Herself's Houseplants

Sphagnum moss can be found in the plant section of most stores. If you paid more than $3 a bag you got snookered.

I use it for my orchids. Since I started planting my orchids in moss instead of bark I have not lost a single plant. They will need watering a lot less frequently and I don’t have the mildew problems that I sometimes had with bark.

I use this for my carnivorous plants as well. The bog plants love to grow in the sphagnum moss.

And most importantly I use it for rescue plants. When I have a plant in trouble I plant in in wet sphagnum moss and use a clear plastic bag to create a greenhouse over the plant. That along with a bit of fertilizer with rooting hormones will bring back just about any plant from death’s door.

It’s been busy at work or you went on vacation and you come home to a bunch of dried up sorry looking plants. You forgot to water your plants.

How dead is your plant? Plants will come back from just about any state of death.

First take your plant to the sink or a bucket and submerge the pot in water. This may take a few minutes. If the soil is extremely dry it may try to float up and out of the pot so hang on to it and keep an eye on it. Once the plant is thoroughly soaked leave it soaking in water up to the rim of the pot for an hour or more.

Then drain the water from your plant. Let the water out of the sink and give your plant several minutes to drain thoroughly.

Now take some sharp, clean scissors and remove dead and severely damaged leaves.

Give your plant a half dose of its regular fertilizer.

Place it back in its usual home and wait. You’ll be amazed at how many plants will send up new leaves and rebound even though you thought they were dead.

If it is very dried out or a plant you attached to you can also try this:

Un-pot the plant and soak the roots in a bucket of water for about an hour.

Replant the plant in some sphagnum moss ( available at most nurseries ) Soak the moss and drain out the excess water.

Take a clear plastic bag and form a green house over the plant and pot. A few sticks will keep the plastic off the plant. Now put it in a sunny window. After a few weeks you should see new leaves coming. Remove the plastic tent when new leaves appear. After a few months of healthy growth re-pot the plant back in its regular potting medium.

See also:
Use sphagnum moss to make your plants easier to care for