Forest sphagnum moss - ways to grow at home, how to store, video

How to grow sphagnum

Sphagnum, like almost any plant, can be grown independently and then used not only as a useful additive to the soil, but also as a decorative unit.
The dense soft coating of a cheerful emerald color significantly decorates and cultivates the landscape of the garden plot. To plant, you need to prepare a mixture of crushed moss and an ingredient that will serve as a nutrient medium for it. Any fermented milk product, which must be natural, is suitable for this purpose, for example, yogurt or kefir. For two glasses of liquid you need to take one glass of crushed moss. As a result, the consistency of the mixture should be the same as that of low-fat sour cream.

How to grow moss at home

Take a natural bristle brush, dip it in the mixture and apply it in a thin layer, avoiding smudges, on the place where you plan to grow moss (wall, stone, brickwork, etc.). It is desirable that the surface be grainy and rough.

The planting should be regularly sprayed with water at room temperature, every day for the first 3 weeks, then the frequency of spraying can be reduced to once every 3 days.

Home grown sphagnum moss

In the first weeks, young moss will resemble a thin film of greenish mold. It must be treated with care, protecting it from abrasion. Whether the sphagnum has taken root will finally become clear in about 6 weeks. Areas where the film will not grow and develop are renewed by applying a freshly prepared mixture to them.

How to grow moss in the garden

Planting material for growing in open ground is prepared in exactly the same way as described above. The optimal time for sowing is autumn. Planting and care are carried out observing the following rules:

The planting area should be shaded. In places exposed to wind and sun, moss quickly dries out and does not take root.
The surface relief can be any. Before planting, it must be cleared of debris, leaves, branches, and stones.
Moss takes root not only on natural surfaces, but also on artificial ones, for example, paving slabs or decorative stones. The main condition is the roughness of the surface, otherwise it will not adhere to the nutrient mixture.

Another way to grow sphagnum moss in your summer cottage is to cut out a piece of turf with moss and transfer it to garden soil in a shaded and moist place or to a tray with warm peat and water it daily. Sphagnum moss is not poisonous, so you can handle it with your bare hands.

Dry sphagnum moss: growing indoors

The word “sphagnum” is heard by many, but not everyone knows what exactly it means. But this is the same plant from which peat layers are formed. Sphagnum is the last species of Bryophytes from the ancient family Sphagnaceae that has survived to this day. It grows on the moist soil of raised and transitional bogs. Since sphagnum is highly hygroscopic, it absorbs and retains large amounts of moisture. Because of this, areas where there are large concentrations of plants often become swampy. But it is precisely for these properties that it is highly valued in gardening and floristry.

Dry sphagnum moss is actively used in orchid breeding. Since it has low thermal conductivity, its use as an insulating material is widespread in finishing works.

Live peat moss is not sold in flower shops: you can only buy dry one. If you are lucky enough to find it in nature, do not rush to take the plant home. It can be infected with larvae of pests and pathogens of various infections that attack your indoor plants. But you can try to revive dry sphagnum for cultivation at home. But this should not be a store-bought sample (industrially dried moss cannot be restored).

To stimulate the growth of sphagnum moss, fill it with rainwater and place it in hydroponics. To prevent rapid evaporation of water, cover the container with sphagnum with film and place it in a shaded place with moderate temperature. Please note: the chances that the moss will grow are minimal. Therefore, the answer to the question “How to grow dry sphagnum moss” is rather negative.

Basic requirements for caring for bryophyte

Irrigation is carried out focusing on the soil layer. If it dries out, you need to moisturize it. Moss does not like excess liquid. If its color becomes much darker, it is recommended to reduce the amount and frequency of irrigation.

By the way, you can irrigate such a plant using a small watering can or by drilling holes in the cap of a plastic bottle. The optimal interval between moisturizing after the end of the adaptation period is once every three to five days.

Tiny mossy pads love cool air, high humidity, and partial lighting. They do not tolerate direct sunlight. It is recommended to install a container with such a plant in a dimly lit corridor, near the aquarium.

This plant is perfect for the office. Bryophyte only needs two hours of indirect sunlight per day for normal growth and development. Thanks to properly created lighting, their emerald hue acquires an even more saturated color.

Vegetable cocktail

If you simply put the plant plate on the bottom of the aquarium, it will dry out. And you won’t get a beautiful landscape. So we'll make a cocktail. No, not for drinking. For lubricating surfaces. To prepare it you only need a blender. Here are some recipes:

100 g moss, 2 tbsp. l. sour cream, 200 ml of clean water.
200 g of plant, 400 ml of any beer, 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar.
1 tbsp. moss, 2 aspirin tablets, 2 tbsp. plain water.
200 g plant, 200 ml kefir, 300 ml water, 1 tsp. Sahara.

We take ingredients from any recipe. Well, those that are at hand. Together and cheerfully we put it in a bowl or jug. Then vigorously grind with a blender. Let me warn you right away: the smells of cocktails using dairy products are disgusting. Well, nothing. Beauty always requires...

Decorative or stabilized moss

Decorative, or stabilized, moss is a new design solution that can decorate any home. This moss is used to make paintings and panels, which are attached to boards and hung on the wall. This composition looks very original. Stabilized moss (or sleepy) does not require watering or other special care.

Advantages of decorative moss:

retains its appearance for 15 years;
does not require special lighting;
being in a state of sleep, moss does not grow, which means it does not need to be pruned;
dust does not settle on it;
does not cause allergies;
moss is not toxic;
resistant to mold and fungi, and not susceptible to diseases.

