Dyed sheet moss - Okay to use to line basket?

[piping plover]

Is there any reason not to use that dyed sheet moss to line a wooden basket to hold in orchid media? I have seen some orchid enthsiasts use this online. I have only used it for decoration. I understand that the dye will wear off eventually but not sure if there are noxious chemicals in there. I also read that the sheet moss could re-grow under the right conditions because of spores present in the media (which I would encourage). Thanks for any advice on this.

My first - ever stanhopea arrives from ecuagenera tomorrow and would like to line my wooden "vanda" basket with this moss. Very excited on this arrival.

[Roberta]

I don't know if there is any issue with the dyed sheet moss, but on just general principles I think that unprocessed would be preferable. One factor is that the dyed stuff is very stiff... I don't know if it even really absorbs water. Just too many unknowns. Actually, I'd be inclined to lean toward sphaghnum... Stanhopeas like to stay pretty wet - and in baskets they dry out fast. So sphag will help to keep the moisture level up. At least with my Stans, the challenge is keeping them wet enough... if they dry out even a little, they tend to lose leaves. (A mechanism for conserving water in a "drought") So if you want a big, leafy, healthy Stanhopea that might bloom next year, keeping it wet is a priority.

[piping plover]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I don't know if there is any issue with the dyed sheet moss, but on just general principles I think that unprocessed would be preferable. One factor is that the dyed stuff is very stiff... I don't know if it even really absorbs water. Just too many unknowns. Actually, I'd be inclined to lean toward sphaghnum... Stanhopeas like to stay pretty wet - and in baskets they dry out fast. So sphag will help to keep the moisture level up. At least with my Stans, the challenge is keeping them wet enough... if they dry out even a little, they tend to lose leaves. (A mechanism for conserving water in a "drought") So if you want a big, leafy, healthy Stanhopea that might bloom next year, keeping it wet is a priority.

Thank you Roberta for your helpful reply. Much appreciated and that makes sense to me. I do have sphag on hand and will use that instead.

Also, I mostly see the stanhopeas grown in wire baskets and I can certainly understand why with their flowering habit. I see them less in wooden "vanda" baskets; does the wooden basket present too many obtstacles for the flowering spikes or is that a rare concern?

I have many wooden baskets but not the right sized wire baskets on hand. Thank you!

[Roberta]

I have seen them in wood baskets... mostly the spikes to manage to find their way through the slats. But if you do need to set one free, wood is a challenge. I either use wire baskets, or else plastic ones... if I see a spike start to get hung up, I get out my diagonal cutters and just clip a bigger hole around the spike. So plastic baskets/net pots give you the most flexibility. No big deal to gradually destroy one if you have to. To say nothing of making it a lot easier to get an overgrown one out to repot,. Another challenge with wood... being wet, it will eventually rot. But in the meantime, wood baskets are pretty hard do deconstruct if you need to. (Stanhopeas tend to grow in unpredictable directions)

[piping plover]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I have seen them in wood baskets... mostly the spikes to manage to find their way through the slats. But if you do need to set one free, wood is a challenge. I either use wire baskets, or else plastic ones... if I see a spike start to get hung up, I get out my diagonal cutters and just clip a bigger hole around the spike. So plastic baskets/net pots give you the most flexibility. No big deal to gradually destroy one if you have to. To say nothing of making it a lot easier to get an overgrown one out to repot,. Another challenge with wood... being wet, it will eventually rot. But in the meantime, wood baskets are pretty hard do deconstruct if you need to. (Stanhopeas tend to grow in unpredictable directions)

Thanks again Roberta! That makes sense to me.

BTW - amazing photo of that hummingbird and orchid on your website. Looks like a Natl Geo quality photo!