Does anyone have info or experiences on the advantages or disadvantages of
using Chilean vs New Zealand sphagnum moss for growing orchids? I normally
have been using the NZ but an orchid greenhouse manager mentioned to me that
it is worth the effort to use the Chilean form. Is the Chilean form readily
available? I mostly see the NZ in garden catalogs.

Thanks

Charles VanDyke

Charles,

If you can get good NZ spaghnum, jump at it, IMO. Our problem is that we
can't generally find it anymore. Chilean is next best. Ray Barkalow had some
decent Chilean, and I picked up a bunch of it.

The other side of the coin is to go to different media, which many in this
area are doing. There will always be a place for spag, in mixes, and for
rooting and seedlings, but I've pretty much moved away from it for mature
plants.

Diana

"Charles VanDyke" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have info or experiences on the advantages or disadvantages of
using Chilean vs New Zealand sphagnum moss for growing orchids? I
normally
have been using the NZ but an orchid greenhouse manager mentioned to me
that
it is worth the effort to use the Chilean form. Is the Chilean form
readily
available? I mostly see the NZ in garden catalogs.

Thanks

Charles VanDyke