Any particular variety of moss...

[abax]

preferred for topping Phrag pots? OR is there any way to treat
collected moss to rid it of hiding critters I don't want in my greenhouse
without killing it?

 

[Berthold]

many mosses can stand -20°C, but no animal critters

 

[Ray]

I have heard of folks putting moss in a closed container with some dry ice (not in contact) The carbon dioxide will kill any critters in it.

 

[Berthold]

CO2 is not toxic. It is beside oxygen the basic gas of human life.
Did You hear it from climate change freaks?

 

[Ray]

Open your mind a bit, Berthold.

If the carbon dioxide replaces the oxygen in the container, very few creatures can survive. While that also holds true for the moss, the plants don't suffocate as quickly.

 

[Berthold]

Open your mind a bit, Berthold.

If the carbon dioxide replaces the oxygen in the container, very few creatures can survive. While that also holds true for the moss, the plants don't suffocate as quickly.

No, that's not true, plants want CO2, not oxygen. CO2 is for plants the oxygen for You.

 

[ehanes7612]

watch this ....

 

[Berthold]

Summa summarum all plants produce more oxygen than they need. With CO2 it is the other way round.
In the rotting prozess they eject CO2 again.

 

[ehanes7612]

Told ya

 

[Berthold]

Open your mind a bit, Berthold.

If the carbon dioxide replaces the oxygen in the container, very few creatures can survive.

I opened my mind, Ray.
By this way You can kill animals with high oxygen consumption such as warm bloods, especially mammals and birds.
Most of other animals can reduce metabolism in case of lack of oxygen and they fall to sleep.
After wake up they continue eating the plants.
But at -20°C or less, their body cells burst and they are killed

 

[Stone]

preferred for topping Phrag pots? OR is there any way to treat
collected moss to rid it of hiding critters I don't want in my greenhouse
without killing it?

Yes very easy. Keep it completely submerged for 24 hours. Even overnight will probably work. It drowns everything except the moss.

 

[abax]

Well Ray, do I have to import dry ice? What about a gentle
spraying of Orthene before use? I'm looking for a type of
moss that will flourish in an intermediate/warm gh. I
suspect the local moss might not be particularly happy
in temps. ranging from 60F-possibly 80F on sunny days.
I found a supplier in the next state but have no idea
about the types of moss suitable. How about terrarium
moss...temp. sensitive?

Thanks Mike! EHanes, I didn't duck soon enough!!! Ray, you're
always my go to guy. Thank you.

 

[Ray]

Angela - the Walmart near me has it....

No, that's not true, plants want CO2, not oxygen. CO2 is for plants the oxygen for You.

Precisely why a few hours of CO2 saturation will kill the critters and not the plant. However, CO2 can be toxic to plants as well, if the concentration is high enough and exposure extended sufficiently.

 

[Berthold]

Angela - the Walmart near me has it....

Precisely why a few hours of CO2 saturation will kill the critters and not the plant. However, CO2 can be toxic to plants as well, if the concentration is high enough and exposure extended sufficiently.

Right Ray, by Your technique You can kill hidden mouses in the moss, but not Insect larvae and eggs which have nearly no metabolism .

CO2 and N2 for example are not toxic but O2 is due to its lower chemical stability.

 

[abax]

Thanks again Ray. However, I'd rather be shot than
go into the local Walmart. The garden section, I'm told,
is completely full of Xmas stuff.

 

[Berthold]

*Bertold please refrain from further comment.

 

[richgarrison]

so.... back to the original question...

would be great to hear how folks get a nice layer of moss on the top of their mix (when they want to do that - some do not!)

i've seen folks
- add some milled sphagnum, and get a layer growing quickly
- put a topping of NZ long fiber, and just grow moss on that
- i've started putting pieces of moss growing on my flagstone in my green house... sometimes it takes sometimes not.

 

[ehanes7612]

Move to an area that has moss growing everywhere (like Seattle)

 

[abax]

A sensible suggestion Ed. Since I live in the woods,
I do have moss everywhere but the kind of moss that
can take warmish temps. is the "other" question...also
undesirable insects.

 

[Ray]

I've had mixed success with moss gathered from my yard. There are a fair number of tropical mosses that might be worth looking into.