. And no I don't have any sphagnum moss so I will have to do without. I heard you can stratify Sarracenia seeds in a baggie full of water in the fridge for 48 hours. Today at 9 PM they will be ready...help!-
A Happy Seedling
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New Seeds
So I ordered lots of different seeds from rarexoticseeds.com, and I need help planting them. I took care of the Nepal bamboo (Bambusa nutans) in Trees and Shrubs, but I would like some help with: Nepenthes ampullaria, a rare pitcher plant, Sarracenia alata "Red Throat", a common pitcher plant, ten seeds of a plant with the genus Lilium and a species name starting with W, which I don't remember . And no I don't have any sphagnum moss so I will have to do without. I heard you can stratify Sarracenia seeds in a baggie full of water in the fridge for 48 hours. Today at 9 PM they will be ready...help!
. And no I don't have any sphagnum moss so I will have to do without. I heard you can stratify Sarracenia seeds in a baggie full of water in the fridge for 48 hours. Today at 9 PM they will be ready...help!-
applestar
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Dried sphagnum moss is almost universally available in garden centers. Even Home Depot. But make sure to get the brighter, straw colored ones and not the tan dried ditch grass colored ones. The browned ones are dead, dead. And often include a lot of other debris.
The lighter colored -- presumably naturally dried -- ones sometimes grow after being soaked and used. I don't know if there are seeds or spores in there. I don't sterilize them by pouring boiling water over them as is often recommended, however. That might make a difference. I think I got the better brand from a reputable independent garden center and not a big box store.
The lighter colored -- presumably naturally dried -- ones sometimes grow after being soaked and used. I don't know if there are seeds or spores in there. I don't sterilize them by pouring boiling water over them as is often recommended, however. That might make a difference. I think I got the better brand from a reputable independent garden center and not a big box store.
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A Happy Seedling
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applestar
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I think that's why most nepenthes (hanging pitcher) growers keep a tray of live sphagnum growing in the same growing area. You might have been able to buy some from the same place you got the pitcher.
But it's a bold move to attempt to grow any of these from seeds when you have no experience growing what would presumably be sturdier and easier to care for established plants. My brief research in to nepenthes hobby has made me conclude that I probably don't have the dedicated environmentally controlled space for them. So I haven't considered it so far.
If the sarracenia is native to your area, then it should be relatively easy to grow an adult plant, but I haven't seen my NJ native Sarracina develop seeds (though they bloom every year). I must admit I haven't seriously looked though. -- and they have been growing for the past three or four years in my outside Rainspout Raingarden which is not strictly a controlled pitcher bog -- just peat and sand-filled.
Your post is reminding me to keep a closer eye on them this year and see if I can harvest some seeds or encourage them to grow seedlings in the raingarden.
But it's a bold move to attempt to grow any of these from seeds when you have no experience growing what would presumably be sturdier and easier to care for established plants. My brief research in to nepenthes hobby has made me conclude that I probably don't have the dedicated environmentally controlled space for them. So I haven't considered it so far.
If the sarracenia is native to your area, then it should be relatively easy to grow an adult plant, but I haven't seen my NJ native Sarracina develop seeds (though they bloom every year). I must admit I haven't seriously looked though. -- and they have been growing for the past three or four years in my outside Rainspout Raingarden which is not strictly a controlled pitcher bog -- just peat and sand-filled.
Your post is reminding me to keep a closer eye on them this year and see if I can harvest some seeds or encourage them to grow seedlings in the raingarden.
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A Happy Seedling
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What you really want is NZ sphagnum moss. You don't want the craft moss, it does not work. Good spagnum moss will fluff up when it is wet and squeeze like a sponge.
This is one site I found. It can be found on sites that sell orchid supplies.
Usually nepentes are planted in 60% ong fiber sphagnum 40% large perlite (no. 3). You want a mix with low fertility, good moisture holding and lots of air spaces. The other kind of media would be hapuu fibers but they are not easy to find outside of Hawaii. You can also use large fir bark, but it has the same problem that it has with orchids. It breaks down and becomes mud.
https://www.calwesttropical.com/index.ph ... agnum-moss
This is one site I found. It can be found on sites that sell orchid supplies.
Usually nepentes are planted in 60% ong fiber sphagnum 40% large perlite (no. 3). You want a mix with low fertility, good moisture holding and lots of air spaces. The other kind of media would be hapuu fibers but they are not easy to find outside of Hawaii. You can also use large fir bark, but it has the same problem that it has with orchids. It breaks down and becomes mud.
https://www.calwesttropical.com/index.ph ... agnum-moss
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A Happy Seedling
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