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Best method for growing lfs?

  • Thread starter LeftCoast
  • Start date
Looks like a lot of folks here grow LFS for use as a planting medium. I'm curious what methods are used. What works best?

Thanks in advance!

Randy on the LeftCoast
 
Apparently a lot of people are successful in growin sphagnum on straight peat, kept wet. I know JimScott has had some pretty favorable results and I'm sure he'll be able to elaborate on that method. I myself am trying to grow some in just water and I'm seeing what light levels and temps work well. My moss seems to grow well in the pots that receive frequent overhead watering and don't get too bright of light.
 
Hi Est,

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think it would help to cover the lfs to elevate the humidity?
 
Depends how you're growing it, I suppose. I'm probably not the best qualified to asnwer this, but here's my two cents anyway: The moss needs to be kept moist, if it dries out then it dies. You can give the moss the moisture that it needs a number of ways, putting a cover on would be a suitable way, but you need to watch your temperatures. If you need to worry about high temperatures for example, if you grow using sunlight, then it might be easier just to add a bit more water to compensate for the water that will be lost. My observation is keep the temperature from getting too high (covered container outside in full sun = too high) and keep it wet. You can accomplish these any number of ways. All in all, I'd say it be better to just give it more water instead of worrying about humidity, if it has sufficient water, then it shouldn't burn and you should be alright.
 
Thanks, Jonathan! I simply have it in a plastic tray, at a SW window sill, contantly filled with deionize water. It's a jungle in there! Doesn't seem to need covering - just lotsa light and lotsa water.

PAK once decribed cultivating the dried LFS and that requires light, water, and being covered, ititially. Perhaps she will see this topic and elaborate.
 
I grow my sphagnum in little plastic sandwich containers covered with plastic bags. I just put strands in there, usually with some perlite, dead LFS or peat, put some water in, seal it, and let it go under my lights next to the bladderworts and sundews. A few weeks later I give it some more water, and in a month or two I have a full dish of moss. I usually divide them into thirds to start new colonies, but I've used strands plucked out of my Nep pots as well - they just take a little longer to get rolling when you start with less.
~Joe
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jimscott @ June 24 2005,4:54)]Thanks, Jonathan! I simply have it in a plastic tray, at a SW window sill, contantly filled with deionize water. It's a jungle in there! Doesn't seem to need covering - just lotsa light and lotsa water.
This is a method I would like to try. I'm worried about growing the LFS outside because it would get contaminated with weeds.

Maybe I should do an experiment and try one batch indoors and one outdoors...
 
Go for it!
smile.gif
 
The Joe Mazrimas Method: Place LFS in a plastic bag (a large one!).
Place bag with sphagnum inside under a growing bench. Keep it wet and leave it alone. By the end of a full growing cycle, you will have much sphagnum.
Use said sphagnum to your hearts content.
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Bugweed @ June 24 2005,8:52)]The Joe Mazrimas Method: Place LFS in a plastic bag (a large one!).
Would a 1 gal zip lock qualify as 'large'?
smile.gif
 
  • #11
That and anything larger. Joe would use much larger bags and just leave them under his growing benches, and always had a constant supply of sphagnum moss.
 
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