Help with Sphag-n-Bag

[Becca]

Okay I posted a few questions earlier and never got a response back Now I have a new question. I have two plants that I potted in the s/h medium after soaking in a K-L-N solution. There appeared to be some water in the bottom of the pot so I didn't add any additional moist moss to the bag before sealing it up. The bag is a clear plastic trash bag that I use in my bathroom trash can. It is pretty thin and flimsy so I tried my best to roll the top over and tape it shut. After 24 hours I didn't notice any moisture appearing on the inside of the bag so it makes me think that the air is escaping some how. Is this normal for there to not be any signs of moisture? I have a smaller plant in a ziplock baggy with some sphag moss in a corner away from the roots and I see moisture collecting on the inside of the bag. I am affraid if I leave my plants in the bags without signs of moisture collecting to allow it to stay hydrated that it will harm them. Does anyone have any advice? I added some moss to the two bags last night but I still haven't seen any moisture collection. Perhaps these bags aren't meant for this method? I am not sure what else to use since they are full size plants that need to grow a completely new root system. Thanks for any help I get!

[Ross]

Firstly, sorry you didn't get a response. It probably means no one has an answer - not that no one wants to answer. (Get the difference? ) Now, onto your question - keep in mind I don't do S/H but have done sphag/n/Bag - I suspect the bags you are using may be letting too much vapor out. Try plain trash bags, as they are pretty much plain plastic. Or try large zip-loc bags (like gallon sized). In any case, the idea here isn't to create a perfectly sealed environment, but to raise the humidity. If you have a humidistat, use it to see what you are getting in the "bag". If not, you might want to purchase one. Try SALE - Caliber III Digital Hygrometer - $29.95 - Fine Weather Instruments - The Weather Store This is the one I use.

[Becca]

Hi Ross, Thanks for the response! I will have to invest in a digital hygrometer as I don't have one. I would try using plain trash bags but the only other one's I have on hand are the white ones. The gallon sized ziplock bags won't work for the plants, the bags are two small. One plant is a dendrobium and one is an oncidium and both are decent sized. Then add the pot in the picture! I guess if worse comes to worse I will take the plants out of the pot and try fitting them in a ziplock, although I think they would still not fit. I will post an update on how thing go. Thanks again!

[cb977]

I also apologize for nobody answering your original posts

Any time I've done spag-n-bag, it's been bare root. I'm not sure it should be done with the plant potted...maybe one of our other members will be able to chime in on this one

[Lagoon]

Check your local fish store, Many have hugh bags!

[Becca]

I found some ziplock 3 gallons sized bags that work great...now I am just trying to find out on using the s/h potting method with it that Ray recommended. I sent him an email so hopefully I will hear back from him. I found one of my plants I had potted in the s/h with the sphag-n-bag method had white fuzzy fungus starting to grow on it I took it out of the bag until I hear back from Ray.

[esungirl]

I tried bagging with the s/h with the regular s/h containers and got the white fuzz as well. So I used a regular container with the s/h media and bagged it. Not as much moisture = less fungus, and a new root started growing. And then i blew it and put it in regular s/h set up w/out the bag and the new root rotted. I'm finding that unless there is alot of air movement, like a ceiling fan on high, s/h contains too much moisture for my plants. In my growing condtions all of the roots rotted even the new ones. I'm still trying to figure out this method. But one thing is for sure, new roots need to start growing before transplanting into s/h. There should be no problem with moisture being supplied by the resivoire. Good luck.

[Ray]

Even if the top of the bag is fully opened, the RH in the bag will be raised, so don't worry about it.

The fact that you didn't see condensation just means that the RH in the bag isn't as high as the dew point. In your warm home the dew point can be pretty high. Again...don't worry about it.

The growth of mold has absolutely nothing to do with "too much" moisture versus "just some" moisture. ANY moisture at all is enough. Lack of air movement is the primary issue at hand.

ESunGirl, if you're getting rotting of roots that grow into s/h culture, something else is awry, not moisture. Here is a photo (courtesy of Todd Zimmerman) of a reed-stem epidendrum grown in 100% water - no medium whatsoever.


Quite often, temperature is the issue.

[Charles]

Too high or too low a temp? I guess that depends on the fungi?
I live in a dry hot part of Fl and I must say, I have been lucky regarding this. (Knock-knock.) I wonder if there might be some unseen component.

[esungirl]

I get you point about moisture, that's a bit different than what we are dealing with however. I've had new beautiful roots grow into it and they have all rotted with several plants. The Onc. Sharry Babby and the Phrag. besseae have take to it like pigs in mud. I am thinking , like I stated before, there just was not enough air movement. I don't have a stable "green house" environment, everything fluctuates. We have one fan set to increase and decrease with the house temp, and one fan is always on. But I needed to recover the plants, so I moved the failing ones back to bark, until I figure out what the issue is. I have 2 experimental ones in s/h now to help me with this issue.