Sphagnum moss for rooting cuttings

I will try just about anything for rooting cuttings. On one of the forums they were discussing sphagnum moss(not peat moss) so I decided to try it for rooting cuttings. I put several cuttings of passiflora in as an experiment. I have never had them root so fast with such nice rootballs in any other medium! Two weeks and they are ready to pot up! I'm going to try brugs next and maybe aristolochia cuttings.
Has anyone else used moss for rooting cuttings?

Note, I am not talking about peat moss that is brown and comes in a compressed bale. This was in a little clear plastic bag and was with the orchid supplies. It looks like dried moss from the forest.

How interesting-how did you set it up? Fill a seed flat and just wet it down really well? or single containers like cellpacks? If seed flats, was it hard to pull the cuttings apart when rooted?
How often did you wet down the moss? How much faster would you say that they rooted in the sp. moss vs the peat moss?
Thanks Calalily-this is great

I used a clear plastic container from the dollar store, it is about 18 inches long and 12 inches wide. I used a whole block of moss in the bottom. I fluffed up the moss and put it loosely in the container. Then I wet the moss, it took quite a bit of water. I kept fluffing the moss up to make sure it was evenly wet. Next I dipped the cuttings in rooting hormone, took a pencil to make a hole in the sphagnum and stuck the cutting. After all the cuttings are stuck, put the lid back on the container(or if your cuttings are too tall like my last batch, enclose it in a white or clear plastic bag and tie the top(catch some air in it, like when transporting fish) and put in a warm shady spot(we are warm, so I can root outside).
It was much faster than straight peat, and the root systems were awsome. When I do cuttings in straight peat, they take about 4 or 5 weeks to have a root system big enough to transplant.

I potted some seed in the Orchid Moss that you are talking about.
I Planted some in M G Seed starter and some in the O M on the same day and same conditions.
The seeds in Orchid Moss came up quicker and are growing better. Only about 2" tall now so I won't consider it a true better idea until they are ready to pot up. should know more in a week or so.

Betty

That is pretty impressive. I just wonder about pulling the rooted cuttings apart after they root-unless you get them out of there soon after they root, so the roots don't get all tangled up with each other and the moss lol.
I am thinking from what you said that you mostly do harder growth cuttings-as opposed to the softer cuttings because of the 4-5 wks ? It seems like a good way to do gardenia or croton cuttings. With soft cuttings I get them rooted in the peat moss in 2 wks-I did an experiment using rooting hormone on some and nothing on the others and saw no difference, so I don't use it. I guess it depends on the type of rooting hor. that you use. And maybe the type of cutting. I tried 5 or so different plants. No difference in any of them.
I guess if you do alot of cuttings, it may not be cost effective, but I am going to start some in it and see how they do. Thanks again Calalily.

Yes, my cuttings were from semi-hard wood. I never thought of using soft wood on the gardenia, I'll have to try that!
As for pulling the cuttings out of the moss, it was easy as pie. I just tugged on the stem and they came out with a nice clump of undisturbed roots(with a little moss attached, I just planted the moss with the cutting) I tried pulling the moss out of the roots and some of it did come loose.
When I have tangled roots on cuttings, I pull out the whole clump, shake as much rooting medium off as I can and then gently tug on each cutting. If you're careful, they will come apart without breaking too many roots.
The only drawback to my rooting system is that mixing different cuttings could be a problem, especially when some root faster than others. I think pulling out the rooted cuttings might disturb the not rooted ones. I wonder if I could use big styrofoam cups with a little plastic baggie over them? Or maybe individual cups set down inside the box?(to keep the humidity up)

Picabo, I meant to ask: Did you just sow seeds in the moss? I might have to try that. Did you break the moss into small bits?

I have seen recommedations to use the rawest form of sphagnum (and what you are talking about here) to rejuvenate orchid roots. And I must say it works. Besides the aseptic qualities of this peat moss, it apparently has natural chemicals that stimulate root growth of orchids. Perhaps that stimulation works on other plant families as well.

Has everyone read the horrendous health warnings on handling orchid moss with bare hands? It is truly terrifying and can lead to awful consequences. Always use gloves. I used a whole block without reading the warning on the package. Then I saw a posting about the dangers of it. I printed it out in case I might need to take the information to my doctor. For starts some time after exposure a rash develops, then blisters which become lesions. On rare occasions the internal organs can be affected too. I don't know how or why. I did develop a rash on my upper right arm and a blister developed between my thumb and forefinger, but nothing else so far.

Oh geez, I've been using sphagnum for years and I didn't know anything about that! Is it long fiber sphagnum that is the problem?
My friend told me not to use rockwool because of what it can do to you and vermiculite can contain trace amounts of asbestos............guess it's back to peat moss and perlite!

I can personally add, ALWAYS USE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING!