On an industrial scale, moss is collected by hand. This selection of material allows you to control the balance of the ecosystem. After collection, the moss is thoroughly cleaned of remnants of grass and dirt, and then subjected to a stabilization process. In fact, the plant is put into a dormant state. But it is precisely thanks to the stabilization process that moss can retain its color and properties for a long time, but not grow. The essence of the process is that a special solution based on glycerin is introduced into the moss. As a result, the decorative moss turns out to be soft, elastic and very beautiful.

Is it possible to make decorative moss with your own hands? There is nothing complicated in the process itself. Another thing is that to create a large-scale painting you will need a lot of moss. If you have enough material available, you can make stabilized moss at home.

Icelandic moss is most suitable for growing sleepy moss. This is what is most often used in decoration.

To prepare a solution for creating decorative moss you will need:

moss - 3 handfuls;
kefir - 0.5 liters;
sugar - 2 teaspoons;
hydrogel - 2 teaspoons;
purified water - as needed.

All components are loaded into a blender and blended for two minutes. Now you need any natural base, for example, a board or cork tile. The prepared solution must be applied to the surface of the substrate, after which moss should be laid out. It will take five weeks for a sufficient layer of moss to form. All this time, the moss must be kept under the film, thus creating a greenhouse.

While the moss is not sleeping, it needs to be looked after: water it periodically and avoid direct sunlight. If you are not happy with the color of the plant, you can paint it with natural paints. To prepare a mixture that will put moss to sleep, you will need boiling water and glycerin. They must be diluted in a ratio of 2:1, respectively. You should get a thick mass, which should be poured over the entire surface of the moss. In a month, the bryophyte will fall asleep and can be hung in a permanent place.

Buying decorative moss is not a cheap pleasure. The average price per kilogram is $28. If you buy moss in the form of tiles, the price of the panel is $400 per square meter.

If you have any questions, we suggest watching the video, which describes stabilized moss in more detail.

Moss in the garden

The situation is much simpler with the cultivation of moss cover in the open air. Here you don’t have to painstakingly create the necessary conditions and plant pads. You need to get a sufficient piece of moss, healthy, without dried or suspicious areas. Two glasses of water and milk are loaded into the blender, plus extraction from the forest. Having obtained a cocktail consistency, you “paint” the intended area with this composition. Thanks to milk, moss takes root over the entire treated surface with a probability of 90-95 percent.

With some hard work and expressed artistic talent, your fence, wall or house can become a real work of art. Your immediate task will only include regular watering of the “picture” until the moss is firmly established in the territory provided to it.

Mosses are among the oldest living land plants.

They require moisture and some light to live comfortably.

Emerald moss pads are not quite ordinary plants - they lack roots, flowers, and seeds.

Bryophytes, known as bryophytes, obtain the necessary nutrients from water, absorbing it throughout the surface.

Growing moss at home is not at all difficult, and caring for it does not require much effort.

With the help of these tiny plants you can create amazing living compositions, miniature gardens and forest landscapes that will give your home an atmosphere of harmony and unity with nature.

Bryophytes can be grown in any container, but they look most impressive at the bottom of transparent round vases, bowls, and small florariums.

To begin, place a layer of small pebbles at the bottom, either the size of a pea or slightly larger, in the container of your choice. This will improve water permeability and prevent moisture stagnation. Lay out the next layer of granular coal. Then add the substrate.

The surface does not have to be flat. You can make small mounds and depressions, add pieces of wood, pebbles, plant small moisture-loving plants and lichens, adding depth and definition to the composition, which will look like a real forest landscape.

From an artistic point of view, it is better to use stones of the same type, but of different sizes.

Among indoor plants, it is better to plant small ferns, selaginella, alocasia, coleus, asparagus, which can be placed in separate areas of the landscape.

Moss pads can be taken from the forest by cutting off the top layer along with the turf, but it is better to purchase them in specialized stores to prevent various plant diseases from entering the house. In the first days after planting, the pads should be sprayed daily.

After a short adaptation period, the moss will begin to grow.

Excess moisture can be recognized by the color of the moss layer - if it has darkened, then reduce the frequency of spraying. The optimal hydration regime after adaptation is once every 3-5 days.

Moss fragments look beautiful on the surface of wood or large stones. You can secure them using thin fishing line and nylon thread, or you can grow a moss layer yourself.

To do this, prepare a thick suspension in a blender from pieces of moss, kefir or beer and apply it to the desired surface. Beer or kefir will provide the plant with the necessary nutrients, stimulating its growth. You should spray 2-3 times a week.

Tiny bryophytes prefer cool, moist air and partial light. 2-3 hours of morning sun or indirect sunlight per day is sufficient. This lighting makes the green tint of bryophytes more intense.

How to grow sphagnum moss at home?

› Growing

Living sphagnum moss is nothing more than moss . It is used by gardeners in most cases when growing orchids .

When used correctly, sphagnum moss will become a real helper for you and your beautiful plants. Today we will help you understand the use and benefits of living moss for your flowers.

But still! So what is live moss ? What do flowers have to do with it? Let's find out...

How to grow moss at home?

The tiny plant, which creates a soft, dense emerald-colored covering, is an integral part of the forest landscape. Moss growing in a garden area greatly enhances the landscape. Now imagine that you can grow this green carpet right at home! How to do it? Let's find out.

Representatives of the Bryophyte family, along with ferns, are among the oldest inhabitants of the Earth.

The earliest paleontological finds place their age at approximately 0.4 million years ago, towards the beginning of the Carboniferous period.

In total, there are over 10 thousand species of moss on the planet, and the botanical classification defines about 177 families. Experts identify the following families among the main varieties:

Tetraphys mosses;
Andreevs;
Leafy (95% of the whole class);
Polytrichous;
Sphagnum;
Takakiaceae;
Hepatic;
Anthocerotaceae;
Pottiaceae (the largest family - 3223 species).

