Sphagnum moss application. Start in science. Ten reasons to use sphagnum moss

19.02.2021 Carpentry work

In marshy areas and near water bodies, a large number of very unique flora grows. One of the most widespread and famous is sphagnum moss (translated from Greek “Natural sponge”). It has useful and unique characteristics. The fact of birth is dated a very long time ago - the first pharaoh was not yet born, and a specific representative of the plant world has been growing on Earth for many hundreds of years.

The culture got its name due to its high hygroscopicity - the ability to absorb moisture.

Sphagnum marsh belongs to the Mossy group. Most representatives of mosses have a bright color, therefore, it is quite simple to distinguish a "sponge" against their background - sphagnum moss looks much paler than its congeners. In felling areas, even practically uncolored representatives of the species are often found, the same color is acquired when passing into a dry state.

The lower part of the plant, which has no roots, gradually turns into peat... The decay process does not occur, because the culture includes substances with strong bactericidal properties.

The structure of sphagnum is similar to the main characteristics of other representatives of the Mossy group. An upright, non-branched plant, the height of which is no more than 5 centimeters, does not have a stem. As a result of growth and development, shoots are formed, collected in pillows. The appearance of sphagnum makes it possible to unambiguously and accurately determine the characteristic species and name of the culture.

Growing zones

To find the places where sphagnum grows, it is enough to determine the most humid areas of the area. Most of all he loves swampy, shaded and damp areas. Its reproduction contributes to the acceleration of the process of waterlogging of the area. Therefore, it is better to look for sphagnum in a raised bog.

Note. Sphagnum moss thrives on poorly ventilated soil. In order to prevent its large-scale growth on a personal plot, it is necessary to organize high-quality soil ventilation.

The hygroscopic sphagnum moss is most common in the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. On the territory of Russia, there are about 42 different species that love wet areas.

Useful qualities

White moss is a unique substrate with amazing properties. The most familiar product to most people is peat.

First of all, peat is used in the form of a known fuel. The second way to use the characteristics of peat is to grow all kinds of seedlings. Peat is an excellent additive for improving soil performance in garden plots. Also, peat is a source of chemical raw materials used for the production of substances with various characteristics, the most famous substance from peat is medical alcohol. But this list does not allow to fully assess all the characteristics that correctly reflect the facts for which the prepared raw materials are used.

Attention! Cotton wool absorbs 20–25 times less moisture than sphagnum moss, which, even when wet, perfectly permits air through itself.

The unique combination of biological characteristics of sphagnum is used with particular success in various spheres of human life.

Medication use

In medical practice, biological properties are actively used:

high hygroscopicity due to the special structure of each cell of the biological substance;
high antibacteriality: special substances that make up the plant have high properties to counteract fungi, microbes and other harmful substances that are important for medicines.

These high properties make it possible to use the substance with particular success as a drug for dressing, which has high-quality antibacterial and disinfecting properties. As a medicine, sphagnum can be used:

with superficial skin lesions (cuts, burns and frostbite);
in case of fractures as a quality medical pad between the body and the applied splint.

Historical facts show that as early as the 11th century, doctors knew how to use the "natural sponge" in medicine to treat patients.

Construction site use

Builders also love the antibacterial and hygroscopic properties of the material. It is used as a heater, which is laid between the rows of logs, when building wooden log cabins. Despite the large assortment of high-quality modern materials used in the production of construction work, moss occupies one of the leading places among the highest quality and environmentally friendly insulation materials that do not allow decay.

Its use prevents decay of wooden logs, and its high ability to regulate humidity allows it to be successfully used in the construction of baths, the humidity of which is often high. The culture absorbs excess fumes and prevents wood from rotting.

Moss distribution in agriculture

Lovers of bees and livestock breeders, the amazing properties of the plant were also not spared. Biological insulation for hives is made from the compressed dry product. But of particular interest for professionals is the ability to maintain the desired humidity level.

For this, the biological material dried at room temperature is laid out under the hive. When the humidity rises, moss absorbs liquid particles that have accumulated in the air. When it decreases, it releases the accumulated moisture from its composition, increasing the moisture content and preventing sugaring, which causes significant harm to the quality of healthy honey.

