We all love Sphagnum Moss for Cuttings.  So many options with that stuff.  An un-named member (for his own protection) is shipping me sphagnum HE harvests HIMSELF from bogs for the cost of shipping.  I am soooooooooo excited!

Let me say, I am anti-sterilization aka steaming the moss because I would hate to ruin the anti-mold properties of the plant.  Not willing to mess with nature!!

Next, I wonder, how do I keep this stuff alive?  Here comes Youtube!
Video One, Video Two, and Video Three!  Wheeeeeee!

Can't wait to get my unique package that nobody can buy in ANY store anywhere!  Evidently there are a lot of strains of this moss, and I intend to work with the one I receive!

I LOVE this forum and the generosity and helpfulness of it's members!

Suzi

Thanks for the videos, very cool stuff. I would like to try it, think it would go well with some of the tropical fruits I grow.

Suzi,

I grow a variety of sphagnum mosses for my carnivorous bog gardens.  The best way in my experience is to have a long shallow container with an inch of peat, on top of that half an inch of dried sphagnum, then on top of that your live sphagnum.  Use distilled or rain water because 100+ ppm will burn it.  If you cut it into 1 inch segments and spread it across the top it will grow vigorously.  It likes to stay partially waterlogged while it gets established, and the bottom of the green part should always stay submerged.  Put a hood over it and keep it moist.  When the tips start to get brown that's when you need more moisture.

You can also grow it from dried dead packaged and milled sphagnum.  The spores are live through packaging etc.  If you just plant a bunch of the dried moss in this same fashion you'll have sprouted moss 6 months down the road.

-Greg

I recently received some fresh sphagnum from John AKA JackHNVA, and wow!  It was GREEN!  I went to Big Lots and purchased a clear container with a locking clear top lid.  I then soaked peat moss in water, pressed long fibre sphagnum into that, and then spread the Boston bog sphagnum over all.  I taped a moth ball to the lid to kill any bugs that may have come along for the ride.  It's in the sunlight, and I'll open it daily to add water if needed.  It will get sunlight and lots of humidity in that container.

If I need to add plain old dirt, I can do that!  Once we move to that new property, I'm going to dig and maintain a fresh air bog if I can.

Wish me luck!
Suzi

Absolut Sphagnum Moss

Hey Greg

Suzi brings up a good point on her bog questions. Is it possible to recreate one's own bog outside? I know bogs exist naturally throughout the US, so I'm wondering if an outdoor bog could be created in similar fashion as your indoor method?

Let's not get bogged down in the details :0

Suzi I do not sterilize the moss for rooted plants rather only for the 2 -3 weeks period they are in the pure moss trying to root so they have no outside biological competition! The moss may have natural anti fungus abilities, but the swamp water the moss lived in clearly does not! The moss was pulled from a creek that feeds a large swamp I played in as a little boy many decades ago in Fairhaven, MA. Enjoy your moss!

John, there were these long dark brown crawling things coming out of your baggie into mine.  I double baggied.  They look like leeches to me, but what do I know?  Never saw a leech in my life.  Anyway, a moth ball taped to the lid will destroy any living insect life with it's fumes, so I did that.

I love my little bog, and thanks so much for this amazing Sphagnum!  I'm leaving the moth ball taped to the lid for many days until I'm sure no insects lurk there!  JD was really impressed with how green that moss is!  As am I!  :-))

Suzi

i have tiny bit of live s. moss in a ziplock bag. they look good so far. i just air them out now and then. i'll have to go get some peat moss when i get around to it and see if i can start bog box. few  more CP coming for fun.

if no legs either leaches or salamander juveniles, welcome to truly organic natural harvesting!