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sphagnum moss question.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 2:20 pm
by Jester135
I noticed that there are 2 types of sphagnum (the brown one which is dry and the green one which is live)? is there any difference in using any of those for vft?

Re: sphagnum moss question.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 3:13 pm
by davinstewart
They are both great for growing vft. In fact, many people prefer a dead sphagnum moss mix as the best medium for growing vfts.

Regardless of the growing media, though, I enjoy using live sphagnum as a top dressing for my flytrap pots since it is a good indicator of when to water. I don't keep my flytrap pots in standing water since it can contribute to rot and instead water periodically from the top. In those circumstances, I know I need to water if the sphagnum is drying out. One downside to this is that I need to shave back the sphagnum when it starts to overgrow the vfts.

Re: sphagnum moss question.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 3:38 pm
by Intheswamp
Yeah, either should work ok. Are you planning to create a mix with perlite or sand? A top dressing or even a top inch or two of live sphagnum is good...creates a good environment for the traps and looks rather nice.

Re: sphagnum moss question.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 4:57 pm
by Jester135
right now i have 3 vft.. one in just peat moss + perlite and 2 that are in peat + perlite on the bottom and sphagnum on top... 2 are in self watering pots and one in a reg plastic pot that i soak underneath once the soil feels dry... i wanted to see which plant grows better/ faster. in a growlight + self watering pot or the traditional method of plain sunlight and watering only when soil is dry. eventually if i get more i'm gonna see if peat+ perlite is better as a medium or just plain sphagnum