For pets, the product can be used as a natural indoor toilet filler. Large farm animals will appreciate the high-quality and comfortable hygroscopic bedding, which is sphagnum.

On a note. Sphagnum litter containing animal waste is an excellent natural fertilizer.

Application in floriculture

The order Sphagnales differs from green mosses in a number of anatomical, morphological and biological characteristics. It includes only one family - Sphagnum (Shagnaceae) and the only genus Shagnum, uniting about 350 species (according to other data 320). In the photo, marsh sphagnum (Shagnum palustre).

Synonymous names for sphagnum:

White moss - comes from the white or light green color of some species; due to its white color, sphagnum moss is sometimes confused with some types of lichens.
peat moss - due to the plant's ability to form peat bogs;
sphagnum.

Habitat and place in biocenoses

The main distribution of sphagnum mosses is in the tundra and forest zones of the Northern Hemisphere: in the northern and middle parts of the forest zone, taiga, tundra, forest-tundra, in Siberia, the Far East and the Caucasus.

In the Southern Hemisphere, sphagnum moss is less common, growing mainly in mountainous areas. Although sphagnum is a typical Holarctic plant, the greatest species diversity of this genus is found in South America.

Ecosystems where sphagnum mosses grow:
raised bogs (also called sphagnum);
swampy coniferous or mixed forests;
forest-tundra zone with a predominance of coniferous trees;
wet meadows with poor drainage and stagnant water;
river valleys with swampy banks, here on pine forest terraces the sphagnum range can extend far to the south, right up to the steppe zone;
mountainous areas (alpine and subalpine belt).

Morphological features

All types of sphagnum have morphological features inherent only in mosses - they lack roots. But sphagnum has its own characteristic features that distinguish it from green mosses.

Contrary to the commonly used name "white moss", most sphagnum species are green, brown or reddish in color.

Sphagnum is clearly differentiated into stem and leaves. Branched stems, caulidia, grow vertically, reaching a height of 20 cm. Densely growing sphagnum stems form pads or tufts. Sphagnum moss grows only in the upper part, and the lower one gradually dies off, forming peat.

A characteristic feature of sphagnum is the absence of rhizoids in adult plants, which replace the roots of moss. In moss sprouting from the spore, rhizoids are formed, but soon die together with the lower part of the sphagnum.

The structure of the sphagnum stem is simple: in the center there is a core, the inner layer consists of elongated cells with thickened walls (prosenchyme), and the outside of the stem is covered with epidermal cells. Sphagnum multilayer epidermis is called hyaloderma. This layer is made up of dead, empty, transparent cells that have pores in them. The cells are always filled with water and dissolved mineral components, they play the role of a conductive tissue.

Thanks to hyalodermal cells and aquiferous leaf cells, sphagnum has such a property as hygroscopicity. Dry moss can increase its mass up to thirty times when it gets into water.

At the end of each branch, the leaves are collected in a bunch - this is a feature of sphagnum mosses.

Leaves, or phyllidia, are of two types of sphagnum - stem and branch. The branch leaves are smaller than the stem leaves and are arranged like shingles: they overlap one another.

Sphagnum moss leaves consist of only one layer of cells. Their difference from the leaves of green mosses is that sphagnum does not have a central leaf vein.

Leaf cells are divided into living and dead cells. This is due to different cellular functions. Living (assimilating) cells contain chlorophyll, they are narrow, worm-like, long. The dead are diamond-shaped, absorb and retain water.

Photo: white moss - sphagnum / marsh sphagnum

Breeding features

Mosses are the only representatives of higher plants in which the gametophyte, that is, the haploid generation, dominates in the development cycle. The diploid generation is a sporophyte, highly reduced and is a spore-bearing capsule on a leg.

Sphagnum, like all representatives of the Bryophyte department, reproduces with the help of spores and with the help of gametes (sexual reproduction).

The gametophytic generation is what people call sphagnum (stem with leaves). Among hundreds of sphagnum species, there are monoecious and dioecious representatives. Sphagnum gametes are formed in archegonia and antheridia.

