What Kind of Moss Is Placed on the Soil of Orchid Pots
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What Kind of Moss Is Placed on the Soil of Orchid Pots
Moss has two uses in orchid cultivation: one is to plant moss on the surface of the pot, which is alive. The other is to cover the surface of the pot with moss, which does not require survival, only serving to protect the flower buds and keep the surface of the pot moist. To grow moss well, we must give moss a dark and humid environment, and try to keep moss away from sunlight.
Many orchid enthusiasts and some friends of bonsai planting like to plant some moss on the surface of the flowerpots. Moss in flowerpots can serve as an ornament, enhancing the ornamental value of flowers.
How to correctly use moss when planting orchids? Moss is good for orchids, but if used incorrectly, it can have a strong adverse effect.
Moss has two uses in orchid cultivation: one is to plant moss on the surface of the pot, which is alive. The other is to cover the surface of the pot with moss, which does not require survival, only serving to protect the flower buds and keep the surface of the pot moist.
1. -- Live Moss --
Planting moss on the surface of orchid pots is actually very easy, because the growth habits of moss are similar to those of orchids.
They both prefer a ventilated and humid environment, as well as some scattered sunlight. Moss requires less light than orchids. In this case, the leaves of orchids can provide shade.
Live moss can protect the potting mix from being washed away during rain or watering. When orchids are watered outdoors, if there is no moss on the surface of the pot, mud may splash and soil the leaves, but moss can prevent this contamination.
Moreover, the roots of moss secrete acidic substances, which slowly penetrate into the soil and can improve the situation of alkaline potting mix.
Also, if orchids are shallowly planted, moss can ensure the humidity of the rhizome area. However, if the moss grows too vigorously, its length should be trimmed in time to prevent it from growing taller than the orchid leaves.
2. -- Covering Moss --
This type of moss use is generally after the flower buds appear in autumn. The flower buds of spring orchids and Huì orchids need low temperatures to vernalize, but the flower buds may not be able to withstand it when the leaves can fully vernalize.
Especially for transplanted orchids, if the flower buds are low before transplanting and are directly exposed to the soil after planting, their cold resistance is poorer.
This is where moss comes into play. The flower buds covered with moss are equivalent to adding a layer of anti-freeze net, and there is no need to worry about the flower buds being frozen even in short periods of sub-zero temperatures.
So, is moss that good, does it have any other drawbacks? Actually, everything has its pros and cons, and this is usually complementary.
No matter how moss is used, the ventilation requirements for orchids' environment will be higher. Especially the covering moss should be removed every spring after flowering, otherwise it may affect the germination of new buds.
Planted moss is alive and has its own breathing ability, so its impact on new buds is relatively small.
Moss Treatment Method
One point to note is that moss covered in autumn and winter should be treated before use.
Because wild moss inevitably carries some insects, insect eggs, and miscellaneous fungi. If not cleaned properly, it will cause unnecessary trouble for orchids the following year.
My treatment method is very simple: after collecting moss from the wild, I spread it on the ground and then spray it with a fungicide and then with pyrethrin.
This can basically eliminate the pests, insect eggs, and pathogens in the moss. Of course, when selecting moss, pay attention to its growth condition; the healthier and more vigorous the moss, the better.
For planting moss, it is chosen after the orchids are transplanted in spring, selecting the healthiest moss and planting it in several spots on the surface of the orchid pot, allowing it to grow on its own.
The above is[] a detailed explanation of what kind of moss is placed on the soil of orchid pots, for your reference and suggestion only!