Classification according to the type of green cover created by bryophytes is also acceptable:

Pleurocarpous – creates a “carpet” that spreads low over the surface and actively grows in breadth;
Acrocarpous - grows in bushes and at first grows tall, becoming thicker, and then begins to grow horizontally.

Moss is extremely easy to grow. It grows and develops without feeding, does not require special care, and can withstand harsh conditions, diseases and temperature changes. The peculiarity of the plant is that it does not bloom and has spore reproduction.

How to grow moss at home?

When preparing a plant for planting at home, follow these rules:

The site from which the sample for transplantation was taken and the new site must have identical characteristics and conditions. If you plant the material on the ground, take pads only from the ground. Similarly, the tree “inhabitant” will take root only on the trunk. Accordingly, how to grow moss on the roof of a house becomes clear;
When cutting the substrate, try not to injure the lower part of the material;
Only mature and overgrown specimens that have a rich green color are suitable for planting;
The collected material is dried for 2–3 days, then it is finely chopped and ground in a ceramic mortar;
The resulting powder is mixed with any fermented milk product and applied to the desired surface with a brush. If moss is planted over a large area (for example, a wide wooden container), the area under the plantation is watered with the prepared mixture.

By growing bryophytes in an apartment or in a private house (in the interior or in an open area), you get not only a unique decorative element. Of course, moss on the wall of a house is an original and environmentally friendly decoration , but it also has other valuable properties.

Some types of sphagnum are actively used as a dressing in medicine. It has high bactericidal properties;
Due to its hygroscopicity, it is used in the manufacture of insulation materials in construction;
Moss is an indispensable filler in floristry (similarly for its hygroscopic properties);
Bryophyte growing in open ground helps the soil resist erosion and weed development.

Why are bryophytes valuable on a natural scale?

Serve as participants in the biocenosis;
Maintain and regulate the water balance of landscapes;
They form peat.

Planting and care

To plant moss, you need to prepare a mixture of crushed plants and a component that will serve as a nutrient medium for it. Its role is played by any natural fermented milk product (kefir or yogurt). The proportion of the composition is two glasses of liquid per glass of finely chopped greens. The consistency of the mixture should resemble low-fat sour cream.

How to plant a plant:

Dip a natural bristle brush into the prepared mixture and apply to the area where you plan to plant (stone in a pot, brickwork, concrete wall, etc.);
Try to spread the mixture in a thin layer so that it does not drip down.

The result of the work done will be visible in approximately 40 - 42 days. Then it will become clear whether the moss has taken root or not. To improve the conditions and speed of its growth, follow these instructions:

Spray the planting only with warm water. The first three weeks - daily. Then the watering regime is reduced;
Areas where the plant has not taken root are renewed by applying freshly prepared composition;
In the first weeks, growing moss looks like a thin green mold film. Protect it from abrasion.

Features of growing moss in a jar

It must be admitted that bryophytes look most impressive in transparent vessels. It is glass that most favorably emphasizes the beauty of the texture of representatives of the Bryophyte department. The question arises: how to grow moss in a jar at home if it reproduces by spores?

There is nothing critical in this process. You need to tackle it, starting with finding a suitable container. This can be an ordinary three-liter glass jar, vase or aquarium. A thick layer of drainage litter is poured onto its bottom .

It is prepared from small river or sea pebbles, broken shards or ordinary expanded clay. A stone or ceramic “pillow” will help prevent moisture stagnation. But that is not all. Be sure to lay down a layer of granular charcoal. The substrate is poured on top.

Use small stones, coconut shells or fiber, or wood chips or driftwood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNKwuwsJV54

There is no point in growing moss in a glass jar unless you approach the composition with creativity. Play with the structure, think about the foreground and background planting.

Remember that your creation will become part of the interior or landscape design, so it should look attractive. Using decorative stones, pieces of wood or sand mounds, you can achieve a naturalistic effect.

If you plant moisture-loving plants or succulents next to the moss, the composition will look like a real landscape in miniature.

Source: https://agroklassiksnab.ru/vyrashhivanie/kak-vyrashhivat-moh-sfagnum-v-domashnih-usloviyah

How to plant a plant on the site

In garden plots, bryophytes serve not only as a decorative decoration, but also bring benefits:

in flooded areas absorb excess moisture;
on rocky soils they are used instead of a lawn.

Learn about the benefits and harms of Icelandic moss, as well as how to care for Irish and coral mosses.

How to grow on the ground

Let's look at the detailed steps for planting bryophytes:

Prepare the area in advance: level and clear of weeds and plant debris.
Bring the soil acidity level to neutral. Acidic soil is limed; aluminum sulfate is added to soil with a low acidity level (both components can be found in the store).
Using a spray nozzle, generously moisten the prepared “bed.”
The optimal planting method is to divide a larger piece of moss into small pieces and plant them at some distance from each other, pressing them into the soil.
Water the moss daily after planting for two weeks. During this time, the seedlings adapt to the new location.

How to grow on rocks

The instructions given above will not work when planting on rocks, since this requires some kind of adhesion to the surface. Several mixtures can play this role - use the one that is more convenient for you:

200 g/ml each of moss, kefir and water;
200 g of moss, 0.4 l of beer, 20 g of sugar;
200 g of moss, powder of two aspirin tablets, 200 ml of water.

Important! If the color of the plant is too dark, this means an excess of water; if it takes on a light green tint, there is not enough moisture.

Any of the three proposed mixtures must be crushed with a blender, then applied to the required surface. Treated stones should be sprayed with water twice a week.

How to grow in a decorative pond

To grow a green carpet frame on a pond, you need to purchase water- and breathable geotextiles, which are used in landscape design. On the surface of the water, in the place where landscaping is planned, lay strips of fabric and pieces of moss on top of it. There is no need to water, since the fabric immediately absorbs and retains water, and accordingly, the seedlings are also sufficiently moisturized.

