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outsiders71

Can dead sphagnum turn into live sphagnum?

outsiders71
18 years ago

I'm noticing some green patches in my LFS. Is it live sphagnum or something else? Is it possible to remove this and grow it?

Comments (12)

  • HabRob
    18 years ago

    I'm curious about this as well. I assumed it was algae when I first noticed it in my pots but I'm also seeing grass like things growing out of the seed bracts in the greening LFS. The "grass" blades are coming out in groups of three but about 1/2" long. Have you seen anything like this in your pots? It is making me wonder whether what I bought as LFS might be something else.

  • byron_1
    18 years ago

    Some dead spagnum moss can grow back, but it is usually some parts that did not die off completelly. That is usually a little patch here and there, but you can grow that, and everntually have a good amount of live spagnum moss.

  • Catopsis
    18 years ago

    Basically, sphagnum has large crowns on each growin tip. If the moss jsut starts to turn green thats no sign...This would probably be algae. However if the moss sends up small bright green shoots facing upwards, It is he moss growing again. You can take this stuff off the top of a pot and put it on the top of some peat and it will grow if the conitions are right.

  • necro1234
    18 years ago

    Ye Ive noticed my Canadian Sphagnum Moss growing back quite well, after the year Ive had it, its looking really really good.
    Live sphagnum is great looking stuff!!

    Cheers

    Sheldon

  • danesnpits
    10 years ago

    Is this the same stuff you guys are talking about? I just made the slurry in the blender with buttermilk and slathered it all over a huge rock and have it inside hoping to get it to grow on rocks. What is your thoughts? The package it came in said itw as sphagnum sheet moss. It is grown right here in Canada, in my province of Saskatchewan. I went and wetted it, since it was dried out in the package and it really came back to life.

  • Sundewd
    10 years ago

    That's algae... Real Sphagnum is fluffy and grows in humidity and light levels suitable for heliamphora.

    It's what happens if you don't rinse your media before using. You get utricularia, moss, algae and all sorts of other stuff you might not want. Such as hatching pest eggs. But you'll likely get tyhat happening regardless of what you do which is why I never use LFS as a media. I only use it to fill the bottom holes of my pots to keep dirt from falling into my water trays. Using high quality LFS does help. NEVER use the Mosser Lee brand!

    This post was edited by Sundewd on Sat, Dec 7, 13 at 15:52

  • Sundewd
    10 years ago

    Double post

    This post was edited by Sundewd on Sat, Dec 7, 13 at 16:54

  • mothorchid
    9 years ago

    is this alive or dead? it completely dried out and came dry on top of an orchid. It is green I will assume it is alive, but expect that it's dead and just retained color. whichever, it'll get plenty of spraying. I have it on top of a sponge to give moisture and provide humidity, dead or alive i think it looks alright and either way it does it's job.

  • mothorchid
    9 years ago

    same thing different pic.

  • mothorchid
    9 years ago

    one more pic of it. so tap water or no tap water?

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't really know the answer but some moss spores can be good for 200 years. If they're microscopic and all over the stuff I guess it's possible. Distilled water is used for live Sphagnum moss. Sometimes even steamed, distilled water.

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