is old sphagnum moss still good?

[potatofarmer]

it has had a tree growing in it for about a year.

i used a lot and it looks the same as it did pretty much, just wet. is it best to toss it or can it be reused?

i'm kind of shocked this stuff doesn't seem to break down at all?

 

[rockm]

it has had a tree growing in it for about a year.

i used a lot and it looks the same as it did pretty much, just wet. is it best to toss it or can it be reused?

i'm kind of shocked this stuff doesn't seem to break down at all?

you can reuse it, but it's probably really not the greatest thing to do. It does break down, peat moss is simply broken down fibered moss. Just takes a while.

 

[potatofarmer]

and what is the best use? i was growing some trees in pure moss because peter chan recommended it. they seem to like it for awhile then not like it eventually later on. a thin layer ontop of the soil rather than putting the roots directly into it?

 

[BrightsideB]

If you stick to media mix that can percolate well the roots will grow well. A good gas exchange when watering is ideal. Dense and soggy media doesn’t work well for roots that can’t escape the container. I’ve seen trees grown in it obviously but overtime can become a major issue. I made many mistakes in media following people from YouTube. There are great bonsai YouTubers. But sometimes the advice isn’t universal like it may seem.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Peter Chan only recommends using 100% moss is for a limited time as an emergency to keep a weak tree from dying. He uses bonsai soil for his healthy trees.

 

[rockm]

and what is the best use? i was growing some trees in pure moss because peter chan recommended it. they seem to like it for awhile then not like it eventually later on. a thin layer ontop of the soil rather than putting the roots directly into it?

There was an old 1990s PBS series called "New Horizons in Bonsai" in which the practitioner (Brian Batchelder) used nothing but long fibered sphagnum moss as "soil' for his trees. However, he was using tropical species (ficus, schefflera) primarily. He got decent results, but not as great as with plain old bonsai soil. Additionally, Batchelder was the unfortunate victim of a fatal case of sporotrichosis. That disease comes directly from spores that live in sphagnum moss. It can enter a person's system through a cut or broken skin. It can also be inhaled, which causes the most severe cases--pulmonary sporotrichosis.

It's not common, but it happens and increases with the frequency of exposure to either dust or direct contact with the spores. It's only one more reason not to use straight sphagnum moss as bonsai soil. I use it as an initial top dressing for repotted trees in the spring. I also use gloves and if the stuff is dry, a face mask.

 

[potatofarmer]

Peter Chan only recommends using 100% moss is for a limited time as an emergency to keep a weak tree from dying. He uses bonsai soil for his healthy trees.

yea all the videos i watched he left out the "limited time" part.