Problem with combining native plants from locality with store bought plants?

[LarryMac]

I'm about to finally start my terrarium and the local trails around my place have some nice mosses & stuff. Why should I not do it? I'm buying broms, ferns, orchids... from a reputable source soon to be delivered.

[Andrew]

Assuming there are no legal issues with collecting the mosses etc, bear in mind that wild material may harbour pests and pathogens that could cause havoc in your snug terrarium environment. It's probably a good idea to grow any collected mosses in a separate area for a few weeks to check if they've brought along any hitchhikers before putting them with your nursery grown plants.

[DirtyCoconuts]

sage advice there


also, make sure they have compatible needs...probably obvious but worth saying it

[LarryMac]

Originally Posted by Andrew

... bear in mind that wild material may harbour pests and pathogens that could cause havoc in your snug terrarium environment. It's probably a good idea to grow any collected mosses in a separate area for a few weeks to check if they've brought along any hitchhikers before putting them with your nursery grown plants.

I was wondering about that, thanks

[RoryOMoore]

Hi

Check out Serpa Design on YouTube. He collects his own moss by his home in PA and tells you how to prepare them for a terrarium. I just rely on a few of the terrarium plant suppliers for plants and moss. You can get Dusk moss from Glassbox tropicals or moss slurry from NEHerp. Or just by live sheet moss form either of these. Read up on their websites about how they manage the propagation methods. This way you know that the plants and moss aren't loaded with pesticides and hormones. an example

[LarryMac]

OK, I will only use native, collected outdoors, in a "Native Terrarium" and not mix with the bigger one I'm buying stuff for right now. Looks like I need another terrarium.

[Subrosa]

One consideration with using native plants from temperate areas in terraria is the usual lack of a winter dormancy in such setups. Temperate plants take seasonal cues from temperature and more importantly the length of the day, and whether that length is increasing or decreasing to regulate their growth. With a lack of proper dormancy many of these plants will live a couple years then decline and die.