It will be interesting to consider the most common representatives of forest bryophytes.

Care

Key points in caring for bryophytes:

mandatory weed removal - mosses, in the absence of root shoots, cannot compete with herbs in the fight for nutrition and moisture;
a few hours of sun in the morning is not necessary, but desirable;
direct sunlight, especially at the peak of its activity, can burn the plant and change its color;
Watering should be carried out exclusively with a sprayer - the plant absorbs moisture over its entire surface;
equally bad conditions for moss are too acidic soil or low soil acidity;
It is imperative to clear the planting of fallen leaves or tree branches.

General information about moss

What do we know about moss? Moss belongs to the department of higher or above-ground plants. As a rule, it is a small plant with a length of about 50 mm. It has about 20 thousand species, has no flowers or root system, grows on all continents, including Antarctica, and reproduces by spores, that is, microscopic formations that mature in boxes located on the legs of the plant.

Moss plays a very important role in regulating the water balance of the landscape, as it is able to absorb and retain moisture. In this case, the mass of accumulated water can be 20 times greater than the moss’s own mass. In addition, moss purifies the air by absorbing exhaust gases, dust and smoke. Some other types of moss have bactericidal properties, slowing down or stopping the spread of harmful bacteria, which is why they are actively used in medicine. Moss is also resistant to decomposition and lasts a long time in a dried state.

It is these properties, as well as its beautiful appearance, that attract the attention of indoor plant lovers to moss.

Crushed dry moss can be added to the substrate when planting a plant to give it moisture capacity, and live moss can be used as a ground cover plant, that is, planted with another indoor plant for decorative purposes and to prevent the top layer of soil from drying out.

And in order to always have moss on hand, you can grow it at home. Moreover, this is done very simply and without any special material costs.

Collection and cleaning of moss

Moss for growing at home can be obtained in two ways.

The first way is to collect live moss from July to October in the places where it grows. In wildlife, mosses are usually found in shaded wooded areas, near a body of water. But moss often grows in urban areas if it has enough moisture.

Moss can grow on an old tree on the north side, covering the trunk from wind and cold. However, such moss is not suitable.

For further cultivation, it is better to collect moss growing on the ground, which is accustomed to the soil, and not to tree bark, for example, between paving slabs, in asphalt cracks or blind areas of a house, in general, where wipers do not work well.

I found such a wonderful nursery not far from my house. This is where I will collect moss.

Before you start collecting, it is better to wear gloves so as not to get your hands dirty and ruin your manicure. We carefully collect the moss with a spatula along with the soil and place it in a plastic bag. We try not to take home any living creatures that hide under the moss.

Immediately before planting, the moss should be rinsed well under warm running water, thus physically clearing it of debris and possible insects. But you can’t immediately plant moss collected outside on a houseplant, because harmful fungi, bacteria and insect larvae can live on it, which will simply kill your home flower. In addition, there is always the possibility that street moss simply will not take root at home. So he faces at least another month of quarantine and adaptation.

The second way to obtain moss for growing at home, in particular sphagnum, is to buy it in a store. In flower shops that sell orchids, dry bagged sphagnum is sold as an accompanying material. Very often in bags you can find not completely dried moss with living green shoots. This is the kind of moss that is suitable for further growing at home. It does not need to be further cleaned of pests.

Initial planting of moss

High-moor peat is well suited for the initial planting of moss. It is poor in nutrients, has an acidic environment, a porous, loose structure, a high degree of moisture capacity and breathability. In addition, peat is formed as a result of the decomposition of moss.

In order for moss to take root well at home, it needs to be provided with warmth and high humidity in the environment, that is, to create a greenhouse effect, so planting is carried out in a container with a closing top, for example, in a mini-greenhouse.

2/3 of the soil is filled into the greenhouse without an additional drainage layer.

To prevent fungal and bactericidal diseases, a fungicidal drug is dissolved in water in the proportions recommended by the manufacturer. This solution is poured onto the soil poured into the greenhouse.

We plant the collected moss in the moistened soil, distributing it over the entire surface, lightly compacting it.

To prevent harmful insects, planted moss is treated with an insecticidal preparation. At the same time, we do not forget about our own health - we exclude the possibility of getting the drug on the skin, in the eyes and in the mouth: using gloves, we try not to inhale the drug, we process the plant in a ventilated room, do not open our mouth, or better yet, use a respirator.

Next, cover the greenhouse with a lid and place it in a shaded place.

Instead of a mini-greenhouse, you can use, for example, some kind of plastic container for food, and replace the opaque lid with cling film. This is where I will plant purchased sphagnum.

Exactly the same as in the first case, I fill up the soil. I moisten the soil with water; it is possible without a fungicide, since purchased sphagnum has already been cleaned by the manufacturer. I plant green shoots from dried sphagnum in moist soil. After planting, I additionally spray the moss with water from a spray bottle, cover the container with cling film and also place it in a shaded place.

I do not recommend adding any nutrients, such as kefir, to the planted moss. I conducted such an experiment.

Kefir may have a good effect on the moss, but after 3 days the sour smell in the greenhouse will be simply terrible. In addition, all sorts of bacteria will begin to multiply there. In general, as a result of such an experiment, the entire contents of the greenhouse had to be thrown away.

Moss care

Further care of the moss is very simple. The greenhouse must always be humid. It is convenient to control the presence of moisture through the transparent lid. About once every three days we open the lid of the greenhouse for ventilation and spray the moss with settled water at room temperature, that is, the temperature of the room in which the moss itself grows. Mine is a glazed loggia with windows facing north. Additionally, you can spray the lid itself. Most likely, in the first month after planting you won’t have to water the moss at all; spraying will be quite enough.

