Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post - Starting from Seed using sphagnum moss? I cannot win....??

oakley · August 9, 2017

This link is easy to understand...

https://garden.org/ideas/view/drdawg...-vs-Peat-Moss/

"... Sphagnum moss grows in abundance in parts of Canada, Peru, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland. It grows all over the world, but these areas are where most of our commercially available moss comes from. ..."

"...Sphagnum moss is a living plant when harvested, but when we purchase it, it has been thoroughly dried. Basically, there are two forms of the sphagnum moss when sold commercially, long-fibered moss and milled moss. They are the same moss, but the long-fibered is left in its natural form and the milled is moss that has been finely chopped. ..."

"...Peat moss, often labeled "Sphagnum Peat Moss," is quite different, though. It begins its life as sphagnum moss. Over time the sphagnum moss dies and is over-grown by new sphagnum moss. This is repeated over and over, and after hundreds or even thousands of years these many layers of dead sphagnum moss form a bog. This layer of dead, compacted moss is now called peat moss...."

_I have a small bag of the long fibrous Sphagnum moss. Much more expensive and I'm
not sure it would be a good seed starting item. Or who would recommend it.

I've walked on a moss bog island. Amazing, like walking on a big giant natural latex
mattress. No springs, just a big wet sponge.

August 9, 2017	#10
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	This link is easy to understand... https://garden.org/ideas/view/drdawg...-vs-Peat-Moss/ "... Sphagnum moss grows in abundance in parts of Canada, Peru, New Zealand, Ireland, and Scotland. It grows all over the world, but these areas are where most of our commercially available moss comes from. ..." "...Sphagnum moss is a living plant when harvested, but when we purchase it, it has been thoroughly dried. Basically, there are two forms of the sphagnum moss when sold commercially, long-fibered moss and milled moss. They are the same moss, but the long-fibered is left in its natural form and the milled is moss that has been finely chopped. ..." "...Peat moss, often labeled "Sphagnum Peat Moss," is quite different, though. It begins its life as sphagnum moss. Over time the sphagnum moss dies and is over-grown by new sphagnum moss. This is repeated over and over, and after hundreds or even thousands of years these many layers of dead sphagnum moss form a bog. This layer of dead, compacted moss is now called peat moss...." _I have a small bag of the long fibrous Sphagnum moss. Much more expensive and I'm not sure it would be a good seed starting item. Or who would recommend it. I've walked on a moss bog island. Amazing, like walking on a big giant natural latex mattress. No springs, just a big wet sponge.