Live mosses

Pearly

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Hi Guys, I'm looking for live mosses for my babies' habitat in Austin, TX area. Got just couple of pieces at Petsmart the other day (the dormant kind that needs to be rehydrated). I want to try those in my closed chamber, which may turn out to be to warm for the moss to thrive. If that doesn't work I'll just make couple of decorative terrariums with baby orchids or african violets inside or something like that. For now I just can't find anything other than those preserved mosses, which look ok and hold moisture but, I want the things in there to grow. Do you guys know of any place in this area?
 

Yvonne G

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@terryo uses moss. I think she buys it 'brown' but when you moisten it it comes alive. I can't remember the name of it. But she'll see this alert (hopefully) and come on and give you the scoop.
 

Eric Phillips

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I use Chondrus crispus "Irish moss" in my enclosure. You can grow it from seed or purchase it at garden centers. Too late in the season now for northerners. I bought a couple hundred seeds from a lady in tenn on etsy and they germinated just fine. Paid like $2 and change.
 

terryo

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I love that moss. I have it all around my ponds. Helps keep the water clean too. It spreads and comes back each year. Scottish moss, or Irish moss. Makes all those little flowers too. You could also get frog moss. I use that too.
 

Yvonne G

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Frog Moss!!!! That's the name I was trying to think of. thanks, Terry.
 

Pearly

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Thanks guys. I've seen irish moss at some nurseires here but they don't sell it now. I've bought it in the past but think planted in to much sun. Didn't make it. I'll definitely give it a try whenever they start selling it again.
 

terryo

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This is the Scottish moss and Irish moss when you first plant it and the second picture is the following Summer (I changed the pond) after it has spread a bit.
pio2.jpg 010-7.jpg
 

Pearly

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These are two inside vivarium's with a mix of Scottish, Irish, and frog moss. View attachment 151648 View attachment 151649 View attachment 151649
Totally love it! Our babies are housed in a viv, I'm still looking for best live plants that don't mind the very warm temps and high humidity. You'd think most plants would love it but planted directly in substrate I've lost most of the plants due to root rot. The only plants that are thriving are sanseveria and the palm which I've already divided to make 2. I did get more nice plants and will plant those today or tomorrow when cleaning/turning substrate. I was thinking to maybe try just burying pots in substrate, mine is plenty deep for that. I love the look of your viv! Jealous!!!! (Nice jealous:) Can't wait to get my hands on that moss! Thank you for the pics!
 

terryo

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Totally love it! Our babies are housed in a viv, I'm still looking for best live plants that don't mind the very warm temps and high humidity. You'd think most plants would love it but planted directly in substrate I've lost most of the plants due to root rot. The only plants that are thriving are sanseveria and the palm which I've already divided to make 2. I did get more nice plants and will plant those today or tomorrow when cleaning/turning substrate. I was thinking to maybe try just burying pots in substrate, mine is plenty deep for that. I love the look of your viv! Jealous!!!! (Nice jealous:) Can't wait to get my hands on that moss! Thank you for the pics!
I always keep the plants in their pots. I only water the pot and spray the moss and plants. I use heat emitters and try not to put any plants directly under the heat.
I'm in New York and I really don't know the climate zone.
 

Banjos n Boxies

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Great ideas here. Another good plant is creeping jenny. It's not moss, but it spreads fairly wide, is hardy enough to get tramples by turtles, and doesn't get much higher than a couple inches. It does well in shade or sun and might do better in Texas than moss.
 

Pearly

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I always keep the plants in their pots. I only water the pot and spray the moss and plants. I use heat emitters and try not to put any plants directly under the heat.
I'm in New York and I really don't know the climate zone.
I live in Texas, Austin area now (hot, and...very hot!) were winters are very mild, typically just couple of days below freezing. One winter we had 5 or 6 days in a row of 26-27F and everyone thought it was cold We keep RF, just 2 babies for now, they live in their nursery 40 gal breeder tank made into vivarium. I keep it very warm and humid daytime 100W basking light, and switch to 100W CHE at night, both doing great job at keeping consistent ambient temps of 80F in darker end and 85-86F in "sunny side". The babies get to go outside to get their work out in natural sun almost daily for 40-60 min now that is still very warm. I'll have to research more outdoor temps for them and switch over to indoor "gym" when our temps drop. They are still very tiny and fragile. I love to watch their little feet when they walk, especially from their back side. The outdoor enclosure is the project for this winter and spring. I'm thinking that they might be big enough some time next year to start spending more time outside and once enclosure fully escape and predator-proofed we can leave them unsupervised there for few hrs each day. I'm hoping to find some of those mosses for the outdoor "tortoise playground" and that they will withstand the summer heat with daily watering and misting. If not, I'll just need to look at some more native options. Things here DO GROW! And SOME do very well when given water but some plants they I would love to keep in my garden are just not meant for Texas climate. I.e. I've been able to grow Forsythia or Peony with good watering schedule but they would never bloom or put out sad looking little flowers... After 19 years of fighting against the demands of this climate I have given up on growing some things and decided to be just happy by looking at the gorgeous colorful photographs from gardens of other people. Your summer garden btw looked beautiful on the picture you had posted that "year of a big snow"
 

Pearly

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Great ideas here. Another good plant is creeping jenny. It's not moss, but it spreads fairly wide, is hardy enough to get tramples by turtles, and doesn't get much higher than a couple inches. It does well in shade or sun and might do better in Texas than moss.
Yes, "Jenny, the Creeping" is definitely on my list for the spring planting in the outdoor enclosure. Thank you
 

terryo

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Yes, "Jenny, the Creeping" is definitely on my list for the spring planting in the outdoor enclosure. Thank you
Be very careful with the Creeping Jenny. It is VERY invasive. I am pulling it out all summer to feed to the pigs. Nothing kills it as it come's from the roots in the soil. It's great as the tortoises/turtles walk all over it and it doesn't die, but invasive and will take over the whole garden eventually.
 
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