Sphagnum moss as bonsai substrate...

[Anthony]

Add on - I think it makes more sense to test an idea.
I have the gentleman's book as well.
K

 

[MACH5]

I've watched this video 3 times over the last few years...every time I watch it, I get a migrane head ache and literally go blind for 2-3 days. I think it's the pots. You'd think I'd learn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVaAXgRoKk

I would be happy if this guy at least learned to pronounce "bonsai" correctly.



Like some folks here, I also use finely ground SM as a top dressing on some of my shohin in summer.

 

[QuintinBonsai]

I've watched this video 3 times over the last few years...every time I watch it, I get a migrane head ache and literally go blind for 2-3 days. I think it's the pots. You'd think I'd learn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVaAXgRoKk

I really don't like to speak negative about people. I really don't, but sometimes you just can't help the feeling. What he believes is bonsai, is a black eye to the real bonsai community. I watched a few of his videos in the past. Very cringe worthy material. All in all, if what he's doing makes him happy then I guess that's good enough for him.

 

[garywood]

I really don't like to speak negative about people. I really don't, but sometimes you just can't help the feeling. What he believes is bonsai, is a black eye to the real bonsai community. I watched a few of his videos in the past. Very cringe worthy material. All in all, if what he's doing makes him happy then I guess that's good enough for him.

Intreegued, isn't perspective an amazing thing

 

[QuintinBonsai]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Eric Group]

I have used Sphagnum for years in various ways, but all these discussions I have heard recently about the diseases it can carry got me kind of nervous... I was about ready to swear it off.. Then I read more about it- quick wiki link: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporotrichosis


Basically it seems most any plant can carry the disease and roses seem to be a common culprit, and I guess one that spreads it easy because of the thorns pricking people's arms and hands... It seems the respiratory illness is very uncommon, and there ARE treatments. It seems to only be a big deal if you have a compromised immune system to begin with and the disease goes undiagnosed/ untreated for a long period of time...

In short, most of us- even the avid plant people that we are- are probably more likely to die from a bee sting than from this disease. It is a sad story that man died from it, but I would use that as one more reason- besides the fact that plants just won't grow real well for long periods of time- to not use pure sphagnum moss as a planting medium! The more you use the stuff, the higher your chances are... Also, I suspect that most of the processed, dried out, bagged up commercial sheet moss I buy at Lowes/ HD.. Has been sitting in a dry bag, after being washed, processed, sterilized in some form... To the point that the fungus is not likely present in what most of us use. JMHO, and how I have talked myself back into using it when I need whenever I need it- the same ways I always have- primarily for air layers, top dressing and occasionally as a small part of my soil mix. Like most anything else, I guess it is best used in moderation. I have decided I should probably wear gloves more often when gardening though...

 

[Poink88]

Eric,

Exactly, people have a tendency to spread things (rumor?) like a wildfire when in actuality, there are much more things to be concerned with. Natural soil even hay contain the same spores and as you noted, rose bush are the most notorious culprit of them all but few people talk about those.

I can die or get sick of many (MANY) things and have a choice to stay in a bubble or live free. I chose to be free (with caution).

 

[KennedyMarx]

I really don't like to speak negative about people. I really don't, but sometimes you just can't help the feeling. What he believes is bonsai, is a black eye to the real bonsai community. I watched a few of his videos in the past. Very cringe worthy material. All in all, if what he's doing makes him happy then I guess that's good enough for him.

The problem is people seeig this bozo and thinking it's the right way to go about things. I've seen people chiming in on his videos thanking him.

 

[michaelj]

Basically it seems most any plant can carry the disease and roses seem to be a common culprit, and I guess one that spreads it easy because of the thorns pricking people's arms and hands... It seems the respiratory illness is very uncommon, and there ARE treatments. It seems to only be a big deal if you have a compromised immune system to begin with and the disease goes undiagnosed/ untreated for a long period of time...

Yes, but it also seems to be the case that the people who are most likely to come down with it are the people who use this dry sphagnum moss by the bale.

