Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 15:02:53 -0400 From: BREWER_CHARLES@ecomail.damneck.navy.mil To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2493$foo@default> Subject: Re[2]: reviving dried Sphagnum
Paul Capestany writes:
> I just purchased a bag full of dried New Zealand sphagnum moss. What should
> I do with it to get some back to life? Thanks in advance for any advice.
I'm no expert, but in my experience, some fraction of the dried
long-fiber Sphagnum I use in CP cultivation invariably revives, or
grows anew from spores. If you wanted to maximize that, I would spread
the dried moss out in a shallow tray (to increase the surface area
exposed to light) and keep moist.
Jay Lechtman (L235@aol.com)
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New Zealand dried sphagnum moss can be purchased at most Lowe's. Look
in the
Orchid section where the supplies are at and they usually keep a good
supply on hand.
I've been using NZ dried sphagnum, or should I say, trying to use NZ
sphagnum
for several years now. NZ sphagnum tends to turn to mush in high humid
areas and it seems to attract slime algae quit well. The best way to
get this moss to start growing again is to wet it down, them place it in
a pan and set the pan under a bench in the darkest area of your
greenhouse, garage, house etc. Usually, within just a couple of weeks
you will notice it starting to turn green again and growing. Once
removed from under the bench and exposed to light, algae seems to find
it and down it goes. I don't know much about how it grows, but NZ moss
seems to respond quit well in cooler areas. Now, I just use what dried
NZ moss I have left as a filler when I mix up new CP soil. It does quit
well in this method. Good luck with your project.
Charles Brewer
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