the other issue I have w/ spag is if a plant grows vigorously (which we all
hope it does) and puts out lots of roots, the spag gets packed and if you
decide to remove it when you repot it's REALLY HARD. I think twice when
buying a plant that looks like it's been in spag for awhile. I just don't
like it. OTOH, there's a local commercial grower who swears by it, says
when he repots he just wraps more around the rootball making repotting
really easy. I think in the short run it's easy but once it gets to me...

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
I think you're probably right about that, Jerry.

Growing in straight sphagnum requires the delicate balance between packing
it firm enough to hold the plant and keeping it loose enough to allow lots
of air flow to the roots. I got accidentally lucky once when potting up a
batch of pescatobolleas, and the stuff sprang to life. Live sphagnum is
easy to grow in, as it maintains its own packing density for you!

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
news:%Fl2a.71527$2H6.1750@sccrnsc04...
I suspect the excess nitrogen helps the alge grow?

And some folks (me for example) have a hard time growing in spag for
some
reason so I've learned if I get a plant in spag, I repot it as soon as I
have time into bark or chc. Probably I water too often for it.

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
I was referring to moss that had begun to break down.

Green color is from too much nitrogen? I thought it was algae.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Jim Landers" wrote in message
news:QRv1a.50165$be.34683@rwcrnsc53...
Ray, When you described sphagnum as "sour" what were you referring
to?
Did you have in mind moss that is old and disintegrated or still in
tact
in
long
strands but super-absorbed with fertilizer salts and starting to get
costic
or
actually smelling "sour". I don't throw away good sphagnum just
because
it
turns green and smells "earthy", because I buy good, five-star
sphagnum
and when it starts to get dark green, which it will do with nitrogen
buildup,
it's useful life is far from over. I just put it in a large plastic
bowl,
saturate it
with tap water, and squeeze out the water (and the old fertilizer
salts)
with it.
As long as it is still in strands and has "loft", this technique
works
well
and
has lowered my sphagnum costs. I repot every plant I buy when I get
it
home
so I knows how old it is. The problem with old moss is twofold: it
contains
too
much old fertilizer salt and it compacts too tightly.

Or
"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
I think that you remedied your first mistake - reusing the
apparently
sour
sphagnum.

All should be OK from here.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Fran Kirby" wrote in message
news:bAg1a.39191$vm2.22318@rwcrnsc54...
I have a phal. that was bought potted in spaghnum with popcorn
in
the
bottom
of the pot. It was in bad condition and I had to remove most of
the
roots
due to rotting. I repotted but kept the same planting medium.
Since
then,
one leaf has yellowed and died and another one split and is
wilted.
However
there is a new leaf coming up in the middle, so I have some
hopes
of
its
recovery. After reading some of the recent posts on phals, I
have
changed
the potting medium to the orchid mix I use for the rest of my
plants
and
also put it in an "orchid pot" with extra drainage. I am glad I
checked
the
roots again-the remaining roots had also rotted-evidently it was
kept
too
moist in the spaghnum. Any other hints for its health would be
appreciated.
TIA

--
Fran Kirby
Jacksonville, Florida