Pure lfs

[cexshun]

The nearest place to me that carries perlite is a 45 minute drive. So, I've seen some people on here use 100% LFS as soil for neps.

I don't get it. LFS is long stranded sphagnum, yes? Because the stuff I have is all dry and stranded like old spaghetti. Is there some ancient secret to using this stuff as a soil media?

I don't see how it will support the plant at all. Do I chop it up and pack it in? Do I just stick the roots in an empty space and hope they take hold?

 

[Capslock]

When you wet it down, it expands a bit, like a sponge. It works great alone for most cps. For nepenthes, I like to add some perlite, OR pumice OR orchid bark so it drains a bit better. It works fine alone, too. I pack it in a little bit so it can support the plant.

Capslock

 

[rattler]

just rehydrate the lf in water, fluff it up and plant your nep in it. i use pure LFS up through the 4 or 6 inch pot size. after that i start doing a mix of LFS and coconut husk chips cause the LFS tends to get compacted in the larger pots.

 

[jimscott]

And some people top it off with pine needles as well.

 

[tonyc]

I'm just about agreeing with rattler_mt on this one.

I use live Sphag or pure LFS for the tinies, the same mixed with orchid bark for most of my larger plants. Sometimes I use 100% LFS for the touchier big ones, but mostly I'm a cheapskate and cut the Sphag half and half with the bark, lol.
And I refuse to use perlite on the grounds that it looks

Cheers,
T.

 

[lol]

Yea, larger pots should have a mix of the lfs and something to increase drainage.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Sphagnum is produced in many parts of the world and the quaility varies considerably. Sphagnum from the US is inexpensive but very thin and stringy. Sphagnum from NZ or Chile is more expensive but very fluffy with very little thin stringy strands.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Chilean and NZ sphag is great stuff! LFS is OK but be really careful not to waterlogg it and change it every 2 years...it will compact and turn to mush sometimes. Ask Tony about my N. rajah!

 

[killerplantsguy]

I use NZ LFS alone or mixed with coco chips and perlite (per advice on Tony's website). I follow the advice of Japanese orchid growers and place the NZ sphagnum in a plastic bag with a little water to "rehydrate" the moss, rather than overwetting and squeezing out excess water. Frequently, the moss will green up and start growing in a few weeks.

 

[Brian_W]

At the local lowes store, I see both domestic and chilean LFS.  I prefer the chilean.  I add lava and chipped bark to it.  For large pots(10-12"), I like to take a 4" empty pot and turn it upside and place it in the bottom.  It uses up less soil mix, makes the pot lighter and helps prevent a soggy core around the roots.

Brian