Features of the chemical composition

Sphagnum moss contains:
tannins - thanks to them, the moss is stored for hundreds of years without decay;
sphagnol is a phenolic compound that blocks the development of putrefactive bacteria, playing the role of a natural antiseptic;
polysaccharides (starch, glucose and some cellulose);
terpenes;
proteins and amino acids;
silicon.

Species of the genus Sfagnum (Shagnum)

Usually the word "sphagnum" is understood as marsh sphagnum (Shagnum palustre).
In swampy pine forests, it often grows with. compact (S. compactum) and s. oak (S. nemoreum).
On sphagnum bogs, typical species of the village. brown (S. fuscun), p. deceptive (S.fallax).
In low-lying bogs, in alder forests and boggy groves - with. central (S.centrale), p. blunt (S. obtusum), p. fringed (S. fimbriatum).

Role in biocenoses and economic use

In nature, white mosses are the founders and main plant components of sphagnum bogs. Thanks to sphagnol, white mosses do not rot, but decompose very slowly, while creating an acidic environment.

In raised bogs, sphagnum forms low-mineralized, but high-calorie peat. The percentage of sol in such peat does not exceed 6%, it is used as fuel, building and heat-insulating material, chemical raw materials, and also as a substrate (or additive to the substrate) for growing flowers and crops.

In agriculture, dry sphagnum is also used as bedding for pets. In medicine, peat serves as an antiseptic and dressing material. Sphagnum extracts help in the treatment of rheumatism, intestinal diseases, infectious skin diseases caused by staphylococci.

Sphagnum is a type of marsh moss (peat moss), belongs to the sphagnum family - Sphagnaceae. Possesses unusual properties. This amazing sphagnum moss perfectly tolerates the unfavorable conditions of bogs. Where he grows, every gardener knows. And it can also grow on tree trunks, stones, metal and even glass.

Sphagnum is a perennial plant, it has no roots. It is a branched stalk with a gradually dying lower part. Moss twigs are covered with small leaves growing in a spiral.

The development cycle of sphagnum is the same as that of other mosses. Sex cells are formed on a gametophyte plant. At the site of the egg, after their fusion, a sporogon is formed. Spores ripen in his box. And the sprouted spores give rise to a new gametophyte.

It grows only at the top. Its lower part is constantly dying off. The sphagnum is always moving towards the light, upward. And the lower dying part of it turns into peat. The top of the shoot is always green, and the part that is submerged in water looks slightly whitish. And even lower, the plant takes on a light brown color. Sphagnum moss (photo) looks great.

During the wet period of the year, it is able to absorb water up to 20 times its own weight. Translated from Greek, sphagnos is a sponge. Hence the name of the plant. It grows more often in the temperate zone and in the Northern Hemisphere, but it can also be found in the subtropics. You can find it in abundance in the raised bog. The bright green fluffy carpet in the photo is sphagnum moss.

Sphagnum properties

The plant has three important properties that make it indispensable in floriculture:

Air permeability... Allows the soil to be kept moist without increasing its weight.
Hygroscopicity... Moisturization always occurs evenly and in the same dosed and uniform return of moisture to the substrate. The earthen mixture will always be sufficiently moist, but not waterlogged.
Antibacterial and disinfectant properties moss is even used in medicine. The substances contained in sphagnum prevent rotting of the roots of indoor plants from rotting and other problems.

Application

Sphagnum is used as an earthen component for indoor plants. It can be added to soil to improve quality, making it loose, moist and nutritious.

Sphagnum moss is also used in a different capacity:

to cover the soil;
as a drainage for indoor plants;
as a rug;
for air humidification;
for storing onions and root crops in winter;
to protect plants from fungal diseases;
for the manufacture of hanging baskets and supports for plants with aerial roots.

He is adored by indoor begonia, saintpaulia, dracaena, dieffenbachia, monstera, azalea, sansiveria, fat woman. It is used for home germination of seeds and further rooting of shoots. Violet leaves take root in it perfectly.

How to harvest moss?

It is better to harvest it in the fall, but you can collect it at other times of the year. Sphagnum is removed very easily. But it is recommended to take only the upper parts, cutting them off with a knife or scissors.