If the planted moss is accepted, it will be noticeable within a week after planting. It will not dry out, but will gradually begin to grow over the surface of the greenhouse.

I noticed that it grows slightly at an angle towards the north.

The moss must be treated with an insecticide several more times over the course of a month. The number and frequency of treatments depends on the drug itself, so read the instructions carefully. In my case, in addition to the initial treatment during planting, 3 more treatments are needed with a weekly interval.

And about 2 weeks after planting, the moss needs to be watered again with a fungicide solution.

A month after planting, you can begin to open the lid of the greenhouse every day for ventilation, gradually increasing the time the moss is open.

In the future, the moss, without a cover, is watered every 3 days and sprayed daily. It doesn't need any fertilizer.

And this is what sphagnum looks like a month after planting.

And 2 months after planting, you can see how well it is growing.

Moss transplant

After cleaning the moss from possible pests and adapting to indoor conditions, it can be transplanted into a separate flower pot or replanted with another plant. In this case, 2 different plants in 1 pot will get along provided that they have the same care regimen - daily spraying and watering every 3 days.

This moss has been living with me for more than a year. Last year I also collected it on the street and after quarantine transplanted it into a flower pot. Despite the fact that moss is a short-lived and quickly drying plant, it reproduces well. This can be seen from the moss itself. The beige dry areas are last year's moss, and the young and green ones, one might say, are its children, this year's harvest. I am going to plant this moss on the bonsai tree during its replanting.

The soil into which we are going to transplant the moss is well moistened with water. Next, the moss is carefully collected with a spatula, along with soil particles, crushed and, as it were, scattered over the surface of the pot. Since moss does not have a root system, but reproduces by spores, chopping it will not harm it, but will allow the moss to be distributed evenly over the entire surface. You can sprinkle a little dry soil on top and spray it well.

Within a month after transplantation, the moss will begin to gradually germinate and will eventually grow over the entire surface of the pot.

Appearance

Now it’s worth telling what sphagnum moss looks like - the photos still give only a fairly superficial idea.

He cannot boast of a particularly outstanding appearance. It has a very thin green stem that starts at the root and stretches upward. It is distinguished by its emerald green color. The upper part is covered with small leaves arranged in a spiral. By the way, for the sake of clarity, it should be noted that this moss actually has no roots. And that brown part, which not very experienced botanists perceive as a root, is an old, dead part of the plant.

Sphagnum, despite its small size, is a perennial plant. As cold weather approaches, it freezes to continue life in the spring. It only grows upward, not sideways. The lower part dies over time, rots, becoming peat.

The stems grow very densely, most often in damp places. Because of this, only the upper part receives the light necessary for the development of green plants. And in the lower, shaded area, chlorophyll is destroyed over time, and it becomes white. Over time it rots, turning brown.

It reproduces, like most mosses, with the help of spores. They contain germ cells grown on the stem. After ripening, the sac bursts, and thanks to water and wind, light spores are carried over a considerable distance.

Harvesting sphagnum

You can buy sphagnum moss in the store, or you can collect it yourself. To do this, it is important to know what it looks like, how it differs from ordinary moss, and where to look for it.

How to distinguish sphagnum from ordinary moss

Living sphagnum moss is pale green in color. When dry, the moss becomes almost white. It forms loose, slightly springy moss cushions, from which individual bunches of plants can be easily pulled out. The bottom of the moss will be whitish, the middle will be pale green, and the top will be a slightly richer color. Due to its ability to change color depending on moisture saturation, sphagnum is popularly called white moss.

Sphagnum moss is often confused with cuckoo flax. But it's not the same thing. Cuckoo flax has rhizoids (like roots) that hold it to the soil surface, while sphagnum moss is easily reached in bunches. Each “blade of grass” of sphagnum has a main stem and thin, long side branches resembling leaves located closer to the top. At the very top, the branches curl to form a head. This is the main distinguishing feature of representatives of sphagnum mosses.

Where does sphagnum grow?

Sphagnum grows in deciduous forests. He especially loves aspen trees in small hollows. In spring, it begins to actively grow where small swamps form after the snow melts.

When to harvest

It is better to harvest sphagnum in the fall. However, you should not do this in very swampy places, because... then it will take you too long to dry the material. Considering that moss has no roots, it can be easily removed from the general green carpet. However, it is better to cut off only the top part of the plant.

Advantages and disadvantages

So, proper use of moss can help with many problems. The advantages include:

long-term moisture retention (even if your home is hot and dry);
indispensable aid in the growth of young or weakened plants;
disinfecting properties (orchids with sphagnum moss in a pot are less likely to get sick);
aesthetic appearance: moss on the surface of the pot (especially if it is alive) looks very beautiful, and a block with a blooming orchid and lush green moss can, at first glance, transport you to the tropics.

But with inexperienced gardeners, a plant covered with moss often dies. There are the following disadvantages:

It’s easy to “overdo it” with moss; by laying it in a dense thick layer, you are almost guaranteed to block access to the roots and destroy the plant;
moss in a pot contributes to root rotting; proper watering with moss is more difficult to calculate;
if the moss was not properly harvested, it will harbor pests that will quickly destroy your orchid;
Because of moss, the soil can become salty and algae form on it.

ATTENTION: If you are just starting to grow orchids, it is best to take ordinary phalaenopsis and practice on them and pine or pine bark, without any moss. Only when you learn how to properly water on a “clean” substrate can you start experimenting with moss. Whether a plant takes root in moss or not depends on many factors:

Whether a plant takes root in moss or not depends on many factors:

watering frequency;
humidity;
temperature of a specific irrigation.

