sphagnum shmagnum

[whispersiren]

So ya see I posted this question in "general discussions" about resurrecting dry sphagnum and didn't get much feedback so thought "hmmm" maybe I 'm asking the wrong folks, I mean, you guys are afterall the true live sphagnum enthusiasts, aficionados, fanatics of PTF... so if i want the low-downthis is the place, eh?

So I heard you could resurrect dry sphagnum by placing it in a ziplock and sticking it under grow lights in a cool locale for a month or so... I goofed and put mine in the bag, but on a semisunny sill (no extra fluorecents...) and cooked it. oops.

It was... bright.

guess i was curious if anyone has any other ways to grow live from dry...with success and in quanity and quickly. (woo that's kind of asking a lot, eh?) Tell me your stories, pretty please (grin)

And where do you guys buy yours?? Is it expensive? How much is a reasonable price to pay?? (if it would be more appropriate to messenger/email the answer, swell)

Thank you thank you!!!

here's a link to the other ptf discussion:
link to other sphagnum discussion

 

[Stefano1]

well, earlier today i was geting some LFS and found some green LFS, and i thoughtit could live, i took a plasti cup, put it in there and put tghe lid on top, and it gets humid and i take off during day and put top on at night, gets like 6 hours morning sun, no signs yet, started doing it like a week ago
its also in like a bit of water, not too much

 

[Tony Paroubek]

I find it is easiest to start under lights in a baggie.. Every time I use dried sphagnum to root cuttings it goes nuts and sprouts. In the greenhouse I don't get much sphagnum growth or sphagnum to start. I think it just gets too much fluctuation in moisture to do well. For sphagnum to grow well it needs alot of sun and alot of water. To grow alot of it you will need a large surface area also.

I would suggest a wide shallow tub or some sort, roughly 12 inches deep. Poke holes about 4inches up from the bottom roughly and fill it with dried sphagnum about 6 inches deep. Give it lots of sun and Lots of water! It is important to water it well frequently so that the moss doesn't get stagnant. The holes will keep the water level below the top of the moss, so it doesn't drown.

As for moss I use New Zealand or Chilean
Tony

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

I just have a small supply of Living Spahgnum I use. I get some if I need it around my area.

 

[whispersiren]

zoiks, i didn't know you could drown it...

so you don't need a clear lid on the tub to keep the moisture in as it would also create too much heat, being out in the sun, right?

 

[Tristan]

Um I just threw some dried stuff in my water trays( large ones) and it began to grow. ITs been in there for 4 months and is doing fine. The new growth just pokes out of the water

 

[Pyro]

DISCLAIMER: I have never tritd this!!!

That said, I have heard you can take most any moss place it in a blender with buttermilk or stale beer hit puree untill you get a tick goop and then pour it onto your media of choice (peat:sand for sphag I'd guess.) In a month or so you are supposed to have a start to growth and eventually you should have a big carpet of it.

That is what I have heard anyway

Pyro

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

I may try that Pyro! Intersting idea!!!!!

 

[Kim]

If you can get a kiddie pool, drill some holes about an inch or so from the bottom. Then put regular Canadian sphagnum wet in the bottom of the pool up to that level....Try and keep the pool out of the direct sun. Break up little bits of live sphagnum and stick it all over the peat in the bottom. Make sure the peat in the bottom stays wet. Before long, the bits will start growing and eventually fill the whole kiddie pool with sphagnum. It will take awhile for it to get two or three inches long so you can pick out what you need. You should always have ample that way. Good luck.

Kim

 

[WayCool]

I have been trying to resurrect dry sphagnum moss for the past two months. I have some in zip lock bags in outside shade and some exposed to full light. I have some in semi-enclosed containers in full sun and some in partial sun. The ones in the shade and full sun are not growing

One container in full sun, however, has some green moss-like growth, but does not seem to be growing longer or taller. Two containers in the partial sun (morning and late PM sun) are showing small scatter green moss growth like the container in full sun, and appears to be growing in length, but very sloow.
I don't know if they are sphagnum. I know what full mature sphagnum moss looks like, but not young ones. Anybody got pics of young sphagnum? So many small mosses look alike.
Basically, my success with resurrecting dried sphagnum moss is a hit n miss deal. Any tried and true experiences out there that you can share with me would be great.

 

[whispersiren]

Hey yal, thanks so much for all your replies... I'm still curious where one can buy the green (live) stuff

if not grow it from dry? And for how much $moola$?

WayCool:
Is your moss just soaked in water, or also on a medium? I think a common theme in most of the replies, so far, is that the wettened sphagnum is on like peat or peat& sand...

I think I'm going to try that approach.

Keep in touch about your experiments, mmmkay?

 

[WayCool]

My sphagnum are soaked only in water.

My belief is that a medium should not matter, since regeneration is a result of "spore" germination from the dried sphagnum moss.

I will continue with soaking in water only method for the rest of this summer. If the small moss growth fails to grow into mature sphagnum moss, I will try next year with the medium method.

This will be a long and slow experiment, so don't expect an update till close to the end of summer

.