What are the roles of sphagnum moss in orchid growing
A newly planted lotus-type narcissus, Hubei grass. Medium-wide leaf type, relatively flat-spreading, leaf posture slanting and drooping, forming a curved-sickle shape, with clearly visible serrated margins; the flower type is relatively large, a red-turning-green lotus-form narcissus petal, slightly fluttering when open for a long time, a typical large apple tongue, with brilliant colors. "Huifeng Caotang" named it "Pinghe" (a homophone of apple and lotus, also carrying the heart of enjoying orchids, with a peaceful mindset...
Sphagnum moss, also called white moss, belongs to the bryophytes. It often grows on high mountain cliffs in large mountain forests or beside streams and springs, is white-green or bright green or cotton-like, densely interwoven into patches, with stems creeping close to the ground, irregularly branched or branch-like, and the stems and branches and leaves are nearly the same shape. When dry it is extremely loose and pale white. After collecting sphagnum moss, washing it clean, removing impurities and drying it in the sun, it can be used for planting. Using sphagnum moss to grow orchids is a very simple planting method. Before use, simply soak the dry sphagnum moss thoroughly, wring it out slightly, and it is ready to use.
In summer, using sphagnum moss for moisture retention is not recommended, as it easily rots! Growing orchids is difficult, and one of the difficulties is choosing the growing medium. In recent years I have chosen sphagnum moss to grow orchids, and have grown many spring orchids and summer cymbidiums with large flowers, brilliant colors, lush branches and leaves, well-developed roots, and abundant charm. From my orchid-growing process and cultivation experience, growing orchids with sphagnum moss has three major roles:
The first is the role of environmental optimization. Sphagnum moss is clean, disease-free and sterile, and is a natural orchid growing medium. In particular, processed sphagnum moss does not contain any pathogens. Orchids grown with it are very robust, and it can also reduce the harm of pests and diseases.
The second is the role of heat preservation and moisture retention. Used as an orchid substrate or as a surface covering on orchid pots, sphagnum moss can not only prevent soil from polluting the leaf surface when watering, but also reduce water evaporation, maintain a constant soil temperature, and play a role in heat preservation and moisture retention.
The third is the role of protecting roots and promoting sprouting. Orchid roots are fleshy roots and require a substrate with good ventilation, air permeability and water permeability. Dried sphagnum moss is very loose and is very suitable for the growth of orchid plant roots, so it can avoid root rot caused by water accumulation in the pot soil.
In addition, sphagnum moss as a growing medium has a constant temperature and is rich in nutrients. It contains abundant organic matter and various nutrient elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron. After being dried in the sun, sphagnum moss slowly decomposes in the pot when moist, and the nutrients it contains are also slowly supplied to the growth and development of the orchid plant. This can save on the amount of fertilizer applied and can also promote orchid sprouting. Under normal circumstances, the sprouting rate of orchids grown with sphagnum moss is higher than that of those grown with ordinary growing media.
From the situation of growing orchids with sphagnum moss, growing orchids with sphagnum moss also has the characteristics of being economical and practical. Dry sphagnum moss sold on the market generally costs about 20 yuan per kilogram. If a 20 or 25 cm flower pot is used to grow orchids, 1 kilogram of sphagnum moss can grow at least 15 pots of orchids, and the cost of sphagnum moss growing medium per pot of orchids is only about 1.3 yuan, clearly lower than the cost of other growing media.