What to do with an acquired bump

For planting, sphagnum is collected in the forest (only in the northern swampy regions) or purchased from breeders by mail. Before shipping, the green layer is removed from the container, rolled tightly and placed in a sealed bag. During delivery, the green hummock does not die, since a humid microclimate remains in the tightly closed package.

After receiving the parcel you must:

open the packaging and visually assess the condition of the plant;
for further rooting and growth, use the green part;
For long-term storage, dry the sphagnum moss in a cardboard box in a dark place or freeze it in parts in the freezer.

Before shipping, the plant is packaged in bags of about 1 liter. This volume can be divided into several parts: for use, for storage and for cultivation.

Growing rules

The rules are quite simple, but they must be followed, otherwise even such an unpretentious plant may not survive in new conditions. When growing moss, it is recommended to use the following instructions:

Select a container in which the moss will be placed. Clean it thoroughly and dry it before filling. Line the bottom of the selected container with a not too thick layer of pebbles (it should be small, large pebbles will not work and will look ugly) or expanded clay (should also not be too large). This is necessary so that the moisture can be retained for a longer period. Lay a loose layer of granular coal. Add substrate to the current layers. Place the necessary elements in the resulting soil (these can be pieces of wood or other plants that you later want to see decorated with moss

When adding plants, it is important to take into account their attitude to moisture; if they do not like it, they will not be able to develop normally, so preference should be given to moisture-loving plants. Which plants belong to this type can be found in books or on specialized websites). Add moss. It is recommended to spray the moss daily for the first two weeks.

This will provide the plant with the necessary level of moisture and allow it to quickly take root in a new place. To flavor the plant, you can also initially place it on soil watered with beer or kefir. This will initially provide the moss with a fairly high level of moisture, but this will not eliminate the need for spraying. You will need to carefully spray the moss at the initial stage, because the plant will have an acute lack of moisture when planted in a new place.

Once the moss has taken root, it does not need to be watered every day; watering once every three to five days will be sufficient. If you notice that the moss has become very dark, this indicates that the plant has an excess of moisture. In this case, the frequency of watering should be reduced.

Moss does not like sunlight too much, so only three hours will be enough to interact with the rays of the Sun. The rest of the time it is recommended to keep the plant in the shade. Depending on how much light hits the moss, its color may change. In particular, with a lot of light, the moss will become lighter in color.

Where to buy moss?

You can purchase it yourself at any forest site, but this is not the best solution, because it risks that, in addition to moss, you will bring some pests into your home. Therefore, it is best to purchase moss in specialized stores; it is not too expensive. The key positive is that it won't contain any surprises.

Landscape creation

A separate point is, of course, the placement of the necessary elements and the formation of the landscape. Approaches may vary, but here are a few recommendations that, if followed, will allow you to create a truly beautiful composition:

When placing stones in a container, try to use them the same in style, but different in size;
It will be aesthetically beautiful to add ferns, alocasia and coleus to the container. These plants love moisture and also get along with each other without any difficulties;
In order to beautifully fix the moss in the right place (for example, on pieces of wood or stones), you can use nylon threads or fishing line.

Sphagnum moss - living moss for growing orchids

Living sphagnum moss is nothing more than moss . It is used by gardeners in most cases when growing orchids .

When used correctly, sphagnum moss will become a real helper for you and your beautiful plants. Today we will help you understand the use and benefits of living moss for your flowers.

But still! So what is live moss ? What do flowers have to do with it? Let's find out...

What is living sphagnum moss

Sphagnum moss is a herbaceous perennial plant. The peculiarity of this plant is the complete absence of a root system; it has only one long stem with a branch.

Sphagnum peat moss

Sphagnum moss grows in swampy areas in high humidity conditions. But it doesn't grow indefinitely, and it doesn't grow very long.

The lower part of the moss gradually dies and when rotting it forms peat. From this we can conclude that its native habitat is peat bogs, in the formation of which moss itself is directly involved.

When the lower part dies, the upper part remains green and healthy.

Living sphagnum moss has a unique ability to absorb moisture; it is able to absorb moisture, the amount of which is 20 times the weight of the plant itself. It is thanks to this property that it was called “sphagnum”. Translated, this word means “sponge” because it absorbs moisture just like a sponge.

There are more than 380 species of this plant in the world, 40 of them grow in Russia. White peat moss is the type of moss most commonly used in growing orchids.

What part does living moss take in growing orchids?

Live moss is actively used by flower growers who breed orchids. Moss is added to the soil for their cultivation, used to reanimate damaged plants, as well as for growing young orchids. We will talk about all this in more detail.

In what form is sphagnum moss used?

Live moss or sphagnum is used in its natural form, as it grows in the places where it grows. It is also successfully used in dried form. When dried, sphagnum retains all its beneficial properties, which are contained in its natural form.

Useful properties of living moss

Living sphagnum moss, due to its structure, helps loosen the soil. It gives the plant roots a better supply of oxygen, which has a very positive effect on its growth.

Sphagnum helps maintain soil moisture at the required level. First, it absorbs excess water, and then it gives additional moisture to the roots when the substrate itself is already dry.

This moss contains polyhydric alcohol, which prevents the occurrence of root rot, which very often affects orchids.

This moss has the very beneficial property of absorbing excess salt from the water you water your orchids, which is very beneficial for them.

Sphagnum serves as the best prevention of fungal diseases of plants, to which they are very susceptible.

Sphagnum is a great source of phosphorus, which is essential for plants.

This moss benefits not only plants due to the fact that it has a pronounced antibacterial property.

(For reference). Moss was actively used during the Second World War to treat wounds in soldiers in the absence of the necessary drugs and conditions for their treatment. It was applied to the wounds and tied with bandages. Moss became a real salvation for soldiers in difficult war conditions.