Collect it not in swampy places, where it is very saturated with moisture. It is better to do this near trees.

You can collect sphagnum in the following ways:

Removing a plant with roots.
Cutting off its surface upper part.

The cut moss must be wrung out thoroughly to reduce weight. Brought home the plant needs to be poured with warm water for 40 minutes... This will rid it of insects and saturate it with moisture.

Store moss in unsealed plastic bags. This will allow him to breathe. In winter, you can store moss simply in the cold.

Sphagnum moss: features and preparation

How to dry moss?

Dry it on hangers. This is the most optimal drying method. Sphagnum hanging on racks perfectly blown out and retains its elasticity. Hangers are made from small tree trunks. They are placed under a canopy to protect the moss from bad weather.

Sphagnum moss in medicine

The chemical composition of sphagnum is a number of substances useful for the human body. The plant is a natural antibiotic from the phenol group.

Its property of absorbing a large volume of liquid is used as natural cotton wool. Sphagnum moss is still capable of disinfecting wounds... It is used to treat purulent wounds, burns and frostbite.

On the basis of this plant, highly effective filters for water purification are made.

You can safely drink water from a sphagnum bog. It has a slightly dark color because it is infused with peat. But there are no pathogens in it.

Sphagnum moss - assistant to flower growers

Indoor plant lovers know how good it is for flowers. It can be placed on the ground of plants when saturated with water. The soil in the pot will remain moist for a long period of time.

Use it and for germinating seeds of indoor plants... And for dense rooting of cuttings, cut plant stems are poured into the soil.

Gardeners use this plant to store tubers of various horticultural crops. To do this, they are freed from the ground and wrapped in wet pieces of sphagnum. The lumps are placed in a cardboard box and left in a cool and dark place. The tubers will remain fresh and intact until the next planting.

Important! It is not recommended to use peat from sphagnum bogs in the garden. It will greatly acidify the soil, and this is contraindicated for many garden crops.

Sphagnum moss for indoor plants, flowers and seedlings is actively gaining popularity in floriculture. Many lovers of ornamental plants call sphagnum the best component of soil mixtures. And it is quite understandable that pretty packages of dry moss have already appeared on the shelves. But you can collect and harvest it yourself. Where to find sphagnum moss and how to use it at home, let's take a closer look.

Sphagnum: description, photo in nature

Peat moss sphagnum ( Sphágnum) Is a sporeless perennial, devoid of roots. Most often, it can be found in swampy areas and lowlands, that is, in places where there is a lot of moisture. Water for this amazing plant is vital, it absorbs it in huge quantities.

Botanists have calculated that sphagnum is able to "drink" a volume of water 20 times its own weight! In this, even absorbent wool cannot compete with him. It is for this property that the plant was called a sponge (in Greek "sphagnos").

How to use sphagnum moss for indoor plants or seedlings

The soil substrate can be half of this filler, which is only for the benefit of the plants. And both adults and young people. Some growers root cuttings in sphagnum alone, and they germinate well. In general, moss is deservedly considered a unique and useful natural component, suitable for growing most flowers, ornamental plants and seedlings.

Why sphagnum moss is added to the soil, we figured it out. But these are not all of its useful features. Moss is especially helpful during the cold season, when central heating is turned on. During the heating season, hot batteries dry the air and the humidity required by indoor plants is significantly reduced. To support her, you just need to overlay the pots of flowers with moss and do not forget to moisturize it periodically. You can mulch the surface of the soil with sphagnum, then it will not dry out too quickly. And it can also serve as an excellent drainage.

To plant stem and leaf cuttings, growers often use chopped moss mixed with coconut fiber or sand. A part of the mother plant planted in such a substrate will quickly develop its own roots and buds. Sphagnum can also be used as a living support for elongated and weak plants.

Sphagnum moss is a real doctor, a green resuscitator. Its unique property is known as an anti-rotting effect, which increases the resistance of plants to decomposition. And all thanks to the specific chemical composition, which includes tannin and a number of other antiseptics. For example, to bring a rotten stalk back to life, it is enough to cut off the rot, sprinkle the cut with powdered activated charcoal and plant a dying plant in cut sphagnum. The antibacterial properties of moss are widely used for rooting the most capricious species and varieties, as well as for winter storage of apples and root crops.

