cellular activity had ceased, and the sphagnum was now dead. ?

It's a smarty pants answer <- Note desire to use word other than 'pants' here.
 
NOLU,

Live sphag actually comes in a variety of colours (green, red, yellow, brown) so if you hunt you can find some vibrant green stuff no problem.

I have never heard of live being used for seeds and I think it would be prone to smothering seedlings. I use milled sphag (dry dead sphag about the consistancy of sawdust) to sow most of my seeds on and find it works very well. It holds moisture better than straight soil and still retains the anti-fungal properties of the live moss

Pyro
 
Live sphagnum is best for starting seeds of a lot of CP's. Besides its moisture retention capacity, it also prevents damp off fungus that can attack seedlings. Just be sure to trim it so it doesn't smother the seedlings.
 
A good medium for seed starts is live sphagnum moss which has been run thru a food processor. This prevents it from budding and overgrowing the seedlings long enough for them to grow to transplantable size, but dead sphagnum works nearly as well as per Pyros comments.
 
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