Chopped sphagnum gadget

Chopped sphagnum gadget#422286

By evenwind -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:54 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
Posts:  2186
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:54 pm #422286

I've found that hand chopping sphagnum isn't as much fun as it could be. And I'm never completely satisified with the consistancy of the result. This chopper takes less than a minute to achieve a nice, fine texture.

Before: Damp LFS in the chopping bowl

After: Fine grained results in a baggie

If you're interested, this is the chopper I bought but there's several identical ones with different brand names also on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PFQWDT4

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As Robin Hood examined the small bag of plunder, he learned a Life Lesson: Never steal from the rich when they’re out walking the dog.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422287

By Panman -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:23 pm
Location:  Atlanta, GA USA Zone 8a/8b
Posts:  6436
Joined:  Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:41 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:23 pm #422287

I use a corded mini food processor that I swiped from the kitchen. Nobody has asked about it, so I'm good.

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Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422288

By jetfire245 -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:37 pm
Location:  Plant City, Fl
Posts:  173
Joined:  Thu Apr 28, 2022 3:03 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:37 pm #422288

I've just been using the strands of sphagnum. What benefit do you see chopping them up? I know there are some brands that sell the product this way as well.

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Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422289

By evenwind -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:45 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
Posts:  2186
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:45 pm #422289

Chopping gives a much smoother surface for starting seeds. Far fewer fall into shady holes. I use it as a 1/4" top layer.

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As Robin Hood examined the small bag of plunder, he learned a Life Lesson: Never steal from the rich when they’re out walking the dog.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422290

By Panman -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:48 pm
Location:  Atlanta, GA USA Zone 8a/8b
Posts:  6436
Joined:  Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:41 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:48 pm #422290

^^^^ What he said. It also helps keep the perlite from swirling around and upsetting the seeds.

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Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422292

By TrapsAndDews -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:33 pm
Location:  Eastern Washington (Zone 6b)
Posts:  1808
Joined:  Sun Nov 14, 2021 2:20 am

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:33 pm #422292

I just use scissors and cut each strand of sphagnum into very small pieces.

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Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422293

By Lain -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:52 pm
Location:  10b
Posts:  300
Joined:  Tue Mar 09, 2021 5:22 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:52 pm #422293

Panman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:23 pm I use a corded mini food processor that I swiped from the kitchen. Nobody has asked about it, so I'm good.

I'm telling on you!

sigh.. the truth is the amount of kitchen supplies I've swiped for the sake of growing carnivorous plants is mind boggling. I'm still restocking all the things I've managed to repurpose.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422298

By Panman -  Tue Oct 18, 2022 11:05 pm
Location:  Atlanta, GA USA Zone 8a/8b
Posts:  6436
Joined:  Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:41 pm

- Tue Oct 18, 2022 11:05 pm #422298

Lain wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:52 pm
Panman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:23 pm I use a corded mini food processor that I swiped from the kitchen. Nobody has asked about it, so I'm good.
I'm telling on you! sigh.. the truth is the amount of kitchen supplies I've swiped for the sake of growing carnivorous plants is mind boggling. I'm still restocking all the things I've managed to repurpose.

There is that meat thermometer in my heliamphora pot ...

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Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422302

By schmeg -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 2:03 am
Location:  zone 5a
Posts:  302
Joined:  Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:07 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 2:03 am #422302

I found that cutting up dry sphagnum was a lot easier than wet. I could sort of strip off the leaf bits from the center stem, and they crumbled nicely with a little massaging.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422331

By evenwind -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:07 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
Posts:  2186
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:07 pm #422331

TrapsAndDews wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:33 pm I just use scissors and cut each strand of sphagnum into very small pieces.

That's what I used to do. But It took awhile and it was really tedious to get the pieces small enough. This gadget takes about a minute and creates uniform sand-sized pieces.

Anyhow, there's obviously more than one way to skin a cat.

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As Robin Hood examined the small bag of plunder, he learned a Life Lesson: Never steal from the rich when they’re out walking the dog.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422333

By davinstewart -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:16 pm
Location:  Chapel Hill, NC
Posts:  344
Joined:  Sat Jul 13, 2013 2:29 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:16 pm #422333

I'm with you on that. There's lots of ways to do this but your method is faster and easier which has lots of value for me.

Have you tried using a food processor? It seems like that might be even better for this job.

evenwind wrote:
TrapsAndDews wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:33 pm I just use scissors and cut each strand of sphagnum into very small pieces.
That's what I used to do. But It took awhile and it was really tedious to get the pieces small enough. This gadget takes about a minute and creates uniform sand-sized pieces.

Anyhow, there's obviously more than one way to skin a cat.

- Davin
"All cultivars were typicals at some point."

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422334

By evenwind -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:19 pm
Location:  Long Island, NY
Posts:  2186
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:19 pm #422334

Personally, I'm not comfortable using the same equipment for food and growing media. Especially when a gadget like this relatively cheap.

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As Robin Hood examined the small bag of plunder, he learned a Life Lesson: Never steal from the rich when they’re out walking the dog.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422335

By Panman -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:21 pm
Location:  Atlanta, GA USA Zone 8a/8b
Posts:  6436
Joined:  Wed Mar 04, 2020 8:41 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:21 pm #422335

Agreed. The food processor I use has been repurposed strictly for gardening duties.

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Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422337

By Lain -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:30 pm
Location:  10b
Posts:  300
Joined:  Tue Mar 09, 2021 5:22 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:30 pm #422337

Panman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 8:21 pm Agreed. The food processor I use has been repurposed strictly for gardening duties.

What about your meat thermometer?

I'm at about 90% complete on replacing all of the things I swiped from the kitchen. Thankfully I already had a couple thermapens that I had retired out but space is becoming a real commodity around here.

Re: Chopped sphagnum gadget#422342

By Intheswamp -  Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:11 pm
Location:  N31°43'59" USDA 8a/b
Posts:  3458
Joined:  Wed May 04, 2022 2:28 pm

- Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:11 pm #422342

I never borrow things from the kitchen for my "gardening". Just ask my wife.

On second thought, don't ask her.

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