Where does sphagnum grow and how to prepare it

In winter, it is unlikely that it will be possible to collect sphagnum (for obvious reasons), but in the rest of the year it can be harvested as much as required. Near streams, in good shady woods, and in swampy lowlands, you can find many species of sphagnum. There are red, brown, green varieties - there are more than 40 of them in the CIS.

Live moss shows its qualities best, so it is advisable to use it in this form. If there is only dry, it will not be superfluous in the substrate either.
Immediately after collecting sphagnum, it is imperative to sort out, expel insects (especially useful ones) from it and dry it a little. Then it can be distributed in plastic bags and placed in a cool place. Store such a blank for up to 3 months.

Another option is freezing. Frozen sphagnum is stored on the balcony, and when you need it, you just need to defrost it. To avoid infection with harmful insects, moss should be poured with boiling water for a couple of minutes before freezing.

Before adding sphagnum to the soil mixture, it must be crushed: cut fresh into centimeter pieces, and rub dry in the palms of your hands.
Sphagnum is not only a unique plant, but also quite widespread. If you happen to find it in the woods, take a few bundles and bring it home. Moss will not take up much space and will not lie idle for a long time. Sphagnum moss is also useful for growing seedlings and indoor plants, as well as for storing vegetables and fruits.

The culture got its name due to its high hygroscopicity - the ability to absorb moisture.

The lower part of the plant, which has no roots, gradually turns into peat... The decay process does not occur, because the culture includes substances with strong bactericidal properties.

Growing zones

Note. Sphagnum moss thrives on poorly ventilated soil. In order to prevent its large-scale growth on a personal plot, it is necessary to organize high-quality soil ventilation.

The hygroscopic sphagnum moss is most common in the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. On the territory of Russia, there are about 42 different species that love wet areas.

Useful qualities

White moss is a unique substrate with amazing properties. The most familiar product to most people is peat.

Attention! Cotton wool absorbs 20–25 times less moisture than sphagnum moss, which, even when wet, perfectly permits air through itself.

The unique combination of biological characteristics of sphagnum is used with particular success in various spheres of human life.

Medication use

In medical practice, biological properties are actively used:

high hygroscopicity due to the special structure of each cell of the biological substance;
high antibacteriality: special substances that make up the plant have high properties to counteract fungi, microbes and other harmful substances that are important for medicines.

with superficial skin lesions (cuts, burns and frostbite);
in case of fractures as a quality medical pad between the body and the applied splint.

Historical facts show that as early as the 11th century, doctors knew how to use the "natural sponge" in medicine to treat patients.

Construction site use

Moss distribution in agriculture

For pets, the product can be used as a natural indoor toilet filler. Large farm animals will appreciate the high-quality and comfortable hygroscopic bedding, which is sphagnum.

On a note. Sphagnum litter containing animal waste is an excellent natural fertilizer.

Application in floriculture

Sphagnum moss for indoor plants is a real lifesaver. It is successfully used by experienced florists who want to find an answer to the question of how to grow beautiful and healthy flowers.

Due to its beneficial properties, sphagnum moss is used for growing indoor plants. Sphagnum in floriculture is used for various purposes.:

Sphagnum for orchids and violets has earned a special love of flower growers. The use of the substrate makes the soil acidic, which is very much appreciated by indoor violets, delighting flower growers with a bright border of beautiful leaves. Also, soil acidification is needed for.

Often, most flower growers have the question of how to grow a beautiful, but very capricious orchid? What is the best product for this? To do this, flower growers create humid tropical conditions for a beautiful beauty by wrapping aerial roots with an amazing substrate and spraying with water at room temperature. It is enough to moisten the sphagnum substrate on the roots once a day, and not 5-6 times, as in the usual care of orchid roots.

Storing the "natural sponge"

Knowing the places where the necessary and useful means are distributed, it will not be difficult to collect it in sufficient quantities. All you need is hands and a large container for the collected material.

