Working with live Sphagnum moss : eBay Guides

There are so many carnivorous plants that live in pure, living Sphagnum moss that it's imperative I write some notes on how I utilize it in growing all my carnivorous plants ranging from the tiny sundew to the huge Nepenthes. As a seller of carnivorous plants and Sphagnum topdressing here on eBay, I realize most people may not know exactly how to use this gorgeous, living substrate for their carnivores. This photo shows my Venus Flytraps growing very happily in it!

Venus Flytraps like it so much they will sow their seeds in it. Can you spot the mini Venus Flytrap seedling in this photo?

When you look at a bog and see a sopping wet meadow of green, it is the very tips of the Sphagnum you are looking at. Each moss is an individual plant growing perfectly vertical from many, many years ago. They have an incredibly long life-span and, like densly planted trees, will grow straight up with their tops just to survive. There is no typical branching until an animal makes a step and breaks the conformity, allowing sunlight to reach the lower portions.

When purchasing live Sphagnum moss you will notice it consists of billowy, soft strands of individual plants which can be separated. Holding one strand, it is evident that only the top is alive while the remaining portion that gets lost from the sunlight becomes a light brown. It is still useful as it retains its water absorption characteristics. It is throughout the lower green and the brown Sphagnum that carnivorous plants send their roots. There is absolutely no soil but sopping moss remnants.

The best method of using the live Sphagnum is to trim off all the green tips where they begin to brown off and set them aside keeping them very wet! Don't let them dry out whatsoever. Take the brown material and place it whichever way you can fit it in. The fibers don't have to be straight up and down. If you need more lower substrate to fill a pot, you can use Canadian or New Zealand sphagnum available at many gardening or hardware stores. It comes compressed and very dry. Make sure it is also soaking wet before setting your precious carnivorous plant in it.

Once the bedding material is placed carefully lay the individual live green growing tips of Sphagnum moss on the surface. This is the important part. I use a set of large tweezers to individually "plant" each tip on the surface. Look carefully how it grows and put the trimmed side down. It should look very realistic. It will then continue to grow upwards. All it needs now is as much light as you can give it and copious amounts of water delivered in "rainfall" format. That is, use a sprayer to cover the entire surface. Drench the moss this way every time you water.

I put my Sphagnum and CP containing pot into another, non-draining container so that there is always a flood of water that can be easily removed. This is done by simply removing the inner, draining pot from the larger one. Let the moss drip and toss out the standing water. You will see slight discoloration and possibly smell the natural odors of the bog. Replace the pot of Sphagnum back into the non-draining container and flood the moss again. The Sphagnum needs to be soaking wet to grow properly. You will know you are flushing the pot enough when there is no discoloration or odor when you toss out the old water. These bogs receive enormous amounts of water - that's why there is no nutritional value to the Sphagnum moss. The rain washes everything away.

If this is done correctly and good growing conditions are established the Sphagnum should begin filling the pot with billowing masses of moss. Eventually you will need to begin to pull out those that cover small carnivorous plants or creep out over the side of the pot. Save them to continue your expansion of wonderful Carnivorous Plants!!

If the Sphagnum is left outside to overwinter your hardy Purple or Yellow pitcher plant (or Cobra lily), it will then begin to spread via spores. Either way, proper care and watering will cause your Sphagnum topdressing to increase in quantity, allowing you to increase your hobby.

Good growing!!!