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Post by Syble on Jan 2, 2007 21:58:42 GMT -5
From my order with macrovulgaris this past summer, I got some live sphagnum moss with the neps. I potted all the neps up in 2 inch pots with the moss they came with (really quite busy at the time), and didn't pay much attention to them ti'll mid november or so. By this time, the moss and neps had been growing for a bit and in the case of the truncata in particular, the moss had grown over the crown and good portion of the leaves. So I decided to try and get it growing in other pots, I have about 13 - 4" square pots with sarrs that I was gonna try to do (not all at once). so I carefully took growing tips and coverd the entire surface. making good contact with the media. Now to the questions! What is the most effective way to intoduce live sphagnum to an established planting? I used crowns so far, but perhaps theres an easier way that still gets good results? Also, I've noticed some black/red/orange tips on the moss but only in the posts that have dirt. The ones with just moss don't. I'm fairly certain it's salts buildup, but am curious as to why in some and not others? I've switched back to rain watter seeing as theres so bloody much of it, and the moss does seam happier, but nothing seamed unhappy. Any one know what varriety of sphagnum that macrovugaris has? is it hardy? Dose anyone have multiple kinds, and morespecifically want to share ;D Perhaps set up a trade in the spring? Thanks, Sib
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Post by lloyd on Jan 3, 2007 10:42:51 GMT -5
How do you tell mosses apart? I understand that the differences even between genera are subtle.
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Post by Syble on Jan 3, 2007 10:51:58 GMT -5
there is very subtle differences between, but theres also colour, I know theres a red moss. Sib
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Post by curlingguy on Jan 3, 2007 11:05:07 GMT -5
Here's a picture of some red that I have...
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Post by tom on Jan 3, 2007 12:47:33 GMT -5
Hi, well, i'll have to do a little search (here and at my job at the PERG (peatland ecology research group) on that topic and bring it back to you in the next weeks... Mosses aren't easy to ID, but the one from the genus Sphagnum are easy to distinguish from the others genuses by the 'head-like' protuberance they bear at their growth point (it's called a capitulum). But for distinguishing differents species belonging to the genus Sphagnum, you have to work more harder There is a book release in late 1990 on how to ID a few Sphagnum species with a lense, which might be handy for some of you who would like to ID a few of the wild type you can encounter in bogs: Bastien, D-F. & Garneau, Michelle. 1997. Clé d'identification macroscopique de 36 espèces de sphaignes de l'Est du Canada. Commission géologique du Canada, Rapport divers no 61 Ottawa, Ontario. Since it's a federal governement's publication, you shouldn't have hard time to find it in english, and could order it directly from the Geology commision. Deeper and more complete ID books exist, but then you'll need to use a microscope... Color might be a caracter which might help to ID them, but we can't rely on this one for a sure ID, especially in indoor cultivaition, since the coloration might only appear under specific conditions (strong light, pH, etc.) About your black tips Syb, i wouldn't worry much. I do think too that it might me a salt/nutrient build up, but i have a pot on Sphagnum growing nicely (that almost the only thing who grow well lately!), and a few capitulum bear those black tips. No secescence had been noticed, and I water always with tap water... I don't have a clue on which Sphagnum species Macrovulgaris carries with her plants... I might give it a look when I'll receive my plants (might be in spring), unless you can send me a strand of it (dried or living), and i might try to ID it this winter. I do have a few species of unIDed Sphagnum here, a part of one o my multiple projects... which consist to try multiple species in differents CP pots (Nepenthes, Drosera, depending on the watering regime), and find the one who suits the plants the best (low growth for small plants, red one for heterophylla plants, all green for dark red plants, etc), and keep the tracking of those species in pots, for further use/trade
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Post by martin on Jan 3, 2007 22:01:36 GMT -5
I know that sphagnum reproduces by growing a spherical shiny brown tip, which may contain spores or something similar for reproduction. I would also assume that the black tips are caused by the salts accumulation which have affected the sphanum. I see mainly this on the sphagnum located on the pot edges.
Hope this helps.
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Post by Flytrap on Jan 16, 2007 1:15:50 GMT -5
You're all correct regarding the many number of sphag species. My undergrad was in Botany...and one of my areas of focus was bryophytes (mosses).
Although all sphag moss can nicely support CPs as a growing medium, the best species are those that are of the coarse variety. Generally, the coarse sphags grow above the water table, but resides next to the water. They are "fluffier" and can handle dry spells much better than their stringier cousins. I find the sphag that grows as a mat across water surfaces, or under water is a poor growing medium due to the fact that dry quicker, do not retain water as well, nor or they "self supportive" (ie. they're limp) and are easily compressed into a muckier mess.
So my recommendation is to use the coarse sphag... especially when using it as a medium for Neps.
When spring shows up here on the coast, I'll photo both forms to visually describe.
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