Sphagnum Moss Rooting Method - Step by Step!
sibhskylvr
15 years ago
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sphagnum moss as growing medium?
Comments (12)I wrote this on the Fig Forum not long ago. You may find that it pots the "danger" of handling sphagnum moss into perspective. Some of the secondary info may or may not be on topic, but I think you'll find it interesting: Yes, you CAN catch Sporotrichosis, which is a fungal infection, from handling sphagnum moss. It's often referred to as the Rose Gardener's disease, since thorn pricks are a common way of introducing the fungus - barberry and brambles like blackberry and raspberry are also known sources. The fungus is also (u>commonly found in soil, on flowers and shrubs, on wood products, timber, forest litter, and various other mosses, so it is almost certain it could be found in potting soils that include any of these products (most commonly do). The most common source of infection is the house cat. It should also be understood that not all sphagnum moss carries Sporotrichosis. The Wisconsin Division of Health, Bureau of Community Health and Prevention (BCHP), investigated a 1981 diagnosis of Sporotrichosis found in two brothers employed at a garden centre in Wisconsin. The investigation revealed two additional cases of Sporotrichosis among the employees. The garden center had sixteen workers make funeral wreaths during the Winter of 1980. The infected moss used was harvested from bogs located in central Wisconsin and was purchased from a single wholesale dealer. However, in an investigation of a local cemetery where 12 employees produced 2,000-3,000 wreaths per autumn using sphagnum moss purchased from the same Wisconsin supplier, no additional cases were noted. Again, use your own judgment, but it appears that the source of the outbreak was limited to just one bad batch of sphagnum from a wholesale dealer who had also supplied countless quantities of Sphagnum free of Sporotrichosis. Bear in mind that the risk of Sporotrichosis is very small; in the US the incidence of infection is not precisely known but is estimated at only 1-2 cases per million people, and most of those cases are from sources OTHER than sphagnum. An estimated 200-250 cases occur per year, nationwide. Statistically speaking, it is far more dangerous to cross the road than to handle the moss. I know you'll use your own good judgment and common sense when/if you use it, but it is an effective antifungal/antibacterial medium, acting against those strains/species of fungi/bacteria that cause problems when we are trying to root. It's been used as a wound dressing for hundreds of years, and as a favored medium of experienced horticulturists for rapidly inducing roots in air layers and cuttings. Bonsai practitioners have long used it as intensive care for trees that have contracted root rot because they were grown in heavy mediums with excessive water retention, commercially prepared and packaged potting soil being a primary offender. Sphagnum moss has excellent internal water retention properties, however unlike sphagnum peat, in its live form it is able to retain its open structure and so is fast draining and well aerated. Less well known is that Sphagnum moss contains a high zinc content in the form of a naturally occurring antibiotics/antifungals called Tropolene and Sphagnan. The anaerobic bacteria common in heavier soils that cause the decay that inhibit woody cuttings from rooting are nullified by the antiseptic properties of Sphagnum moss. Hence, pure Sphagnum (without the addition of any other organic material) is considered by most experienced horticulturalists to be as close to a perfect medium for root induction as you will find. Al...See MoreNeed Help with 'Wetting Agent' for Sphagnum Peat Moss
Comments (11)Dishsoaps are a phytotoxic brew of ingredients, most if not all of which are poisonous to plants and should not be used on foliage, incorporated into grow media, or allowed to become a small fraction of the soil solution. The question isn't whether or not these harsh surfactants will cause damage, it's 'how much damage will they cause'. 'Dawn' contains at least 11 phytotoxic ingredients. Dishsoaps and other household cleaning products can destroy cuticular waxes in leaves, which compromises leaves' protective barrier against biotic pathogens and insect herbivory while also leaving the plant vulnerable to excessive water loss. Detergent solutions that make their way into the grow medium where they come in contact with root cells can quickly dissolve the lipid membrane surrounding cells, killing the cells and inhibiting water/ nutrient uptake. Hair cells growing as appendages off larger roots do the lion’s share of assimilating water and nutrients, and these very delicate cells would be the first casualty of any detergent in the root zone. When establishing new plantings with media containing dry bark/peat, measure out the volume of medium required to fill the pot. Put half of it in a bucket or tub, wet thoroughly, stir, add the dry fraction, mix well, wait 15 minutes. Water and free water vapor from the wet soil will quickly diffuse into the dry soil particles, 'breaking' any tendency of the dry particles toward hydrophobicity well within the span of 15 minutes, leaving the grower with a pot full of grow medium which is evenly moistened and ready to receive plants. Al...See MoreStep by step pics-covering 12' Trachy, zone 4
Comments (36)Hey Kevin, We have a few resorts here in Va. Wintergreen is about 3 hrs away in the mountains near Crozet Va..(Charlottesville) The skiig/snowboarding is fun for Va...My son like to go to Snoeshoe WV..it's about a 2hour drive from his College (Va Tech) But my favorite on the east coast is Seven Springs PA...great place for all snow lovers...great for families... and has alot to offer...My favorite place out west is Whistler/Blackcomb!!! Talk about heaven!!! LOL !!! We usually see temps during the winter down to the low 20's and average temps around 40-50...We always say wait until tomorrow around here because the temps change and we can have snow flurries one day then 60 degress the next!!! Have a great day!!! Laura in VB...See MoreGreat step-by-step instructions on building a raised bed
Comments (16)apparently 6 inches does for most veg and 12 inches for things like carrots and parsnips, I have also found toms like this depth, I started my Sq foot in those stacker tub things, over the years I seem to have collected an awful lot of them and many didn't seem to have a family "arr!" so I used those after drilling holes in the bottom, and they worked really well, I wouldn't worry about precisely 12x12 some of mine where longer, or narrower I just did the math. be warned I did these tubs in Feb, by April I had constructed a bed, from well a old er todler bed! by June having failed to find cheap lumber I ordered 2 raised beds, which are also up and running and I am finding myself eyeing up my other sons bed todler bed! and saying to my husband " he could really do with a full size bed" whilst thinking YES! another raised bed! and also trying to find the ideal location for another couple of the brought raised beds! and how I can terrace my steep slopes further! It is a creeping sickness and there is NO CURE! BTW how are the warts and hair? how could I not answer to someone with a GSOH, I had to laugh :)...See Morejumpin4joy
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