To Much Sphagnum

[Kevin_PR]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I had some growing sphag in a fish bowl for a few years. Placed 2-3 inches of dampened (with pure water) peet moss in the bottom of the bowl, layed the sphag on top. Covered with plastic wrap with some holes punched in the top. Set on a fairly shady windowsill. Watered occasionally with pure water, but seldom needed water with the bowl covered.

Does it grow fast? Also does the bottom start to rot?

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Eskevingo

Does it grow fast? Also does the bottom start to rot?

It did grow fast during warm months.

No, it didn't rot ... sphagnum naturally grows in peat bogs.

[Edward Brookes]

has anybody tried the willow moss sold for use in aquaria? Here it grows terrestrially as well as submerged. It wicks up water unbelievably - in my tiny fish pond it was originally submerged, but grew up the walls & out onto the sides of the pond. It really looks good & has no problem with tap water. I think it would be too vigorous & wet for orchids, but in terraria, etc, it would look superb. Do any members have tips on successfully growing Rossioglossum? I have tried 4, & all thrived for a while & then rotted very quickly. I tried them in phal conditions, mounted on a clay pipe, in a pot of sphagnum & in bark. All failed after growing well & flowering. Our summers are blistering hot & wet, winters very mild & sometimes wet. By the way, the willow moss will not work as a potting medium, only as a mount covering. It has none of the advantages of sphagnum in pots, & will rot very quickly

[Silje]

Originally Posted by Edward Brookes

has anybody tried the willow moss sold for use in aquaria? Here it grows terrestrially as well as submerged. It wicks up water unbelievably - in my tiny fish pond it was originally submerged, but grew up the walls & out onto the sides of the pond. It really looks good & has no problem with tap water. I think it would be too vigorous & wet for orchids, but in terraria, etc, it would look superb. Do any members have tips on successfully growing Rossioglossum? I have tried 4, & all thrived for a while & then rotted very quickly. I tried them in phal conditions, mounted on a clay pipe, in a pot of sphagnum & in bark. All failed after growing well & flowering. Our summers are blistering hot & wet, winters very mild & sometimes wet. By the way, the willow moss will not work as a potting medium, only as a mount covering. It has none of the advantages of sphagnum in pots, & will rot very quickly

Where do you get hold of that moss, Edward? Zoo shops? Namibia is not exactly the natural habitat for moss and it's really hard to come by and I would so like to use it in the greenhouse.

[Edward Brookes]

Hello, & greetings from the zoo shopper!! I wonder if I could post you a few threads of this moss? It has become increasingly uncommon here because people do not know about it. It grows really fast if you have the right conditions, & it is NOT very demanding I do not have much of it myself - the birds dig it up in search for bugs & worms which they think are in the moss - very frustrating for me. Do you have any contacts in Durban who could get it for you?