What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Live Sphagnum moss or Not for Ceph's

So here is my question, I have live sphagnum growing in small patches all over the place, but not in my Cephalotus pots.

If you had the choice would you add it to your Cephalotus pots? And why?
 
one person has told me he grows his in LFS.....i dont and mine also seems to hate the carpet moss that grows in most CP pots....whenever the moss moves it my ceph starts to decline.......others have said theirs doesnt seem to care..........who knows man, ive got no real advise to give yah.........ive experienced one thing and others have experienced the exact opposite............
 
If it is smaller, I'd wait, since my Live LFS was starting to outgrow my baby ceph at one point. I've read that Live sphag encourages the plant to branch out and gives the rhizome (or whatever you call the big upper root thing) just the right amt. of moisture. I grow my ceph in a mix with around 80% long fibered (dead) sphagnum and 20% peat/sand/a little charcoal. At the top and throughout the mix, I added Live Sphagnum.
However, I've seen specimens growing in pure peat/sand that are enormous and they look just the same as cephs growing with live lfs.
It's up to you...
 
If I was to add the moss I would remove some of the top soil then add the moss to replace the old soil. Or I could just wait for my next divisions. Its just the moss is right there, mocking me!
 
live lfs definitely optimises humidity.
 
As Rattler said, as ten ppl and you will get ten opinions....

that being said, Ceph pitchers can live for a year or longer.. by that time LFS (edit: Live LFS) easily overtakes the ones on the lower levels of the clump, causing nothing but problems

What few times Ive tried live sphag with cephs ... Ive regretted it every time,
Been there and done that

So I vote a big No
LOL
Av
 
I also vote No on the LFS...same as above.
I even go to the other extreme and try to prevent enything from growing (except the ceph) by adding a layer of small graded gravel on top...it works just fine for me!
Also i didn't have any problems growing them in low humidity.
 
I'm not worried about the humidity they are in with the orchids. I'll just leave them as is for now. They are growing so why bother them without a ton of people telling me how good live sphagnum is.
 
last time i grew my cephs with LFS...it overtook em, caused air circulation issues and BOOM powdery mildew....mine dont seem to mind the carpet moss though, keeps em dry enough around the crown....
 
  • #10
I think they do just fine in a mix of sand and peat with a top layer of LFS - live or dried. I start the leaves in LFS.
 
  • #11
From what I've seen - it'll only screw you over if you use only LFS as a media. If you forget to water it, it's really hard to re-wet the dry LFS strands. And when the sphag gets too full of water it makes the plant rot.

It doesn't seem to encourage fungus, etc. in my conditions.
 
  • #12
Most of my larger Cephalotus grow in some live sphagnum, at least as a constituent of a top dressing. In my experience over the years, I have found that that healthy layer of moss ensures a higher local humidity and helps to prevent less desirable elements, including destructive molds such as (Botrytis) or the fungus (Pythium) -- currently a prime suspect in the so-called "Cephalotus Sudden Death Syndrome" -- from taking a foot-hold.

CFHG-B.jpg


Since sphagnum moss generally grows more rapidly than smaller Cephalotus plants, the method is to just keep the moss trimmed to prevent it overtaking the plant(s) or pot.

Simple. . .
 
  • #13
and there you go RSS... multiple opinions from some experienced growers

What works for one may not work for another, too many inter-related varibles for black and white answers..

Av
 
  • #14
I grow some Cephs in live sphagnum moss. And for other pots, I deliberately plant other mosses on the surface of the mound. Give the high temperatures here year round, sphagnum grows slow enough even for very small Cephs to do well without being smothered.
 
  • #15
This is actually what I wanted to know, why people use or it not. Thanks for the inputs so far. I'll probably give it a try on one of my next divisions, just so I can see for myself with my conditions what it does.
 
  • #16
just so I can see for myself with my conditions what it does.

thats the smartest thing said in this thread yet :D
 
  • #17
i have 4 cephs in one 8.5 inch square pot, i use fine sand as top dressing to prevent moss from growing .. moss can earily overgrow the ceph and the sand looks good =], the cephs loves it
 
  • #18
I grow mine in 1:1 peat:coarse silica sand.

I allow moss (Sphagnum sp. and others) to grow on the surface as it helps prevent algae and slime from establishing themselves.

Just be careful not to let it overwhelm the Cephalotus.

Ken
 
  • #19
You can always pick out excessive LFS.
 
  • #20
A bump for an old thread.





 
Back
Top