How to use live sphagnum moss in growing orchids

Sphagnum moss as a mulch substrate for orchids

Live moss is usually introduced into the main substrate for orchids; no more than 10% of the main volume of the substrate is introduced. If you add more, there may be too much moisture in the substrate, which can still lead to root rot.

Sphagnum is used as a means for mulching the surface of the substrate. It helps maintain substrate moisture. This is especially necessary in summer, when temperatures become higher and moisture evaporates faster.

In order for the moisture level to be at the required level, and for the plant itself to receive moisture from the air, sphagnum needs to be sprayed with water every 2 days, and if it’s really hot, you can do this every day.

Reanimation of an orchid with moss

Live moss is actively used to resuscitate sick orchid plants and build up the root system. It gives the orchid enough nutrition and moisture.

For resuscitation, the plant is simply placed on the surface of sphagnum. It is strictly forbidden to deepen the neck into the moss; the orchid should simply stand on the surface, you can see this clearly on.

! Remember that you cannot water the moss until it dries. When it becomes almost dry, it will need to be moistened with a spray bottle. You absolutely cannot fill it with water!

Live moss also serves as an excellent means for growing children and teenagers orchids. To grow, their roots are immersed in moss. But just don’t go too deep, so as not to moisten the neck of the plant too much. On moss they grow roots and foliage very quickly, which can speed up their growth and subsequent flowering.

How to keep moss alive

When buying live moss, the question of storing it always arises when there is excess moss left. If you leave the moss in a warm place, it will certainly dry out. If you need to store it, then put it in a plastic bag and simply put it in the freezer. After you freeze it, it will not lose its properties at all, and its structure will not change at all.

How to grow live moss at home

Living sphagnum moss can be called a truly scarce product. It is extremely rarely found in stores. Most often, moss can be purchased from a home seller who sells the same orchids or in online stores. Therefore, sometimes the question arises of how to increase its quantity and whether it is possible to grow moss at home. It is possible to grow moss at home and it is a very simple process.

To grow sphagnum moss you need to take a small amount of moss, about a small bunch with your fingers. It is desirable to have as many green tops as possible; such plants grow much faster.

Place the moss in a glass jar, preferably a liter one. Then water it a little so that there is a couple of millimeters of water at the bottom. Close the jar with a nylon lid, place the jar in a bright place, but so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. Open the jar for 10 seconds once every 10-14 days. Make sure there is water in the jar.

If you see condensation on the walls of the jar, then there is no need to ventilate it; remember that sphagnum is a marsh plant and it simply needs to be damp.

Growing sphagnum moss in a jar

So, over time, you will be able to grow moss yourself and use it, and grow it again later yourself.

In addition to a glass jar, moss can also be grown in a transparent plastic container that is closed with a lid. Disposable plastic food boxes are great.

Can live moss be used for other plants?

Live sphagnum moss can be added to the soil in small quantities, but not for all plants. It can be used exclusively for moisture-loving plants. It is strictly forbidden to use it for tubers.

Source: https://ogorodland.ru/komnatnye-rasteniya/mox-sfagnum-zhivoj-mox-dlya-vyrashhivaniya-orxidej/

How to grow in the country?

The easiest way to grow bryophyte is in the country, in the yard or in the garden. There is no need to create optimal conditions or maintain the required level of humidity. The main thing is to choose a dark place for planting. If at the beginning of spring seeds were planted at home and moss has already grown from them, then at the end of May it can be safely transferred to the site.

Before planting, you must inspect the specimen. There should be no dry areas on it, and if there are any, it is better to remove them. You will also need two glasses of water and the same amount of milk. All ingredients, including moss, are loaded into a blender and crushed. After this, the mixture must be taken to the place reserved for the moss and distributed over the surface. Now all that remains is to wait for the bryophyte to take root and begin to grow.

In summer, moss does not grow well due to high temperatures and insufficient rain, so it is better to spray the plant yourself to prevent it from drying out.

You can grow moss in an apartment, in a country house, or in an aquarium. The main thing is to choose the right planting material, and in terms of care, bryophyte is unpretentious. An elegant green lump will be a wonderful decoration for the interior, the outer surface of the walls or the local area.

Types of moss

There are a huge variety of types of moss. But they are all united by the lack of a root system and flowers. Green pads need very little to grow: moisture and diffused light. Many people believe that moss causes allergies. However, this opinion is erroneous, as people often confuse moss and mold. Therefore, if you want to decorate your apartment, garden, aquarium or vegetable garden with a beautiful green carpet, then you should not deny yourself this. Bryophyte will not cause any harm, as it is a full-fledged ornamental plant.

The following types of moss are distinguished:

Forest moss (or Christmas moss). This species got its name because of the shape of the leaves: they resemble Christmas tree needles that grow in layers. © https://ydoo.info/qa/kak-vyrastit-moh.htmlForest moss grows very slowly and only under optimal conditions. The temperature should not exceed +22 degrees. The light should be diffused: there is more shadow than sun.
Fern. The name speaks for itself, since moss leaves are very similar to fern leaves. This species loves shade. Moss grows quickly and thickly.
Richia. This representative is the most common throughout the world. Moss grows in a ball shape and, unlike other species, needs sunlight.
Key. This species is no less common than richia. The color of moss depends on the lighting, for example, you can find red and dark green shades. The main feature of key moss is its unpretentiousness. Grows quickly and well.
Hypnotic. This type of moss grows on stones, soil and branches. Hypnum bryophyte especially needs shade.
Peat (or sphagnum). Anyone who loves indoor plants and grows them knows that some flowers, such as orchids, cannot live without peat moss. The “native” habitat of sphagnum is a swamp.
Weeping. The height of such moss is no more than 50 centimeters. Bryophyte branches fall down, forming a beautiful green crown. You can find moss on trees.
Javanese. This type of moss is easy to care for and feels great in both dark and light ponds. Quite often, Javan bryophyte is placed in aquariums.
Icelandic (or bryozoan subulate). This plant is different in that it can bloom (usually from July to September). At this time, the green lump is decorated with small white leaves. Icelandic moss is one of the few that can be grown from seeds.
Scandinavian moss (or moss) is a plant that reindeer eat in winter. This type looks very beautiful in jars that can be placed on the windowsill.

