FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I've got a seedling terrarium set up that's growing some sphagnum moss. The moss keeps developing brown tips. I've read in a couple posts low humidity or sunlight may cause that. It sits under fluorescent lights for 12-14hrs a day. I keep it covered but cracked slightly open for ventilation. The cover frequently has condensation built up inside but if the water's running low that will go away though the media is always moist. I'm skeptical about it being the light because a lot of the brown tips are not the most exposed parts of moss. I've also heard sphagnum grows pretty fast but this is about 6 months worth of growth. The first pic is a pretty vigorous clump, but the other patches actually started growing before that one. What do you think?

I have the same issue with soma sphagnum species, while others are fine.
And yes, some sphagnum species are noutorious slow growers (especially the red varieties).

It's not burnt it's dried out.
It's the farthest away from the center of the pile of LFS and it has airflow all around the tip. It's no big deal. Mine does it as well I just snip it off

I keep sphagnum in big clear pretzel containers- and it actually does better for me under DIFFUSED light from shop lights than actual sunlight. I periodically separate and trim the jars of sphag, and put it over a layer of dead LFS in another jar- doubling my supply. Reduce reuse recycle! Hope this helps!

WaSundew, lots of questions from your post: What is a pretzel container? A jar? What diffuses the shop light light? Sounds like the moss likes pretty weak light then? Sphagnum moss is weird, it has no roots, right? Can you just cut any bit of it off and transplant it on the dead moss or does it have some kind of stem/growth point?

Pretzel containers are the tall plastic containers that large rod pretzels come in, such as from Sams Club or Costco. They usually have a solid white lid.
For the light diffusion, i simply don't place the moss directly under the lights. Turn it 180 every couple weeks- this supports even moss growing, and that way it will grow over the full surface, not just to one side.
Yes! Sphag is very unique! It grows in long green strands,and as the older growth dies, the newer growth feeds on it. Sphag moss can be literally shredded and spred on MOIST NOT WET dead LFS, and each piece will become a new strand of sphag over the course of a couple weeks.
Sphag growth points are the densest, top part of the sphag strand. It resembles a sunflower before bloom.

Personally, I shred sphag, mix it (1:1) with dead LFS, and pot my plants in it. It is live potting soil! A warning though- in my experience it quickly outgrows sarr yearlings and drosera.

Good luck, hope this info proved useful!

Also- your sphag is growing so slow bc it has little growing surface. On a 72-cell tray, it cannot spread out, creating the long strands in optimal growth.

Great info, thanks! I actually wasn't intending to grow sphagnum moss here originally. I planted a bunch of Sarr seeds and later added Drosera seeds since only one of the Sarrs germinated. Do you recognize this sphagnum species? It's from dead Mosser Lee moss.

Being Mosser Lee harvests sphag from Wisconisn, I would say Sphagnum flexuosum. But do not hold me to this! I am no expert.
Another thing- since the sphag is from WI, one might think it needs a dormancy. Although it can survive deep freezes, this is not required for plant survival. If you do end up with my pretzel jar set up, I would expose the whole thing, moss and all, to a freeze or two to kill off mold spores.

WaSundew wrote:Being Mosser Lee harvests sphag from Wisconisn, I would say Sphagnum flexuosum. But do not hold me to this! I am no expert.
Another thing- since the sphag is from WI, one might think it needs a dormancy. Although it can survive deep freezes, this is not required for plant survival. If you do end up with my pretzel jar set up, I would expose the whole thing, moss and all, to a freeze or two to kill off mold spores.

WaSundew, do you mind sharing a photo of your pretzel jar set up? I've got two jars that I've been wanting to use but couldn't decide the best wait to orient them; sideways or right side up.

Definitely! Give me a couple days though... Work is tight wrapping up before Christmas! Will post ASAP!

Will post moss setup on Monday! Thank you guys for your patience with me!

Alright, here is my setup! Note: I do not endorse or have association with the companies listed below, shown as "COMPANY".

Thanks for the photographs WaSundew. I have a much better idea now. Though I think I may need more strands before I start. Do you find it that they grow with more head space-larger space above, rather than smaller containers?

Based on my observation, the more growing surface you give it the better it grows. Merry Christmas!!!!!!