Moss feels dry.

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Chateauguay_Pino

Registered:1393477334
Posts: 134

Posted 1393823214	Reply with quote #1

I am in the process of trying to root some cuttings. I have not sprayed the moss in days. When i went to check on the cuttings today the moss felt fairly dry to the touch. Yet the humidity in bin was at 88%. Do i spray the moss and risk having the humidity go over 90% ?Or do i just leave it alone ? Common sense says leave it alone but i don't want the cuttings to dehydrate either. __________________ Canada - Zone 5a Wish List - Anything Italian. Calabria or Abruzzo regions.

Grasa

Registered:1347083219
Posts: 1,819

Posted 1393824438	Reply with quote #2

well, you can take the cutting and give it a bath soaking in 'lightly warm' water (hope the same temperature of the box. after soaking shake all the excess water from it and put it back in the sweat chamber. __________________ Grasa Seattle, WA

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1393840168	Reply with quote #3

Hi Chateauguay_Pino, Turn the box upside down - The water or wet moss might all be at the bottom. If you have humidity you should have water somewhere. Get the probe out, and just check if your probe is still working fine __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Chateauguay_Pino

Registered:1393477334
Posts: 134

Posted 1393851904	Reply with quote #4

Hi Grasa okay I will try soaking them and putting back. Thanks for the advice. Bonjour JDSFrance. Merci pour vos conseils. I took out the probe from the bin and put in another hygrometer. It was giving me basically the same readings. A little higher even. It read 90%. i separated the moss and you were right. The moss underneath seemed wet to the touch. What i think is happening is condensation is building on the side wall and as it slides back down the wall the moss closest to the wall and the moss at the bottom is getting hydrated while the rest of it dries somewhat. __________________ Canada - Zone 5a Wish List - Anything Italian. Calabria or Abruzzo regions.

coop951

Registered:1217167527
Posts: 597

Posted 1393855213	Reply with quote #5

Hi I don't have any probes and do everything by eye and feel. If the moss is dry I spray it a little bit. Seems to work for me Cheers Coop __________________ Coop Northern NJ Zone 7a

DallasFigs

Registered:1358877623
Posts: 990

Posted 1393856979	Reply with quote #6

Just fluff it.. bring some of the damper moss to the top over the feet of the cuttings. Or just (very) lightly spray the moss. __________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon

Chateauguay_Pino

Registered:1393477334
Posts: 134

Posted 1393857194	Reply with quote #7

Thanks for the advice Coop and James. BTW very nice vid you made James. I emulated your exact set up ecxept for the size of the bin. I may just take a trip to Walmart or Home Depot today to find bins closer to the size you're using. __________________ Canada - Zone 5a Wish List - Anything Italian. Calabria or Abruzzo regions.

ascpete

Registered:1336096379
Posts: 1,942

Posted 1393862224	Reply with quote #8

Chateauguay_Pino, If you use a plastic bag or container that seals "air tight" you should not have to add any additional moisture. Usually the plastic "shoe boxes" that don't seal air tight leak moisture at the gap between the the lid and container and causes dry areas near the Lid (leak). If you maintain constant ambient temperatures (72 deg - 78 deg F. / 22 deg C. - 25 deg C.) the damp moss in a sealed container will maintain 85% - 90% RH. It can then be checked every day or two and quickly resealed. That's why as long as the moss is barely damp the Humidity measurement is not as important as the Temperature for successful rooting. Good Luck.

Chateauguay_Pino

Registered:1393477334
Posts: 134

Posted 1393863024	Reply with quote #9

Hi Pete thanks for the reply and advice. I'm thinking the size of the container is probably too large. It is sealed and it hasn't been losing moisture which is why i am guessing the humidity is steady at 88%. Ambient temp in the bin is at 73 deg. My theory behind the larger bin was that it would hold a larger volume of air which would in turn discourage the growth of mold. The downside i guess is that there is also a much larger surface area for moisture to accumulate. Which can make the moss lose it's moisture. __________________ Canada - Zone 5a Wish List - Anything Italian. Calabria or Abruzzo regions.

ascpete

Registered:1336096379
Posts: 1,942

Posted 1393863781	Reply with quote #10

Chateauguay_Pino, It's actually a good theory. I've used a 30 gallon plastic bag as the container. The moss was fluffed up regularly by flipping the bag over a few times every two days after it was opened and inspected. The Key was just to ensure that the cutting was completely surrounded with moss. Moisture accumulation was not a problem as can be seen in the photo.

Chateauguay_Pino

Registered:1393477334
Posts: 134

Posted 1393864655	Reply with quote #11

Brilliant Pete. Very nice pic and gotcha. Thanks alot __________________ Canada - Zone 5a Wish List - Anything Italian. Calabria or Abruzzo regions.

recomer20

Registered:1378013757
Posts: 402

Posted 1393893776	Reply with quote #12

I put a kitchen garbage bag flat across the top of my bin before putting the lid on to make it more airtight. I open the box at least every other day--fluff a bit and rearrange the cuttings so no one cutting gets left on the bottom too long. Depending on circumstances, I'll give a light misting every other week or so if necessary. Seems to work pretty well. __________________ Rick C. Birmingham, AL z7b --- INGROUND: S.C.Lemon ("Dr.Welch"), LSUpurple, Celeste (Std) POTTED 3rd Yr: Alma, Atreano, BattGreen, GrnGreek, HardyChicago, ItalianBlack (Becnel), LSUGold?, MBvs, Sal's EL, Southern BT?, St.Jean, Jackie'sUnk POTTED 2nd Yr: SunbirdUnkJP, BourjNoire, JHAdriatic, ValleNegra ROOTING: RdB, ScottsBlk, BlkGreek-MN,Preto

Chateauguay_Pino

Registered:1393477334
Posts: 134

Posted 1393898220	Reply with quote #13

Gotcha Rick. Thanks so much for the reply and the advice. __________________ Canada - Zone 5a Wish List - Anything Italian. Calabria or Abruzzo regions.

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