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Starting a Sphagnum Culture

Nepenthesis

Formerly known as Pineapple
I've been wanting to start up some culture tubs of LFS for a while now. I know where I can get LFS to start my culture, but I want to know the best way to culture it before I buy it and try it.

For the culturing tubs, I have two clear, 7" high, 27.5" long and 15.5" wide plastic tubs. Not sure exactly what to use for the medium. I have sand, dried LFS and can get more of whatever is needed. What is the best mix to grow it in?

As for light levels... The greenhouse it will be cultured in gets about two to three hours of direct sunlight in summer, half that during winter. The rest of the day it's in bright, indirect sunlight. Not in shade, but not in sun. The greenhouse will never go below 50F at night and will hopefully never go about 85F in the day once I get the heater and swamp cooler installed. I ordered 50% shade cloth to cover the entire top and both of the long sides of the greenhouse. That should be here in a few days.

When I had LFS out in the greenhouse before (35F nights, ranging between 75-100F throughout the day since it was fully sealed off) the tips turned brown and the body started turning tan, so I moved it into my terrarium inside the house and saved it. Humidity swung pretty widely as well.

Thoughts?
 
Thanks guys! Links were super helpful. I'll purchase some peat tomorrow and get my first culture started. The sphagnum I'm going to purchase is growing in small round tubs, so I'll stick it in the greenhouse for a few days and keep it watered to make sure it will live, then I'll start chopping it up and get my culture started. Thanks again! :)
 
Anyone know if tap water will kill sphagnum? I have the container desired to culture it in under my plant shelves and the hose water drips out of the pots and into the container. If I put the lid on it will heat up too much in there.
 
Tap water has minerals/salts in it to some degree, and indeed
Sphagnum doesn't like that!
 
Tap water has minerals/salts in it to some degree, and indeed
Sphagnum doesn't like that!

Thanks for letting me know. I'll put it and my compost bin (when I set them up) under the swamp cooler/heater since no water will be going under there.
 
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