LFS spores and rinsing media

[jimscott]

We all know about rinsing media of dust and other impurites, but should one rinse the dried LFS? Would that also wash away the so-called spores that lead to living LFS?

 

[Fryster]

Ya know, I hadn't thought about that before...........seems possible...

I bet JLaP would know or least have a theory on it.

 

[billylh]

i throw everyhting in a bucket and just squeeze and soak the lfs in water then just used the water to top water after i got everything setup.

would there really be that many impurities that it would be a problem? i never really thought about it in that sense.

~b

 

[geckoman]

I do not think rinsing it will get rid of the spores... but as for the impurites I have never thought about that, but I think it would be near impossible to rinse the LFS with any cleaning effect.

 

[Baylorguy]

I do what Billy does... bucket, water, and lots of mixing.

 

[Clint]

I don't bother with it. I've also never had Sphagnum grow from spores in dried LFS. I've also never even seen any sporophytes, be it in dried LFS, in nature, or in culture. Only pictures.

Unless you're OCD about media, don't bother rinsing LFS. If you want live moss, don't waste your time hoping you get spores to germinate. Get some live moss, or trimmings, and grow it out yourself. It's pretty fast when it's in good conditions.

 

[jimscott]

I've always tossed the inse water. After all, the idead of rinsing is to remove whatever might be in there that could be detrimental.

As to LFS, specifically, given enough time, the dried top layer of my pots become living material.