Crazy experiment with moss and kitchen scourer!

[Kimbubbley]

Hello!

I read a thread somewhere, cant remember where, that "epiweb" TYPE materials and the industrial scouring pads used on floor scrubbing machines seem pretty similar and that whoever wrote it was considering experimenting with scouring pad material to see if you could use it as a mount?

I havent seen an update to this as to whether it was tried or succeeded/failed... but it got me thinking

Could i use scouring pads as a back drop to my terrarium and us it to pin mounted mini-minis? So i bought some scourers and started experimenting!

First i wanted to be able to remove everything... primarily incase it was a total disaster! So instead of sticking it to the back with aquarium sealant or something i threaded it with kebab sticks the pics dont do it justice, it actually looks lovely lush and green and makes a nice backdrop.

Then with some GORGEOUS terrariums you pro's have put together, ive seen the epiweb seeded with moss, and i really like moss so while we were camping the other week i kept a look out and found a sheet of it lying around on a piece of fallen bark and brought it home.

First i carefully lifted some with a sharp knife and mounted it to orchid bark with fishing line (monofilament?) and its been sitting on my kitchen windowsill while i make sure its got no creepy crawlies, and watering it with Di water....

Seems ok and im impatient!... So today ive lifted some more gently with a sharp knife and sewed it with fishing line in patches onto the scourer

I dont know if it will 'take', i would suspect as it came from bark ive got more chance of it taking to the orchid bark chunks than the scourer! But i thought it might be an interesting experiment

If anyone has any moss info in general... like what to fertilize it with as i cant see it getting much nutrition from a scouring pad i would be very interested to know... or if anyone actually tried kitchen scourer as a mount for orchids?

byeeee!!!!

[Leafmite]

As long as those things don't release harmful chemicals and you give the moss the other conditions it needs, I don't see why it couldn't work. Moss grows on cement and rocks without any trouble. Good luck and keep us posted!
Leafmite

[Ray]

That type of scrubber is a great deal finer in web than is Epiweb or EcoWeb, so will tend to stay saturated after watering, rather than simply holding droplets in the otherwise "open" web.

That suggests that if you get orchids to mount, they will be primarily gripping the moss, rather than the background material, which I would think might be a bit less secure.

Worth a try though. Keep us posted.

[FairyInTheFlowers]

That is very interesting and you did a great photo walkthrough!

[Kimbubbley]

Thanks Leafmite I read moss likes moist and shady, and also slightly acidic. Moist and shady I can do, not sure if it will be acidic, but should be fun finding out if it will grow anyway!

Some reports say moss is slow growing and some say fast? I've looked several times today and it doesn't appear to have grown yet *taps foot and watches moss impatiently* but I'll defo update if I see any change

[gnathaniel]

I haven't gotten around to trying this yet, but putting moss in a blender with a little water, beer or buttermilk, and some of those hydrophilic polymer crystals (like are used in diapers, but also available at some garden shops) should yield a paste you can 'paint' on surfaces to grow more moss. I'd imagine that combining several types of moss in one blend will give you a better chance of growing one that appreciates your conditions. Good luck with your project!

--Nat

[Gage]

Not sure the name of the moss you have, but I have some and it's definitely on the fast growing end of the spectrum, for moss. You shouldn't need to give it fert, they're like ferns in that they like bleak soil (or whatever it's growing on) low in nutrients. All it needs is light and water and it should take over that scrubber pad eventually!

[Wjs2nd]

Very cool idea. I think it should work. Like Ray said, the web is finer. I would blend up some of the moss and paint it on. You don't have to blend it all up. It usually takes around 4 months or so for blended moss to be looking like moss.

[Kimbubbley]

Thanks for all the lovely input Glad u like the piccys Cody!

I agree Ray, Epiweb and co. are much more open than scourer, so although it's free draining it does still hold quite a bit of water, with the moss even more so. I think they would need to be very fine root orchids to penetrate it plus it's only 5mm thick. For now I'm hoping it will make a nice back drop and maybe I can pin stick or cork mounts to it at a later date and see where it goes from there. Might need to rethink the kebab sticks too to hang any weight on it

[Kimbubbley]

Glad moss is fast growing Gage, it's got alot of space to fill if it works :s I haven't tried beer or buttermilk or yoghurt yet as I read it moulds before it grows, but might consider blending some if it doesn't take or spreads too slow for my impatience

Has anyone who blended it with any of the above have a problem with transferring mould to a tank?

K