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Mon, Feb 18, 08 at 23:30
| When on www.cobraplant.com planning my order I came across Live Shagnum Moss (Sphagnum capillifolium). Do any of you use this? I am looking to get some starter sundews as recommended by others here and was wandering if the sundews will do well in live sphagnum moss? How does it grow for you? Does it need any special care? What do you all think? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Live Shagnum Moss
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Live LFS (Long Fibered Sphagnum) is generally best used with only some CPs. It makes a great medium for plants like Nepenthes, but for Sundews, I would stick with a Sphagnum PEAT moss/Perlite mixture. Only some Sundews grow naturally in LFS, and generally these are not the starter sundews. I am sure most sundews will grow just fine in LFS but this is not the preferred medium. Peat/Perlite is also cheaper than Live LFS, so this is also another incentive. If you plan on growing Nepenthes though, LFS is a great medium as it also has a very appealing look to it. Even so, live LFS is best used as a topdressing as anything below the surface will generally die without light. (you could also use the live LFS as a topdressing for the sundews). |
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| This is anecdotal evidence, of course, but I had a D. intermedia sprout and grow in a container of live sphagnum last year and it did fantastic. It is resting in the garage this winter. I also found a picture on the internet of a North American Drosera growing in sphagnum. |
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- Posted by petiolaris Neutral (My Page) on Sat, Feb 23, 08 at 13:17
| Live LFS is like gold! It is an excellent growing medium for most CP's and especially for VFT's & Sarracenias. I have read that it has therapeutic properties for the plants as well as good for both reatining moisture and providing drainage. I use it as a triage for incoming plants as well as sprouting Cephalotus, VFT, D. filiformis, and D. binata leaves. For cultivation, place on top of a later of sand and peat and put in decent lighting. Here's a swamp of it:
And here is what eventually grew from the dried LFS:
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- Posted by dustin_nevadanorth z5 NV (My Page) on Sat, Feb 23, 08 at 15:37
| Well I will put it on my list for when it comes up for sale. Thanks for the information you all. Petiolaris your photo bucket album is great. That is a great collection, beautiful pictures. I think I will try some of the moss with my violets too. Any positive symbiotic therapeutic relationship can’t hurt. Sal_mando where did you find the info on the internet? |
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- Posted by all_things_green z7 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 24, 08 at 12:23
| I have read that you can help speed up the process of growing live LFS from the dried LFS that you can get anywhere, by chopping up a bunch of the ends of the dead moss over your peat/sand mix. I am trying it on my VFT's that I have outdoors in full sun. I lightly scratched the fine LFS dust into the surface for better contact with the peat/perlite mix, and misted it in with distilled water. It would be awesome if it would take hold! |
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- Posted by petiolaris Neutral (My Page) on Sun, Feb 24, 08 at 16:01
| Time, water, and light! It'll happen! |
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| I used Google images for drosera sphagnum and there are a bunch of pictures with the two coexisting happily. I bought a bag of live moss and layered it on top of dried long fibered sphagnum. It has grown very well. I put some in my new outdoor bag last year and am hoping it spreads. I just love the way sphagnum looks. I may try to get some different species. Bob |
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- Posted by dustin_nevadanorth z5 NV (My Page) on Sun, Feb 24, 08 at 20:52
| Sal_mando thanks for the idea. There are lots of good pics. How does it grow? Does the sphagnum develop roots? What does it live on? Just chlorophyll from photosynthesis or does it take any nutrients up from soil? Now I am wandering if there are any local strains that I could try. I guess I am calling the local Native Plant Society. |
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If you start with dried LFS, the live stuff seems to naturally sprout from it. I'd be careful with it with sundews though, it can overgrow them. Here's a pot of D. intermedia about 2.5 years after I started them from seed. When I began, the LFS was a bit below the pot surface, but this live sphagnum sprouted and kind of took over. (This was grown under fluorescent lights, maybe it would be less aggressive outdoors?).  |
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- Posted by all_things_green z7 (My Page) on Sun, Feb 24, 08 at 21:19
| Here's a pic I just took today after adding the dried LFS. The VFT's where just planted in the pot yesterday. :)
If all goes well I'll hopefully have a green carpet in a few months. |
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| It doesn't have roots, but it uses its stems to pick up moisture and nutrients. It doesn't need much in the way of nutrients - I think mine is living off the slowly decaying sphagnum at the bottom. I'm going to have to add some pine needles or something to give the plants a little extra food this year, I think. I've included a link to a sphagnum growing page. |
Here is a link that might be useful: growing sphagnum
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