Important! Collect white moss carefully, without pulling out all the moss in one area. Large-scale collection of raw materials can lead to a gradual decrease in the number, and then the destruction of nondescript, but most useful colonies.

Having collected a sufficient amount of a unique "sponge", it is necessary to begin the process of drying it. Having wrung out the prepared material with your hands, it is laid out in a well-ventilated place under the sun's rays. A unique representative of the Mossy family is one of the few types of plant raw materials that does not lose its unique qualities under the influence of direct sunlight. Due to the peculiarities inherent in unique natural raw materials, the drying process takes a long time.

The degree of drying depends on the further scope of its application. When used in medicine, it dries out completely, to the point of crunching and brittleness. If dried for floriculture, then the shoots should be left longer so that the moss itself remains moist.

How to store sphagnum moss? After the end of the drying process, the finished product must be tightly wrapped in paper or placed in the freezer. This will be sufficient for further storage.

Having carefully studied the main positive qualities inherent in the "natural sponge", we can confidently say that culture is a real storehouse of effective qualities.

When flowering plants did not yet exist in nature, it was already pleasing to the eye ... of dinosaurs.

The forest covered reminds us of primitive times. Its layer of just a few centimeters creates the impression of a dense green carpet that covers everything around.

Moss superstar: classes and types

The first mosses appeared on our planet more than 400 million years ago, long before flowering plants. As well as, these plants reproduce by spores. There are about 18,000 species of mossesgrouped into three classes.

Liver mosses

The oldest of them - liver mosses... The most famous representative of this group is hairy blepharostomy (Blepharostoma trichophyllum) with its characteristic flat, spreading shape. Most liverwort mosses have stems and true leaves.

Hair-leaved blepharostoma most often grows on soil, as well as on deadwood, stumps and stones along the banks of streams and rivers, forming dense or loose, mixed with other bryophytes, tufts and even whole carpets.

A large class is also made up of bryophytes... They are all divided into orders according to the structure of their stems, leaves and the way they are fixed in the soil. Mosses form “cushions” ranging in height from millimeters to several centimeters, and sometimes cover vast territories with a dense lawn of living plants and their dead parts with a layer up to 1-3 m or more thick.

Anthocerot mosses

The second no less extensive class is anthocerot mosses, outwardly resembling "liverworts". They got their name from the Greek words anthos - flower and keros - horn, since the form of plants is a dark green lamellar rosette (thallus) with a diameter of 1-3 cm, tightly attached to the soil, and numerous horn-like outgrowths (sporogons) up to 2 -3 cm.

It belongs to one of the most common species. In the forest, it can cover very large areas, but in habitable places, on the walls and roofs of houses, it will also find a place. The picture clearly shows long stems with spore pods.

Leaf moss cuckoo flaxoutwardly resembles a sprig of conifers. Its length can be up to 15 cm; it is the cuckoo flax that often lines the soil in the forest.

Wall tortula forms small cushions and grows on limestone stones, including on the walls of houses made of such material.

In some mosses, the spore pods sometimes look like flowers, as, for example, in this polytrichum juniper-like.

Cirrifillum hairy (Cirriphyllum piliferum)forms loose light green tussocks. He prefers nutrient-rich calcareous soil. Cirrifillum can be found in forests and bushes. However, in the garden there is also a place for him.

Chylocomium brilliant ( Hylocomium splendens)most commonly found in forests, although grasslands, roadsides, and quarries often provide shelter. In the process of growth, it forms cascades, consisting, as it were, of separate floors.

Sphagnum hairy (Sphagnum capillifolium)grows primarily in swamps and wet forests. Plant height does not exceed 20 cm. This moss can be whitish-green, brown, reddish or yellow in color.

Anthoceros smooth (Anthoceros laevis)- one of the few species from the genus of Anthocerotic mosses living in northern latitudes. This moss is often the first to appear on wet soil after weeding in beds, flower beds, and especially in furrows.

Where do mosses live

On the rocks and mosses feel out of competition: there is no place for flowering plants here. High humidity and regular water rises in streams also contribute to the spread of "green and fluffy".

