Sphag Moss - Orchid Board

orchid-eric · #1 03-25-2012, 11:29 PM

What's the difference between the regular stuff and the special orchid sphag? Can the plants tell?

Pelepel · #2 03-26-2012, 12:10 AM

Yes. They can. By dying. I personally would only use the AAA New Zealand sphagnum moss. It's worth it, trust me.

People have probably gotten away with lower grade. Just with my experience, we bough the cheapo moss that looks like a plank and watched in horror as it killed a few of our orchids with bits of probably now extinct species of other vegetation in the plank of fail.

orchid-eric · #3 03-26-2012, 10:13 AM

O.k, thanks for your answer.

calypsoB · #4 03-27-2012, 01:17 PM

I am using a local variety which doesn't hold as much moisture (and really doesn't resemble the stuff you get in the stores) and my orchids LOVE it. I have root growing everywhere...and leaves sprouting and one orchid which is trying to decide if it is going to throw out a spike. I think the whole point of the different types of mediums is to find one that fits with your growing environment. So long as it doesn't contain chemicals which will kill the plants I say why not try

#5 03-27-2012, 01:46 PM

I am not sure what do you call special orchid moss and what is a regular stuff?

Almost all my phals and all masdies grow in sphag and I use the one from Lee Valley Tools store. It is compressed into bricks and expands in the water. My phals love it.
Here:
Sphagnum Moss - Lee Valley Tools

camille1585 · #6 03-27-2012, 05:43 PM

Sphag is sphag, the main differences are where it comes from (NZ sphag is thought to be better than the more commonly available chilean sphag) and the length of the strands small stuff, 3A, 4A, 5A. The long stranded one is used for potting orchids in the traditional japanese mound potting technique, and if you are using it as just plain medium (pure or mixed with bark and other stuff) then I think that it doesn't really matter.

Arenalbotanicalgarden · #7 03-27-2012, 05:51 PM

The best Phals I've ever seen were grown in NZ sphagnum.
For anything else, or in a non controlled irrigation environment ( pool patio) I avoid it like the plague.
I grew Phals in a combo of golf ball sized lava rock and charcoal tossed with tree fern. That was Miami and exposed to nature. I will admit that mine never came close to the quality of those in Sphagnum and a controlled irrigation setup.They did, however, stay alive and well.

calypsoB · #8 03-27-2012, 08:21 PM

Camille- true sphag is sphag, but there are many different varieties and some do not resemble the ones people associate with orchids...ie the stuff you can go into the forest and find in N.Am. I am using one similar to Sphagnum squarrosum....

Gage · #9 03-27-2012, 10:31 PM

Whatever you call it, buy the higher quality sphag. I suppose that would be nz sphag in most cases. The main difference I have found is the lower quality is already breaking down, but the higher quality moss was living when it was cleaned and dried. So if you pot your orchid in moss that is already breaking down, then your moss is ready to be changed out. Make sense? So use the good stuff, and you wont have to repot for 6 months to a year, whenever the moss starts to break down.

camille1585 · #10 03-28-2012, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calypsoB

Camille- true sphag is sphag, but there are many different varieties and some do not resemble the ones people associate with orchids...ie the stuff you can go into the forest and find in N.Am. I am using one similar to Sphagnum squarrosum....

True that there exists many others, but I was speaking of the stuff you find for sale, and as far as I know you can't buy anything other than the chilian or NZ sphag.