This was an accident. I left these cuttings in a bag with the sphagnum moss they came with. I was saving the moss for an experiment, and missed these cuttings when rooting the rest. These have been in the bag for almost 2 months, with low moisture, no fresh air, at about 60-65F and have grown a tremendous amount of roots without getting moldy. As I look back on t, I don't think I have ever seen moldy moss - in fact moss usually grows under very damp conditions, where mold often forms. Maybe is has some natural "antifungal" affect or chemical.

From readings -- it said "Anaerorbic bacteria that cause decay to the roots of plants are nullified by the natural zinc based antiseptic properties of S.Moss."

So far I am very please with using SM for rooting. I have no molds and rot thus far this rooting season.

Jon, this season I have been using SM exclusively for rooting cuttings. It has been great! No mold and no rot, and fast rooting.  I keep the moss wetter than what your's appears to be. For convience I use recycled see through bakery goods plastic containers and stack them. Baggies I imagine are just as good. I've reused the same SM twice with the same good results, after that it appears to lose its anti-mold factor. It is so easy for me its the only method I use now.
Peg 

This is exactly my result as well. I've lost less than 0.1% of cuttings I received this year. I'm a bit overwhelmed with finding containers to pot them all up so a few that I have numerous cuttings of, I've left in the moss with no detriment. Two months later they look like Jons and when potted just EXPLODE in growth.

I'm an SM convert! I can't remember who first proposed this method, but thank you!

Sue

I am having the best luck with Sphagnum moss. If I am having trouble rooting cuttings I have transferred them to the moss and saw excellent results.

Sue, I don't remember who mentioned SM either. For those who missed it here is a link to an intersting article on SM. It is not about its use for rooting figs but its old fashion use in medicine. I hope this link works here. I definately wouldn't use any other method for rooting figs.

 botanical.com - A Modern Herbal | Moss, Sphagnum 

On garden web, Dr.Tapla had mentioned Spaghnum Moss benefits. I was amazed at the results in Nov/Dec '09 & tried it after a kind member send me cuttings from
Toronto & they rooted enroute in SM. I recycle the SM. Instead of using a bag, I root cuttings in a recycle plastic tray that comes with a lid that supermarkets use to
pack salads. They work well in Jon's plastic sleeve(thanks Nel) bags where I set them in my heated(28*C/82*F) aquarium with approx 3" of water.

Sphagnum moss is great been using it for a couple months now, there seems to be quite a few different types of the moss when I was at the nursery I noticed at least 4 different types the new zealand moss & chilean seems to work the best. I had two issues with the long fibered moss I was using the first was I was getting white bumps all over the cuttings and no roots even after 2 months the 2nd issue was the tiny worms. I have since changed the moss to Chilean 5 Star Premium Sphagnum Moss

I tried this a year ago with SM and had good results, i also tried the expandable jiffy peat pellets that are inserted in warm water to expand and they have an outside netting to hold them together and also had good results. This season i expanded several and loosely put them in half a water bottle and have a stick showing roots as well.
Its all fun for me as now im trying a aeroponics system trying to root some sticks also.

I am very confident in the properties of SM.  To me, it is fool proof.

Today I did some experimenting:

1) ziplock storage bag, cut along one side.  I laid the baggie on a flat surface and I laid wrung out SM on the inside.  Then I sprinkled moist turface (very little) and a little seaweed/kelp meal (like seasoning with salt).  I laid the cuttings on the SM about 2 inches apart and rolled the baggie up with the cuttings inside.  If you can picture making sushi rolls. The tips of the cuttings stuck out about 2 inches max. Held the pack together with elastic bands.  After I had about 4 "packs" I rolled all of them up in a towel to keep them dark and another few plastic bands.
2) I am trying the baggie method with only a little moist SM in the ziplock.
3) Attempting root two cuttings in a cup with water using an air stone from an aquarium.  I heard it will work.  Lets see...

I am using Chilean 5 star that I found in a huge compressed block 2.5'x2'x2'.  I let it soak for at least 15 minutes in slightly warm water.  When I am ready to use it, I squeeze out the water firmly and separate the long threads.  If I am using it for cup-rooting mix (turface, perlite, SM ,hydroton, and a little compost), I shred SM first before I moisten.  In the applications above, I leave it "whole" so to speak.

I will try to post a pic of the results.

Thanks!
Nas

I've used SM for air-layering for several years.  I usually soak it in an extremely dilute water + Superthrive mixture.  I'm glad you posted this Jon, I had thoughts of rooting cuttings this year in this fashion.

~james