Most often mosses are found in wet areas. However, some species have adapted well to dry and sunny habitats, for example wall cake... Its leaves end in transparent hairs that reflect the sun's rays and protect the plant from excessive light. In the kingdom of mosses, there are also other survival strategies:

anthoceros often live in symbiosis with blue algaethat fix nitrogen in the air and transfer it to the moss;
sphagnums are capable create an acidic environment and so to prevent the appearance of fungi, bacteria and competing plants next to you. Read about their properties and use in the article.

Although the moss is almost invisible in appearance, its role in ecosystems is very important... Since it is able to absorb and retain a lot of moisture, it plays an essential role in regulating the water balance of forests and swamps and reduces soil erosion in open areas. And without sphagnum moss, formation would be impossible. These plants prefer

The persistence with which the moss spreads through the garden is directly related to its ability not only to spore propagation, but also to vegetative reproduction, especially in leafy species. So that every patch of moss that falls out from under the mower's knife can grow into a full-fledged new plant... Thanks to this property, you can almost easily populate part of your plot with "fluffy" inhabitants:

The moss is cut 5-10 mm and these tiny pieces are scattered over the surface of the pre-moistened soil.
At the end of the process, the area should be covered with moss scraps by at least 10%.
After that, everything is well pressed down and the first weeks are intensely moisturized. The soil before "sowing" can be replaced with sand or lava pebbles.

will help you make an interesting "mossy" composition.

The most creative ideas for using moss in garden decor you will find in the number 1 of the magazine "Country. Style and way of life "for February-March 2016.

Often, for the preparation of earthen mixtures for planting indoor plants, sphagnum moss is simply needed. But a huge number of flower growers have no idea what it is, and there are practically no special explanations about this "ingredient" of soil mixtures. However, this moss is simply unique and has many benefits that everyone should know about.

The habitat of this type of moss is the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, however, it is extremely rare and mostly only high in the mountains. However, there were cases that sphagnum was also found on flat areas, but this is a huge rarity.

In the North, industrial extraction of this most valuable moss has been organized. And it is used in various fields, for example, for thermal insulation during the construction of buildings, as well as in the production of medicines and perfumes. Due to the fact that sphagnum has a rather light color, it is also called white moss.

This moss has 3 very useful properties that every grower can appreciate. Namely:

It is breathable... Due to this, the soil remains light and loose enough even in a wet state, which has the best effect on the growth and development of plants.
Moss is hygroscopic. So, he can absorb just a huge amount of water (1 part of sphagnum absorbs 20 parts of moisture). More than him, no substance or material, even cotton, can do this. This moss is moistened evenly, and, as necessary, it gives moisture to the soil in doses. That is why the soil in flower pots, which contains sphagnum moss, is constantly in a moist state, but no waterlogging occurs.
Sphagnum possesses antibacterial and disinfectant properties... That is why it is widely used in the production of medicines. It is also able to protect the root system from various diseases and the appearance of rot, due to the fact that it contains a large amount of triterpine compounds, antibiotics and other useful substances.

Moss is used to create mixtures of earth for both domestic plants, which simply need high humidity, and for others. For example, it is recommended to use it in the composition of soil mixtures for such colors as:, Saintpaulia, Dieffenbachia, as well. However, these are far from all plants that react very positively to the content of even a small amount of sphagnum in the soil.

Also, this moss is widely used for rooting cuttings. So, those who are engaged in breeding violets will root the leaves, as a rule, exclusively with the help of the most unique sphagnum moss.

Those flower growers who live in the Northern Hemisphere have the ability to independently harvest sphagnum. It grows in sphagnum bogs, which are also called white shanks. It can be stored for quite a long time, and this moss is perfectly propagated and grown. The same growers. who live in warm regions, you can purchase this moss in specialized stores or order on the Internet.

Description and where to find - Video

Today you will learn what sphagnum moss is, see 50 photos of a plant, read about the use of moss, its beneficial properties and contraindications. Get information about the importance of sphagnum in medicine, construction, floriculture. It will be interesting for you to know how and where sphagnum moss grows, the photo of which you will see below.