Any containers are suitable for growing moss at home: an aquarium, jars, bowls, vases. In addition, decorative moss has long been used to make wall panels.

How to make a decoration with decorative moss with your own hands?

The simplest would be a wall picture filled with natural moss. Then you only need stabilized moss itself, frame and floral glue or double-sided adhesive tape! The moss pieces should be firmly pressed to the glue or tape, but should not come loose. You can work with other shapes; not only a flat surface is available for decoration. Floral glue is a great solution for creative expression. By using floral glue, you can add additional layers to your desired thickness and cover up any gaps - it just gives you more room to be creative.

Large surfaces such as walls or large paintings will be much easier to fill with moss panels. You can freely adjust their position in space and quantity because they are suitable for cutting into smaller pieces. If you want you can easily cut them into unusual shapes. The panels themselves are flexible and can be cut with a wallpaper knife or even scissors.

There are also methods of "green graffiti" that grow directly on the wall. However, this requires growing moss on the surface and more work.

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We create compositions

Small pads of moss will perfectly complement the surface of wood or large pebbles. You can fix it using a thin fishing line or nylon thread, or simply grow a layer of moss on the surface of the pebbles. To do this, sprinkle a small amount of soil and fix the moss between the stones.

Not quite standard means are used as fertilizer for moss - beer and kefir. You can mix these ingredients with a mixer or blender and add them every few days.

Thanks to this unusual feeding, the plant will receive all the necessary positive vitamins, micro and macroelements, with the help of which its growth will be enhanced. Irrigation should be carried out no more than three times a week.

Thanks to such tiny unusual plants, you can create unusual living collages with your own hands, with the help of which each apartment will become unusual.

And if you mix several varieties of bryophytes simultaneously on one surface, after their combination and growth, you can get a stunning composition of different shades and colors - from red to bright emerald.

With the right approach to choosing, planting, and caring for moss, you can easily grow such an original plant at home, which will become a real highlight among other indoor plants.

How to plant at home

Mosses have been used in design for a long time and in a variety of ways: they are grown for bonsai, used as a decorative substrate around other plants and indoor mini-gardens. Bryophyte can be grown in any container and on any surface. For indoor plantings, you can use decorative glass bowls with a wide bottom and neck, small aquariums, florariums and containers, and glass jars.

You can buy planting material at a garden store or nursery, or you can dig it up in the forest.

Read about how to deal with Marchantia moss in your area.

Drainage in the form of small river pebbles or expanded clay is placed at the bottom of a selected container. The ideal soil for growing moss is coconut substrate for the following reasons:

it has neutral acidity;
it retains moisture well;
is natural and environmentally friendly;
it is a breathable material.

Important! When searching on your own, it is advisable to choose clean forests away from the road. It is better to collect the material itself from trees, since bacteria can be brought into the house with the soil. We thoroughly moisten both the soil and the planting material, lay out the seedlings, slightly pressing them into the substrate

You can see the landing process in detail in the following video:

We thoroughly moisten both the soil and the planting material, lay out the seedlings, slightly pressing them into the substrate. You can see the landing process in detail in the following video:

Care

In the first few days, seedlings should be sprayed with a spray bottle daily. The water must be clean: filtered, rain or melt. Regular tap water can leave a white coating on the planting surface.

Did you know? Reindeer moss (Scandinavian moss), which is practically the only food for reindeer in winter, has healing properties. Usnic acid, recently isolated from the plant, is a strong antibiotic that, in minute doses, destroys entire colonies of pathogenic microorganisms.

When you see that the seedling has taken root and begins to grow, reduce watering to twice a week. The moss should be kept shaded, but in the morning when the sun appears, expose it to the rays for a couple of hours.

Types and applications

Most often, gardeners use dry sphagnum, which can be purchased at any specialty store. However, there are situations where live moss is a more effective remedy. For example, it is used for the resuscitation of sickly and fading flowers, rooting cuttings and layering, as well as for germinating seeds that are sensitive to lack of moisture.

Video. Harvesting sphagnum

Unfortunately, live peat moss can only be found in the wild, but it is worth remembering that when bringing sphagnum from the forest, you risk introducing various infections and pest larvae, which can be very dangerous for your home flowers. Therefore, it is better not to use the source material directly, but only for breeding new moss.

Sphagnum grows best hydroponically, i.e. in a container with distilled water. Melt water from snow is also suitable, but not tap water. To prevent water from evaporating too quickly, cover the container with moss with film, creating a greenhouse effect. The temperature is average - about 20 degrees Celsius. For home cultivation of sphagnum, the north side with variable shade is suitable.

Useful tips

Sphagnum moss can be grown on a variety of surfaces. The best time for planting is considered to be all autumn months, as the plant takes root well in this case. For propagation, take sphagnum only from the material similar to which you will plant it. So, moss taken from a tree is not suitable for planting on stones. Moreover, if you removed moss from a rotting tree, you will have to plant it on a wooden surface that has not been treated with antiseptics.

Stones for growing can be of not only natural, but also artificial origin, the main thing is that they are rough. If there is a need to plant on a smooth surface, then add a little ceramic clay to the composition, regardless of the recipe, after moistening it.

Sphagnum moss is used very often in landscape design, since it is much more profitable than a lawn: maintenance does not require any effort or large financial costs.