A few years ago, I too handled it without knowing the consequences. I developed a rash and didn't connect it to the Moss. I went to a Md, he gave me a cortisone cream and said it would get better. It got much worse, he sent me to a dermatologist. The dermo guy says its just contact dermatitis. Gave me a cortisone cream , it got even worse. Tried several other combinations with cortisone cream, It got worse. Dermatologist wouldn't refer me to anyone else. I was desperate. My hands and arms were horrible(plus all the $ I was spending without any improvement).I called IU Med Center and asked if I could be seen without a referral. They said sure. Went up and on the first visit the doc asked if I had ever handled moss or wild mushrooms. I told him about using the moss and he said I had a fungus called Lichen Plantus and it was being fed by the cortisone. He gave me a different type cream , took a biopsy to verify his diagnosis and within three weeks I started to heal. He said it is not that uncommon to have this reaction and more info should be circulated about the dangers of handling it with out gloves. Lou

I did some searching on the net and found this:
"Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection that usually affects the skin. It is mainly an occupational disease of farmers, gardeners, and horticulturists.
The fungus that carries sporotrichosis is found in the soil and in sphagnum moss, hay, and other plant materials.
The fungus enters the skin through small cuts or punctures from thorns, barbs, pine needles, or wires.
Sporotrichosis is usually treatable with fungus-killing medicine.
To prevent sporotrichosis: 1) wear gloves and long sleeves when handling wires, rose bushes, hay bales, pine seedlings, or other materials that can prick the skin; and 2) avoid skin contact with sphagnum moss." It is not common, 1 case per million people.

Here is a link to lichen planus http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/lichen_planus.html
and another http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000867.htm both links say "Lichen planus is an uncommon disorder involving a recurrent, itchy, inflammatory rash or lesion on the skin or in the mouth. The exact cause is unknown, but the disorder is likely to be related to an allergic or immune reaction." This one is more common that the first one.
And here is a wonderful link that will make you wear gloves and long sleeves all the time(it has a fungus listed that you can get from your compost pile) http://www.toxic-black-mold-info.com/moldtypes.htm

I was wondering where you bought the Sphanum Moss in Blocks. I have used it many times and haven't had any problems, but it sounds like another reason to where gloves on a more regular basis.

barbwirebabe,
I bought an orchid moss block a few days ago from a local plant nursery
for $5.98. It is compressed spaghnam moss. After hydrating a two inch section of it, I put a plastic bag over my hand to squeeze the excess water out before using and used plain scissors to pick up the moss and put it in plastic bags. I used it to plant peeled brug seeds in. I hope it works well. It's the first time I've tried this method.

Louise

Is the moss blocks different from the bales? I bought a compressed bale at the feed store, but the block sounds like it is very dense..The bale is compact, but not so dense.
Rj

RJ, not sphagnum peat moss, like you get in blocks to make potting soil out of. This looks like moss from the woods, only dehydrated.

Okay.....and the name is not sphagnum...I think the first frame of the thread has thrown me off.

Dehydrated moss...I will look for this at Houston fertilzer- they have everything...that is where I get my bales of sphagnum I use for orchids- and intended to use this week for cuttings. (which I am sure will work ) I have not used nor plan to use peat.
Got to remember the gloves...

I wish it came in blocks here. I will have to check around because all I could find was the loose fill bags at Home Depot. The bag said "sphagnum moss."
Wonder if we should use a dust mask too?

I bet if we delve deep enough we should have died 9 times by now handling the stuff we do!

That's probably true! The husband of a lady in the garden club caught some kind of stuff from their soil. He has sores all over his body from it. He had a cut on his finger and was planting flowers in the dirt without gloves.
I found a large bale of the moss at a garden center today, it was $25. I didn't know if that was a good price or not(plus it looked really old and dusty, like they'd had it for a long time). I opted to buy a climbing oleander plant instead!

Peat is partially decomposed vegetation of any kind. Sphagnum is a genera of bryophytes, non-vascular plants. They are rarely more than 3 inches above their source of moisture. They can dry out and be born again. These mosses are propagated by breakage. They can reproduce normaly, but some species have not been known to flower.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SPHAG2
Our Megalomarts have Sphagnum peat moss (Typically 80% decomposing sphagnum, the remainder being rotting leaves and twigs), in one area and a second area for Sphagnum peat moss. It appears to me that they planned on selling both, but no one knows the difference.

Living healthy Sphagnum is much better for seeds, cuttings and the gardener. Our highest priced nursery sells it. I don't like the price, but I have wasted a lot of seeds and cuttings in peat. "Orchid Moss" varies in ingredients, depending on the manufacturer.

See...that must have been my confusion..I have never heard of Shagnum peat...just Sphangum or peat moss..but not both together.
This does remind me I should be wearing gloves most of the time, instead of not wearing them most of the time...my goodness...when ya think about it...cow mulch, etc...well we get the picture..@!

I like sphag moss b/c it's sterilize and keeps everything nice and moist but it's not an over kill because it acts just like a sponge. You just squeeze out the excess water.