Types and varieties of sphagnum moss, appearance

This moss belongs to the genus of peat or white mosses. Mostly it is marsh moss. It grows in dense, very dense clusters, reminiscent of a carpet or a large pillow. In appearance, sphagnum moss is a loose, soft leafy moss from greenish to red color. The stem is soft, branched, branches are located on it in bunches. There are single-layered, ligulate leaves, consisting of alternating aquifer and chlorophyll-bearing cells, as well as a bunch of shoots.

And although sphagnum belongs to the highest plants, it lacks roots, flowers, a conducting system. Dry sphagnum spores can absorb 20 times more moisture than their own weight, which is why the moss was called sphagnum, which means "sponge" in Greek.

Examining the structure of sphagnum under a microscope, you can see that in the upper part there are green cells that participate in photosynthesis, and in the lower part there are white cells. Because of them, sphagnum moss is also called white moss.

There are more than 300 species of sphagnum, which are characterized by red, greenish-white or yellow color and large size. The most common are marsh, brown, protruding, papillous, Magellanic, hairy, New Zealand.

Where and how sphagnum moss grows, conditions

In nature, there are more than 10 thousand species of mosses. Among them, the most important for the economy and ecology is sphagnum moss, which in Russia occupies 10% of the territory, which is more than in any other country in the world. In Ukraine, sphagnum grows in a swamp, it is also called peat moss.

In these two countries, there are more than 40 species of such moss. The plant grows mainly in the forest and tundra, in humid forests, in the mountains of the Southern Hemisphere and on the plains in the temperate zone. Brown sphagnum grows in raised bogs.

The use of sphagnum

Sphagnum: A moss that has long been used in the medical field. Its ability to absorb moisture 20 times more than ordinary cotton wool, and at the same time, the ability to breathe, had an invaluable role during the war years as a dressing material. It was used to cleanse wounds of blood and pus.
In addition, moss disinfects wounds, fights pathogenic bacteria, kills staphylococci, streptococci, and heals burns.
For arthrosis, arthritis, baths are used with the addition of an infusion from this plant. Traditional medicine also uses unusual medicinal properties of sphagnum. This is the prevention of pressure sores in bedridden people, the treatment of sciatica, osteochondrosis, colitis, enterocolitis.
Sphagnum marsh is used for the production of medical alcohol, wood alcohol, fodder yeast, humic acids. Sphagnum marsh moss is widely popular in floriculture.
This is the germination of seeds in wet moss, adding it to improve the soil for indoor flowers, as it makes the soil loose, protects the roots of plants from all kinds of diseases.
Those indoor flowers that require very high humidity for growth are covered with moss in trays or placed between two pots.
To preserve the bulbs and tubers of flowers, they are laid out directly in white moss, and the dried sphagnum stems are used as a covering material from frost.
Sphagnum is also used in construction. Bitumen, a material for thermal insulation, is made from it.
A mixture of sphagnum and manure is an excellent fertilizer for the garden.

Chemical composition

No harmful indicators of sphagnum have yet been identified, according to studies.

White peat contains useful minerals such as cellulose, sugar, triterpenes, pheno acids, coumarins, pectin, various resins, and mineral salts.

How to grow sphagnum

Reproduction of live sphagnum can be observed most often in the wild. Growing sphagnum at home is a very laborious cycle that rarely ends with success. If you brought home the source material, remember:

Sphagnum moss grows better in a container with distilled water, tap water will destroy it. You can use rainwater, melted snow.
Cover the container with the moss that you are growing with a film, this will slow down the evaporation of moisture and create a greenhouse effect.
Maintain a temperature regime, it is about 20 degrees.
Place the container of moss in the northern part of the room, where there is little light.

Harvesting and storage of sphagnum

On large plots of moss, we cut off its upper part or pull it out of the ground, shake it out.
If the moss is very wet, squeeze it out a little. It should stay moist, but not wet.
At home we lay out sphagnum on the work surface, remove unnecessary elements, lay out evenly, dry for several days, periodically turning and shaking.
Live sphagnum can be distributed in plastic bags in portions and stored in the freezer. At the same time, it retains its beneficial properties to the fullest.