High-quality Orchid Planting Material - Sphagnum Moss
Let me tell you about the introduction of orchids, a member of the orchid family. The high-quality planting material for orchids is sphagnum moss. Let's learn about it together.
Sphagnum moss, also known as peat moss, belongs to the Sphagnum genus of the Sphagnum family. It mostly grows on rock cliffs in temperate and cold temperate forests or near streams and spring water. Fresh sphagnum moss is white-green or bright green, loose and fluffy, densely interwoven in sheets, with stems creeping and adhering, having irregular or feather-like branches, and stems and branch leaves being nearly similar in shape. After washing and drying, the moss is light white, soft, and loose, with a high water absorption capacity, able to absorb water up to 15-20 times its own weight, and it also has strong water retention and breathability.
The Most Ideal Cultivation Medium for Orchids
Orchids, especially epiphytic orchids like butterflies, have well-developed root systems and require cultivation substrates with good physical stability, excellent looseness and breathability, and water and fertilizer retention capabilities. At first, people did not know that sphagnum moss is the most ideal cultivation medium for orchids. It was not until (T-W) successfully used sphagnum moss as the cultivation medium for large-scale production of Phalaenopsis orchids that people discovered the good effects of moss, such as high survival rate, fast growth, low cost, and environmental friendliness. With the vigorous development of the Phalaenopsis orchid industry on the mainland and the exploitation and utilization of more and more sphagnum moss, people began to understand the excellent properties of moss as a medium, which includes being clean without bacteria, good water retention and drainage, good breathability, not easily decayed, long-lasting use, convenient to use. Moreover, sphagnum moss is rich in organic matter and various nutrient elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, which can save fertilization. Some orchid growers have experimented that the germination rate of orchids planted with sphagnum moss is 30%-50% higher than that of ordinary planting materials.
Methods to Identify Quality Sphagnum Moss
Generally, sphagnum moss growing in shaded or north-facing slopes is pure green, with tender leaves, easily脆化的 epidermal cells, average water absorption, poor breathability, easily decayed, and of general quality; while those growing in strong sunlight or on south-facing slopes are red, about 8-10 cm long, with sturdy leaves and good physical stability. The moss sold in the market is mostly packaged in compressed blocks, making it difficult to identify its quality. So, how can you choose good moss? You can refer to the following two methods:
Method 1: Gently tap to observe if there are any debris
Quality sphagnum moss has a high tissue integrity, is compact after compression, does not break or crumble, and can be held in hand. Tilt one corner and tap the bag slightly to observe if many debris fall into the bag corner. Moss with too much debris is of poor quality.
Method 2: Check the packaging
Some domestically produced mosses tend to use immature or smaller-sized mosses, which are physically unstable. In comparison, imported mosses are physically more stable and of higher quality, especially dried mosses from New Zealand, Chile, and other places. If you need to purchase higher-quality moss, you can choose some imported mosses.
Correct Use of Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnum moss from different origins will have differences in physical and chemical properties, such as thickness, length, pH, etc., and there are also techniques in its use. Generally, light and high-quality moss is suitable for planting young seedlings, while poor-quality moss in the shade is suitable for planting medium to large seedlings. Thicker moss is suitable for planting sturdy plants, while thinner moss is suitable for planting loose ones. It is recommended not to use weaker moss; also, be sure to soak thoroughly before use and消毒 if necessary; adhere to a watering method that combines moisture and drainage. When planting orchids, watering should be "dry-wet" to prevent moss from becoming salty and sour, thereby exerting ideal fertilization, water retention, and breathability.
The above is the related content of the high-quality orchid planting material - sphagnum moss, hoping it is helpful to you!