Moss sphagnum is a plant growing on sphagnum marshes, forming pillows or whole carpets. Due to its excellent absorbency, the plant is widely used in indoor floriculture, horticulture and other areas of life. So, what are moss sphagnum used for?
Moss sphagnum - application in floriculture
In addition to hygroscopicity and the ability to keep the required level of moisture in the soil, moss is rich in nutrients. The chopped sphagnum is very often used as one of the components of the earth substrate, as well as for surface covering of the soil in flower pots.
Moss sphagnum for indoor plants provides an ideal air and moisture permeability. At the same time, the soil is moistened evenly, without stagnation of moisture and for a long time remains loose and light. As a component for the substrate, both dry and wet moss can be used.
For some house plants sphagnum is simply irreplaceable. Among other things, it has bactericidal properties, protecting flowers from diseases. So, for orchids moss is an extremely desirable component of soil mixture.
How to use moss sphagnum for orchids:
- collected or bought moss sphagnum scalded with boiling water, cooled and dried, then watered with mineral fertilizer ("Kemira Lux"), again dried;
- mix sphagnum with melted leaves of fern, pieces of pine bark and melted charcoal;
- fill the pot with a composition and plant an orchid .
Using moss sphagnum in the garden
Dry sphagnum can be used as a shelter for tender plants during frosts. It will keep the heat perfectly and prevent the plants from freezing. In addition, sphagnum, like its derivative - peat, is an excellent fertilizer.
When adding sphagnum to the soil, it is possible to achieve good air permeability and looseness, as well as optimum moisture content, which is especially important when forcing and rooting most of the crop plants.
But the most important thing is bactericidal, antiseptic properties of sphagnum, due to which no pathogenic microflora can adjoin nearby. By adding sphagnum, it is possible to achieve a safe sterilization of the soil without exposing it to heating and frost.