# How to grow moss on orchid medium ?



## Dane (Apr 30, 2013)

Hi

Does anyone know how to grow moss on your orchid medium ?
Please any suggestions welcome.


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## NYEric (Apr 30, 2013)

Moss, water, sun. You can get live moss from eBay. Some formulas call for making a buttermilk and moss blend mix and spreading it on a surface. It's on the web.


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## Ron-NY (Apr 30, 2013)

First, why wold you want to grow moss on your orchid medium? Moss grows from spores and likes an acid environment. 

I have gotten moss to grow on the outside of unglazed clay pots. I take a fist-sized clump of healthy moss and crumble it into a blender. Add 2 cups (270 ml) each of water and buttermilk. I then paint it onto the pot. I assume the same could be done on orchid medium.


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## Dane (Apr 30, 2013)

Ron-NY said:


> First, why wold you want to grow moss on your orchid medium? Moss grows from spores and likes an acid environment.
> 
> I have gotten moss to grow on the outside of unglazed clay pots. I take a fist-sized clump of healthy moss and crumble it into a blender. Add 2 cups (270 ml) each of water and buttermilk. I then paint it onto the pot. I assume the same could be done on orchid medium.



I want to grow it on top of the medium which my terestrial orchids are potted it


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## mrhappyrotter (Apr 30, 2013)

Here's what I did. I collected various mosses from my area and from pots of other plants I purchased. There are many different kinds of moss, and much like other plants, they have different preferences for growing media, light, water, humidity, pH, etc.

Then I experimented and tried different kinds of moss in different pots to see what thrived and where. Most didn't do terribly well, but I found several different types that have done well.

Overall, the ones that did best for me were the ones I collected from rocks, sidewalks and bricks (the ones that grow with very little organic material and go through long, dry periods) and those that I collected from other potted plants.

I never tried the slurry method that involves blending a clump of moss into a slush and then spreading that around. What works for me is to break the moss into small clumps and then stick them directly on top of the potting mix.


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## jtrmd (Apr 30, 2013)

I go down to the creek in the woods by my house and get live sphagnum and use that on some of my cork mounts.I have been lazy and left sheet moss on the pots after shows,and it attaches to the bark in no time.I also notice it popping up on its own,when plants are way overdue for repotting and the mix has broken down.


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## NYEric (Apr 30, 2013)

jtrmd said:


> I go down to the creek in the woods by my house and get live sphagnum


Yeah, me too!


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## limuhead (May 5, 2013)

I do nothing. Moss and ferns just appear on my media. The moss is nice, but the ferns are a pain...


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## lepetitmartien (May 5, 2013)

limuhead said:


> I do nothing. Moss and ferns just appear on my media. The moss is nice, but the ferns are a pain...


Same here.

Plus in France and part of Europe the collection of mosses and sphag is forbidden, but it comes by itself if you give it time, and you can buy live mosses if you want.


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## gonewild (May 5, 2013)

Moss should grow voluntarily. 
I have never had to add moss.
Keep humidity high and the media surface moist and moss will grow, and grow, and grow, and grow some more.


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## ALToronto (May 5, 2013)

Is Irish Moss a true moss? It seems to grow on just about anything, tolerates sun and doesn't need excessive humidity. Is there any reason not to use it?


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## gonewild (May 5, 2013)

ALToronto said:


> Is Irish Moss a true moss? It seems to grow on just about anything, tolerates sun and doesn't need excessive humidity. Is there any reason not to use it?



I think there are several plants called Irish Moss. The one commonly sold as a ground cover with little white flowers is not a true moss.


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## ALToronto (May 5, 2013)

gonewild said:


> I think there are several plants called Irish Moss. The one commonly sold as a ground cover with little white flowers is not a true moss.



Ok. But is there any reason not to use it?


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## The Orchid Boy (May 5, 2013)

I've heard it can go dormant during hot, humid summers.


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## NYEric (May 6, 2013)

gonewild said:


> Moss should grow voluntarily.
> Keep humidity high and the media surface moist and moss will grow, and grow, and grow, and grow some more.



Only if you have some moss in the mix to begin with and still it take a lot of moisture!!


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## gonewild (May 6, 2013)

NYEric said:


> Only if you have some moss in the mix to begin with and still it take a lot of moisture!!



Here in California (maybe not in NY) moss will grow out of nowhere.

Inside condo without any moss or other plants growing.....
Take plants out of flask, plant in sterile media, keep very moist, moss grows.

Yes it takes a lot of moisture.


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## NYEric (May 6, 2013)

Really!? My apartrment wouldn't need carpeting if that worked here!!


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## gonewild (May 6, 2013)

ALToronto said:


> Ok. But is there any reason not to use it?



If it is the non moss type there are probable reasons not to use it.
I'm not suggesting not to use it just answering your question....

Some reasons not to use it......
It does not behave like a moss. If it dries out it dies and decays while moss just dries up and revives when it gets wet again.
It probably consumes a lot of nutrients and gives nothing in return. It forms a dense mat on the media surface which cuts off airflow while moss is more open.

No telling if Irish Moss is an attractant to pests that may also attack orchids?

Most orchids grow in association to some type of (true) moss and that is probably because either moss provides something orchids benefit from or moss enjoys the same environment as orchids.


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## Dane (May 7, 2013)

This is the one type of moss that i actually had to plant in order for it to start growing I have never got moss growing in my hothouse otherwise...


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## The Orchid Boy (May 8, 2013)

Beautiful! Any idea on what kind it is? To me, it looks like some sort of sphagnum.


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## Dane (May 11, 2013)

The Orchid Boy said:


> Beautiful! Any idea on what kind it is? To me, it looks like some sort of sphagnum.



I think it might be sphagnum


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 14, 2013)

NYEric said:


> Yeah, me too!



The East River?


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## NYEric (May 15, 2013)

Ewww. I've seen kids swimming in it but no way would i try to grow anything from there!!


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 15, 2013)

NYEric said:


> Ewww. I've seen kids swimming in it but no way would i try to grow anything from there!!



Roger that!!!


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## Leo Schordje (May 17, 2013)

For urban dwellers. I have often harvested a 'starter clump' of the famous ubiquitous "Crack in the Sidewalk Moss", find it in the cracks of sidewalks that are in the shade, sometimes in sun if there is more consistient water. Nice fine texture. Generally on my orchids, I only get moss when the media is well on its way to breaking down. Some, like the Maudiae types, seem fine in a mix that supports moss. Others, like the multiflorals, once the moss appears, it is definitely late on the repotting, probably have already lost part of the root system.


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