Thoughts on potting in pure sphagnum moss

[archie1979]

Gday everyone,
I recently read an article on potting Junipers that had suffered root rot into a pure shpagnum moss:

"cut out all rooted roots and plant into pure sphagnum moss for a year. Sphagnum moss resists bacteria and decay and is very water absorbent. The moss will promote vigorous rootgrowth (at the expense of top-growth) in Junipers whilst its anti-bacterial properties halt the onset of further rotting of roots."

What are peoples thoughts on this technique and has anyone used it before.

[Luke]

hey mate,,, iv never grown anything in pure sphagnum moss!! iv grown many plants in many mediums... and all i have to say is this, (imagine getting a bag of sphagnum moss... potting it, and planting a tomato plant.. how in the world would you maintain the moisture level between (spag going dry AND spag being too wet and festering??????) IF THE MOISTURE LEVEL COULD BE CONTROLLED!!!!, i think it could be great..... othewise,, just mix a lil in with water loving trees! those are my thoughts!
luke
edit: spelling
luke

[Bretts]

You will get lots of naysayers Archie but it has been shown that Trees can grow fine in 100% sphagnum moss. Spag moss is magical stuff and has many uses getting rid of nasty stuff so I think this could be very good advice.
I plan on experimenting with Sphagnum moss at 100% this year just for the fun of it but if I have any with yucky roots I will be sure to try them as well.

Do you have a link for this article I would like to read it

[Ron]

This guy on YouTube is a big fan of sphagnum moss and has lots of videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/bonsai9723

[Luke]

This guy on YouTube is a big fan of sphagnum moss and has lots of videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/bonsai9723

hey ron, sure many have seen that clip, im not going to say its bull because im not in the same climate!, but, im pretty sure its bull!!! My spag becomes alive, given the right conditions!.... it becomes, Lush Green and Alive... like pandora! (strange soil for a shy MB fig!) theres a great chance im completly wrong! but, pure sphagnum moss would be difficult if (even possible) to maintain!!!! my experience is in fruiting plants! bonsai may be different!?
luke

[Ash Barns]

With Junipers I add a little Sphagnum (chopped finely) to my mix. It will be interesting to find out how a tree will grow in 100% sphagnum though.


Ash

[anttal63]

Yeah Archie we have all seen the starters grown in it, too bad we haven't yet seen a mature bonsai in it /long term that is. Still waitin! Luke i think you're on the money!

[bodhidharma]

Great..at $ 8.50 a bag..probably get one medium sized Tree per bag..300 Trees to repot..err..umm..(counting on fingers here)..thats 2500 to repot my trees..I can hardly wait.

[Luke]

indeed.
luke

[Bretts]

Get one medium sized tree this year as it grows and multiplies you might get two trees next year 4 the year after. In no time your whole collection will be in Spag moss and you only outlaid $8.50
Imagine if you got a bigger bargain bag

[Joel]

Get one medium sized tree this year as it grows and multiplies you might get two trees next year 4 the year after. In no time your whole collection will be in Spag moss and you only outlaid $8.50
Imagine if you got a bigger bargain bag

Sphagnum grows REALLY slow. Ive been growing it for about 4 years. Think i might finally have one fifth more than what i started out with....

Joel

[Bretts]

I was curious about that. Ever since a member suggested they could grow it in a cavity under thier bench I wonderd why I had never seen mine grow?

[Jamie]

before i go into this, what i am saying is my PERSONAL OPINION on the matter, ok

personally i beleive growing in pure sphagnum moss in theory might sound OK, in practice might be a different story, from my observations of sphagnum moss it is quite hard to control moisture amount, and how long it stays actually wet, soaked, has anyone noticed that on an airlayer the moss at the bottom starts to develop a green tinge to it, that is an algae, that is towards the end of a long airlayer but i have also seen it develop in a couple of long wet weeks.

then you have to think of the wet dry cycle our trees should go through, our trees should have some drier period after watering, so they get a good drink, then it starts to dry, hence a free draining mix, other wise rot sets in, now sphag moss is anti bacterial, but it isnt going to stop rot in thrunks etc, take an airlayer for example, that has wood exposed under the tree where it was cut, that can rot out when under moist constant conditions.

i beleive growing in sphagnum moss long term would be detrimental to the health of the trees, my reasoning, its stays to wet, to long.


just my thoughts


jamie

[dayne]

personaly not for me the roots intwine in it and you cant get it out theirs far better more researched and tested mediums 70/30 debco diatomite with a little bit of spagnum in if you like allso i have heard of a bit of charcoal in the mix

[Jamie]

agreed dayne

there are more researched and proved tested mediums for sure! i can understand a little finely chopped sphag to have the antibacterial effects and moisture retention but not as a pure medium.

jamie