Long fibered sphagnum

I am getting close to using up what I have left of my LFS, and was wondering where other people purchase theres at. The last bale I purchased I got for a good price, but it diffinatly is not as nice of quality as some other types I have seen attached to some roots of a few neps I have recieved. Any info would be appreciated.

Wolf

The brand I buy is "Genuine Wisconsin's Pride". I pay $18.99. This is not particularly great LFS and it isn't the greatest price but I am able to buy it locally at Stein's and I truly haven't seen it available anywhere else so I have no guideline.

I'm glad you asked this question. I had been meaning to locate a higher quality LFS myself and never quite got around to it.

Well I hope Phil will answer the question. For I never knew that the kind I have been using is not as great as can be. He had some LFS attached to the roots of some plants I recieved from him that was just fantastic. So much fluffier and just plain nicer.

I myself have been using Wisconsin LFS myself. I am able to purchase it by large bale for quite cheap on ebay from a guy named Mossman. It has served me well, but it is much stringer and not as fluffy as the style Phil obviously uses.

You mean you want me to give up one of my trade secrets??? Well......ok. Anything for Wolf and Lauren.

The product I sent you Wolf was New Zealand sphagnum moss...the best around. You can get it in small to large quanities from Calwest Orchid supplies www.orchid-supplies.com. It's pretty expensive stuff but IS the best product available anywhere. I don't use it exclusively; just for really rare plants. I use the Wsconsin moss from Mosser Lee.YUK!!! But it is cheap and it works well. AND--- you sometimes get Drosera rotundifolia popping up in it.

Do enjoy!

Dang ask and you shall recieve from Phil.

Ahh so you do us the Wisconsin stuff also. I have never really had a problem with the wisconsin stuff all of my neps grow in it just fine, but I would look nicer to use the NZ stuff. Maybe I can just top dress them with the better stuff.

Thanks for the info.

Oh my my my... the good stuff is at that site!

I found those nice clear orchid pots tucked away at that site too. I've been looking for those and they certainly are cheap enough! I found even more goodies there too. Happy Dance!

Yes Wolf you can certainly top dress with the NZ moss. Lauren, I use those clear orchid pots for many of my Nepenthes. I have found that the plants fill the pots with roots very quickly, to the point that all you see is a mas of black roots winding around the inside of the pots. I think the extra light reaching the roots helps a great deal AND...I have no problem with algae build up in them. I use pure long fiber sphag in these pots and they're just wonderful.

Wolf, the Wisconsin moss is just fine for Nepenthes and many times you get a bale that isn't completely dried out and there is a lot of live stuff still in there. After removing all the sticks and grass you can get some great stuff. Then there is all the grass seed that it seems to be innoculated with...but what can you expect for the price. It's not that much work to pull them out.

They shipped my order of LFS earlier this afternoon. I couldn't order the clear pots I wanted because they were out of stock on a few sizes I needed. That's ok.

I've been using the clear vented pots for orchids and Vanda or aquatic plant net/mesh pots for Neps. The clear would work just as well as they appear to be well vented. Whatever I use, I slip it into a decorator pot or wall pocket and elevate it on styrofoam peanuts so the plant is level with the rim of the decorator pot or rim of the wall pocket. So far so good and it has a clean look to it while allowing air circulation and... the Neps are never sitting in water.

Live vs dried LFS

What's their advantage and disadvantage?

Connie

Most dried will be live given time once it is rehydrated and exposed to light.

The L refers to Long as in Long Fibered Sphagnum.

The big difference to me is that what I have been purchasing locally is so inundated with other material that I have to literally sit down at the kitchen table and pick through it by hand separating the LFS from other material. The LFS that philcula gets from NZ is real clean and it is actually a different species of LFS. His source for LFS is superior to mine.

I received my LFS from Phil's source and I didn't have to do anything to it other than hydrate it to be able to use it. I can't believe the hours I spent in the past picking through LFS from other sources to get to the "good stuff". The quality I received was remarkable. I will NEVER EVER set myself up at the kitchen table for hours on end sifting through substandard LFS.

Ooooh Raaaa there, I also got mine from that source. Some good stuff!

Hey mon, eeet's reeeealy gooood stuff!

Seriously, were you as blown away at how little debris there was in it as I was? I stood there in shock looking at the bale. I couldn't believe how clean it was.

In retrospect, I am sorry I ever bought the other bales. By the time I finished separating the LFS from the rest of the material in the bales, I was down to half of what I started with and I was out a few hours time sorting and sifting and sneezing. Like I said, never ever again will I buy anything other than the LFS at Phil's link.

Yes it was nice not having to pick stuff out of it, but what I like the most is how it seems to be so much more fluffier then the stuff I had used in the past. I here ya, never will I buy any other LFS again.

Oh it does my heart good to hear such good responses. Nice stuff, huh? Wait till it starts growing again for you...reeeeeealy nice. I have also found that this product is extremely good for preventing damp off. I grind a handfull through a sieve and top dress my pots with about 1/4 inch of it. I mist it until damp and then plant my seed on it. I've not lost a seedling yet to damp off with this procedure. It's especially effective for Nepenthes, Byblis, Cephalotus and Pings.

Now then......SAVE SOME FOR MEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Well I ordered the largest bale they had hoping that it will last me some time. I love the idea of grinding some up to use for sowing seeds. The next time I am able to get ahold of some nep seed I know how I am going to sow them now.

Thanks again for disclosing such a great source, Phil

Craig