Green moss/lfs?

[joseph]

OK i've looked everywhere and can't find any LFS. I bought three bags of Green moss from a rainforest in the pacific north west. The green bag from home depot. According to the Savage Garden this stuff is supposed to be death if it is "green moss" but I believe he his refering to the basket lining material. Any opinions Death or safe??

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

I vote for death. ANY green "forest moss" is surely the same stuff as on the rocks in your backyard. I accidently used the "forest moss" on an S.purpurea subsp. venosa and it is in fact still in it but, I top dressed it with living sphagnum and the acidity broke down the stuff and I never had a problem. But if you have planted a CP in it, repot it immediatly!

 

[joseph]

I would love to repot but I can't find any lfs, i've tried every lowes, homedepot, and several nurseries in my area. Why exactly is this stuff so bad?

joe

 

[joseph]

OK, If I can't find LFS (not even online because everyone is out or closed for winter) what about 50/50 peat and pertilite or sand. I have many very tiny tc baby neps that were accidently planted in green moss and just don't seem to wanna grow.

joe

 

[NickHubbell]

A 50/50 mix of peat and perlite is fine.

Lowes should carry the LFS as its sold for use with orchids. 432 cu. in. costs about $4.00. Its in a yellow and green bag. The back says "Long Fiber Sphagnum Moss, product of Chile". It may be in with the flower pots as that is where I find mine.

You can also find it online at various places. If you want the live stuff, just chop of some of the dead lfs moss and sprinkle it on top of a peat/perlite or peat/sand mix. It will eventually grow into a nice live mat off moss.

Nick

 

[Khai]

Heres a link to a place were you can buy some nice NZ LFS .

http://www.orchidweb.com/cat_dtl....1&tpn=1

Peace

 

[Dyflam]

Another online site...

http://www.orchid-supplies.com/orchid_moss.html

 

[joseph]

Thanks guys 2lbs of New zealand moss on the way.  The bright side of my desperate search for moss is that while at homedepot I picked up a RO filter.  Much easier than collecting rain water and much cleaner.  The water of my roof always did look a bit dirty.

Now I need to find a use for 3 bags of moss garbage.

joe

 

[GEORGE-CP]

wow joe i bet that put a dent in your wallet. i also check lowes here and it was half the price of h.d. but, your right it is alot better than rain water and when the dry season comes around you don't have to do the indian rain rain dance forever.

with the wild moss i germinated some Sarr. in it and it did fine with now problem. i took most of them out of it but i did leave a couple of them in it and they are doing fine. it was the kind that grows wild around here and in the mountains.

heck that moss that dyflam posted is only $10 more then when i got a bal. of the stuff from mosser lee. might get it next year when the bag finally is empty

 

[joseph]

Dent? no dent.  Big gaping hole and thats for the small model. Lowes didn't have one when I looked, but it will allow me to enjoy the hobby a little more.  

The wild moss hasn't actually killed anything yet but the water retention properties and the texture is poor.  I once recieved a small bit of new zealand moss in a plant trade and have been dying to get ahold of more anyways.  It's just so fluffy.

joe

 

[The Griffin]

Joseph,

yes, the difference between NZ and our American "crap" os amazing. Actually the local stuff works fine, but as you hinted, it's darker, thinner, has more sticks and stuff usally in it and the first time I got NZ, I thought(sorry for this true crude but true analogy)"Wow, this moss is so clean and fluffy, I could wipe my _ _ _ with this stuff!" Again sorry for that. The Chilean is good stuff too, and from what some have told me, is more likely to start growing than NZ lfs.

Regards,

Joe

 

[joseph]

hmmm. chilean you say will grow easier. I'll have to get a little next time I hit the trade forum.

joe