LFS vs Peat moss?

[Dimka]

Hey guys!
Had a question. Whats a better growing medium? Long fibered sphagnum or a standart Peat moss/perlite mix?
Reason I as is, I did a bit of an experiment with D. intermedia, due to the fact of having tons of its seeds, and here it is:
I had sown seeds into dried LFS and others into CP mix.
Results (about 1-2 months later): The dried LFS is now green, the 3 D. intermedia plants are completely red and dewy. The 3 D. intermedia plants growing in peat moss are green with a hint of red, however the tenticles are red. They are also dewy.
Another observation: The plants in LFS are redder, but notisably smaller, whereas the ones in peat are about 2+ times bigger.
They are grown in exactly the same conditions (light, temp, humidity etc... they are in the same tank).
So this has led me to the thought of LSF being a better medium for good coloration, but peat is better for size. Based on this, I'm conducting the same experiment with D. binata, rotundifolia and filiformis... only problem is I think rotundifolia and filiformis seeds are not viable because I've sown them months ago with not a single plantlet...
This time however I mixed LFS and peat in one pot, and other had just peat/perlite.

So what do you think? Has anyone observed something similar to this?

 

[Gawd_oOo]

Well I have results that contradict your some, I had a small D. intermedia that wasn't doing well in the peat/perlite mix. (all the other are, just not this one. And they are all from the same parent plant) I yanked it out of the mix, and dropped it onto a mat of live Sphagnum, since then it has taken off.

 

[Dimka]

I didnt say it did bad in it.
They are redder and dewier... just smaller.

I like them nonetheless though

 

[chloroplast]

I use LFS for many of my dews and haven't noticed a size difference.

 

[zac]

I think in order to be really accurate you would need to have at least three dews per medium to rule out any anomalies. Good topic though.

Zac

 

[Cindy]

In my humid weather, I prefer LFS to peat. If I place both pots under florescent lights, algae appears on peat faster than the seeds could germinate. But with LFS, although it turns greenish, it doesn't grow the sort of slimey mould that grows on peat.  

 

When it comes to the plants, I can't really tell if there's a difference. Generally, if the seeds do germinate on peat and start growing, there's no stopping them. I haven't grown enough drosesa plants on LFS to know. LFS as a better media for seed germination was a recent discovery for me. I sown D. sessilifolia seeds into my VFT pots and watered using the tray method so that the seeds remain in place.

 

[jimscott]

In some cases, the LFS, particularly if it is alive, can overwhelm the smaller sundews - like pigmys. However, LFS has many other positive qualities - like water retention and therapeutic. In nature, the live the LFS is the topmost layer of media and below is a layer of peat and sand. I have pretty good success with mixing sand and peat and then adding a layer of LFS - live, if possible.