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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11659

  • alainleon1983
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Hi guys... It´s been a while since my last post, but I´m back with a new topic.

You´ll see I went on vacations to North Spain where weather is much colder and wet than in my current location right in the middle of the peninsula. Also, up there, days are prone to be cloudy. I´m saying all these things to give you a vision of my problem because I´ve been trying to "cultivate" some moss for a while and I had been unsuccessful so far. So, while I was there I seize the opportunity and collected some well grown moss for keeping my trees moist with ease. The thing is that now that I have it and back in my house I´m having the same hot, hot and dry days and I don´t want to risk to lose the moss I collected. So, finally here comes my question: How can I cultivate the moss efficiently without suffering a permanent loss? Which conditions I must provide it to accomplish my goal?

Thank you all in advance. Oh... I´m also posting a photograph of it ;)

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11661

  • bob
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hi there, i do not know any answer on your first question, but i know the conditions must be moist-ish and not dry as if the moss is dry, next time you water, the moss acts as a shield as so to speak.

good luck!

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11662

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also, one more thing, the photo is not very clear.

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11663

  • m5eaygeoff
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I have moss on my trees and is surviving we.. Some are in full sun some not. If it gets dry it will look dead, but once it is wetagain it seems to come back.I have also a tray with moss on and this I keep as wet as I can, it has been fine for the last 3 months. I think if you can keep it some shade it will help, but keeping it as wet as possile is the way. If it on a pot with a tree then watering so that it is wet will help also to conserve some moisture.
Geoff
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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11665

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Thank you Bob and Geoff,

Today I started following your advice on moss. I´ve already placed it in a tray that I previously had drilled holes on it and I´m now keeping it in relatively shaded place. Also, I´m trying not to let it dry. Hopefully all this will work, so I would have a continuos supply of moss ;)

Alain

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11666

  • m5eaygeoff
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I do use sphagnum moss that I bought in a compressed block. It is dry, but it is not dead. All I do is sieve it and sprincke on top of the soil. It comes alive and grows.

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11667

  • alainleon1983
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That is correct Geoff. I know of some local dealers around my zone who also sell dry sphagnum moss. The thing about them is that they sell packages of 150 grs for the "minuscule" amount of 16,80€. And I just refuse to pay such money for it, specially if I can somehow collect it and harvest it. So... I'm crossing my fingers since I've already begun the harvest :cheer:

Oh... I'll owe you a photo of the tray with the moss

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11671

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Step 1

Fill a large plastic tub or container 3/4 of the way with peat moss. Peat is a a good substrate for growing other mosses.

Step 2

Add water to the peat moss substrate. The peat should be damp, but not dripping wet.

Step 3

Take cuttings from the top 10 cm of actively growing sphagnum moss. Cuttings taken below this level have a higher failure rate.

Step 4

Chop the cuttings into separate lengths that are 1 to 3 cm. Scatter these cuttings evenly over the peat moss. Cuttings taken from 1 square foot of live moss should be enough to start aabout 10 square feet of moss in containers.

Step 5

Mist the top of the sphagnum moss regularly until it starts to grow. After it begins to grow, occasionally flood the moss with 1 to 3 cm of water.

Step 6

Consider partially covering your container with clear plastic to retain humidity in the container in a very dry climate.

Step 7

Keep the container out of direct sun. A good location for sphagnum moss is along one side of a room with a medium or large window where sun shining through the window won't hit the container.


Read more: How to Grow Live Sphagnum Moss Indoors | Garden Guides www.gardenguides.com/85139-grow-live-sph...s.html#ixzz37fU8BvPF

.........
Water quality is key to indoor moss health. Mosses are very sensitive to salts and chemicals found in most household water. Captured rainwater, distilled water or water purified through reverse osmosis keep mosses healthiest.

hope this helps good luck ..
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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11672

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and another thing I found was Do Not Fertilize. not sure why guess it burnes it up..

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Moss Care 9 years 8 months ago #11673

  • alainleon1983
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That´s one awesome moss care guide. I must say though that I´ve followed steps 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7. I´ve been unable to comply step 4 because I had already taken the cuttings a week ago and I don´t want to divide it into such small pieces, after all, the bigger cutting should probably be of 5 cms roughly. As for step 6 I haven´t done it because I´m keeping the tray in the shadiest and lesser dry place of my house, which is of course, the bathroom ;) . I take the tray out a couple of hours in the early morning sun and then I put it away again until the next day. Oh, and no... I haven´t fertilize it. So far, it seems to be working fine. I´m also posting a photo for you all to see it.

Thanks a lot Slowhand, that was greatly helpful,

Alain

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Last edit: Post by alainleon1983.