 

[wireme]

For what its worth I have a number of collected spruce growing happily in pure moss right now. From the northern muskeg bogs, I cut a circle around and under the trunk and simply plunked the entire mass into pots. The trees are recovering well on second season now. Pure moss with companion plants of lingan berry, Labrador tea and some alder. I do plan on transitioning into substrate but maybe I'll leave one or two just to see how they do.

 

[Eric Group]

Yes, but it also seems to be the case that the people who are most likely to come down with it are the people who use this dry sphagnum moss by the bale.

You referring to the respiratory illness? Perhaps... But the most common people to contract the disease in general are through the skin after being poked by a rose thorn- rose gardeners, florists...

The respiratory illness is really quite rare- except I guess for the few people in the world who do handle BALES AND BALES of SM without any protection.

 

[Shima]

Eons ago a group of us from REBS were at a show in Japantown SF. There was a small han-kengai manzanita, you know how rare that is, right? I asked the owner what it was potted in and he said " stick finger" so I did, and it was straight sphagnum. True story.

 

[fviljoen963]

Eons ago a group of us from REBS were at a show in Japantown SF. There was a small han-kengai manzanita, you know how rare that is, right? I asked the owner what it was potted in and he said " stick finger" so I did, and it was straight sphagnum. True story.

Made my day
just the way you tell it hahahaha

 

[Mitty]

On a video by Peter Chan , he extolled the benefit of using just Sphagnum moss in colander-like pots. He went on to say how well sick trees will often get better if transferred to open weave pots with 100% Sphagnum moss.
Has anyone tried this technique and did it help. I feel that it is more likely that the tree gets plenty of Oxygen this way, which should help the roots grow back well.

 

[Forsoothe!]

There isn't a dusty material on Earth that will not harm your lungs. Inhaling anything other than air is bad for you, and the number of times you can expose yourself to dust or chemical fumes is very few.

One might suppose that there is also no single media that doesn't have some kind of shortcoming if used alone, long term. We try to balance our mixes to accommodate yearly changes in moisture which is different a little or a lot from the guy in the next micro-climate and that custom mixing works better than any one-size-fits-all idea. The best illustration of that is our listing our location. When it's not there, we don't really feel confident in suggesting much because we know how different our climates really are.

 

[Shima]

I use it as top dressing on azaleas to keep the kanuma damp and lightly acidic, but I wet it thoroughly and either cut it with shears or a knife on a cutting board, or if I need a bunch, a blender, but that is almost more work than it's worth.
I have not, however, heard of it being used as the planting medium by itself.

easier to rub through a 1/4" screen or use a food processor.

 

[Mitty]

Well, I am surprised. I do know that Sphagnum moss can be nasty when it gets dry and cause disease in some cases. I am over here in England near Warwick Castle. Quite cold for us down to 9 Celsius at night 5 by early dawn at 4.30 am.
One well known Bonsai artist who runs quite a large shop , is Peter Chan, who has written books on the subject of Bonsai and who runs classes and is on U Tube with many demonstrations and popular. My Chan advocates the use of using pure Sphagnum moss for sick Bonsai, and says that it is a panacea for most ailments. He uses a lot of moss in a colander type tray and "cures" some quite large Bonsai trees. His videos are available online at no cost.
I think you might find him worth watching. He is always talking about people who complain at the high cost of growing Bonsai trees : grabbing all kind of things and plonking them in pots. he does have some very special Japanese Maples and he likes them grown large as Bonsai.. He is something of a special kind of artist, he used to be an engineer and turned his love of Bonsai into a career. Do have a look : I agree with some of his ideas : but he grabs nearly everything around and tries to turn them into worthy Bonsai.

 

[elijah_moncrieff]

On a video by Peter Chan , he extolled the benefit of using just Sphagnum moss in colander-like pots. He went on to say how well sick trees will often get better if transferred to open weave pots with 100% Sphagnum moss.
Has anyone tried this technique and did it help. I feel that it is more likely that the tree gets plenty of Oxygen this way, which should help the roots grow back well.

I have tried this with several trees and had success just as Peter explained. And to add to the list of notable bonsai professionals that have used this method, there was a video where Bjorn from Eisei-en also used this technique on a JM that was stressed and said it would allow the tree to recover (it was slip potting into SM) and then recommended to repot into traditional bonsai soil once vigor has returned in the following year or two.