> Does anyone use long-fibered sphagnum moss in any of their growing mediums? > If so, do you sterilize or pasteurize it before use? If so, how do you > accomplish this? > > I have purchased Spagmoss by Besgrow and based on my experience with it, I > am suspicious that it is contaminated with fungus gnat eggs. So I am > probably going to try to heat treat it before using it in my growing mediums > in the future. > > Do anyone use a different brand of sphagnum moss that has been heat treated > by the company supplying it? > Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give me about this Earlier this week, the above inquiry came through about sphagnum moss. It so happens that a good friend of mine owns one of the few remaining sphagnum moss farms in the U.S., located in Wisconsin and I toured his facility earlier this fall. I asked him to respond to the above inquiry. Our Wisconsin long fibered sphagnum moss has a natural antibacterial quality and should not need to be sterilize for the removal of bacteria-like organisms. While we have not had any experience with insects living in it, I suspect that some could live in sphagnum. I think it would be an inhospitable environment for insects. If insects are present in imported sphagnum (Chile and New Zealand), it may be from the shipping containers. Some imported sphagnum is repackaged in the southern states and insects could be introduced during the packaging process. Our sphagnum remains in our warehouses until we ship it to our customers or sell it online. We also sell our sphagnum to zoos for amphibian bedding and milled for piglet vitamin food. Personally I use his moss, sold under the brand name Mosser Lee through Home Depot and I think Walmart, for growing orchids mounted on cork bark. I have never mixed it in with other potting mixes but I do add it to bark mixes for potted orchids. I have not had a problem with insects in these uses with his product. I would be inclined to think that the pest problem you mention may be in the potting mix that you are adding the moss to. Bob Hoel 630-240-0219 (cell) Why drive when you can use active transportation! 🚌 🚲 👣 > > Regards, _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…