7 Ways to Use Sphagnum Moss

 7 Reasons to Grow Sphagnum Moss & How to Grow It

Sphagnum mosses are a completely unique and attractive species of marshy plant.

Perhaps you are familiar with them in their dry form. Light brown, fibrous, string bits are widely used in horticulture to improve drainage and preserve moisture.

Living or dead, sphagnum moss has the incredible ability to hold 16 to 26 times its dry weight in water.

But buying dried or milled spaghetti moss in the bag is not exactly standard because it is often a by-product of the Peatlands mine. Charcoal swamps take thousands of years to form, and these fragile habitats are more important than ever to mitigate climate change.

To enjoy the benefits of sphagnum moss, it is not necessary to tear the charcoal swamp.

After all, it is a plant. Attack the right balance of light, water, and moisture, and in no time you will get the normative spore moss.

7 Ways to Use Sphagnum Moss

There are many ways to put your spaghetti moss harvests to good use indoors and outdoors.

Dry spore moss

Drying algae well is the classic method.

Layer your sphagnum bits between pieces of paper and press down to extract as much moisture as possible. Repeat with the new pieces until the water is gone.

Arrange the pieces evenly on a flat surface in a well-ventilated area. Allow the algae to dry for several days.

When completely dry, place in a sealed container. You can keep them as long strands or tear them into smaller pieces.

The drysuit is the perfect alternative to moss charcoal. Use this whenever possible to increase drainage and water retention.

1. Homemade potting mix

Combine compost, perlite, and sphagnum moss in equal parts to create the best potting soil.

2. Soilless media

Dry spruce is light and fluffy and forms an excellent soil substrate for orchids, bromeliads, succulents, and carnivorous plants.

3. Hanging basket liner

Keep the threads long and use them as a liner for your wire-hanging baskets. Start at the bottom and continue up the sides until they are at least two inches thick.

4. Clothing over container gardens

Sphagnum moss is beautiful as a soil topper for houseplants and other container gardens - and it also protects against moisture.

5. Seed start

Fill your seed start pots and seed layers with finely chopped spaghetti moss. Then moisten your seeds and sow.

It is a wonderful seed starter medium because, with moisture retention and drainage, it is well ventilated, nutrient deficient, and has a neutral pH.

6. Protect flower bulbs

Dry the stored flower bulbs and store them with dried spore moss to prevent them from rotting. Moss prevents damage when moving bulbs.

Living Sphagnum Moss

7. Living mulch

Another great way to use spaghetti algae is to keep it alive after harvest and use it as a living mulch for plants that want your moisture.

Orchids, ferns, sundews, jug plants, Venus flytraps, and other crops that require more moisture benefit from the living layer of spore in the pot.

To start the spaghetti moss as a live top dressing, place the freshly harvested cuttings on the soil surface around the base of the plant and gently tap them. Give it plenty of light and keep it moist at all times and the spore pieces will eventually fill with soil and cover.

Another, more precise, the method is to bury each moss head, one by one, in the soil around the plant, using long tweezers. For best results, keep them close together and make sure their terminal heads are facing forward. Although this part will take time, it will be amazing once you are done.

Once the sphagnum moss has been installed, it should be pruned from time to time to prevent it from overtaking the plant. Use these pieces as a topping for other plants, throw in your propeller or let dry.