A
ALToronto
Guest
I had terrible results in sphagnum until I realized that the key to using it is to not soak it until water runs through. Now I'm getting very good root growth in plants that are growing in barely damp loosely packed sphagnum. I use a fine nozzle on a pump-up sprayer to just moisten the top 20 mm of the pot (3/4"), without getting any water/fert on the plants themselves. I do this every 4-5 days for plants that are growing in plastic pots; more frequently for plants in net pots. I'm growing at home, where humidity right now is 70-80% (I don't like or use air conditioning).
So far, so good, but I just started using this method with a few plants. And I realized after I potted the plants that I probably should have soaked the sphagnum in CaNO3/MgSO4. I'm using RO with K-lite at every watering, about 20 ppm. I'm using mostly NZ moss, although I ran out and had to put some plants in Chilean sphagnum (wow, what a difference in quality!).
Since I didn't do the cal/mag soak, should I do it now, together with or instead of a regular fert watering? I'm afraid to do a flow-through pH measurement as it will saturate the sphagnum and likely lead to rot problems with the plants. However, without flow-through, am I concentrating the fert to very high levels, or are plant roots taking up most of it? How can I tell? Should I reduce the concentration even further, to 5-10 ppm?
Appreciate any comments/advice. Also curious as to how I should adjust my watering method/schedule in the winter, when humidity will drop to 40-50%?
So far, so good, but I just started using this method with a few plants. And I realized after I potted the plants that I probably should have soaked the sphagnum in CaNO3/MgSO4. I'm using RO with K-lite at every watering, about 20 ppm. I'm using mostly NZ moss, although I ran out and had to put some plants in Chilean sphagnum (wow, what a difference in quality!).
Since I didn't do the cal/mag soak, should I do it now, together with or instead of a regular fert watering? I'm afraid to do a flow-through pH measurement as it will saturate the sphagnum and likely lead to rot problems with the plants. However, without flow-through, am I concentrating the fert to very high levels, or are plant roots taking up most of it? How can I tell? Should I reduce the concentration even further, to 5-10 ppm?
Appreciate any comments/advice. Also curious as to how I should adjust my watering method/schedule in the winter, when humidity will drop to 40-50%?