I've been gone a while and have returned to find a ton of email waiting
for me! A lot of it comes from folks on this list, excuse me for the delay
in answering your posts, I should be all caught up by the end of this
weekend.
Regarding the Spanish Moss thread, I wouldn't recommend using it
either alive or dead in a potting mixture, there are better substitutes
for the dead stuff, and the live stuff will suffer badly in a pot or basket.
This plant needs exposure to as much open air as possible, it does
best hanging from the ceiling of your grow room or from a branch. If
you want the effect of an orchid basket filled with it without killing the
plant, just wrap a few strands all around the rim of the hanging orchid
basket, eventually it'll look like your Nepenthes is growing out of
a giant green beard! :-) If your Spanish Moss turns bright green after
being sprayed it's alive, if it stays gray or brown it is kaput. Spray it
daily with a light solution of Epiphyte's Delight, or weekly with a stronger
solution and daily with distilled water, your greenhouse will be rewarded
with a living green curtain that except for people who live down South
most of us don't get to see in the wild.
I've discovered one other use for it, it makes a great cricket ladder. I
have a pair of Haitian Curly-Tailed Iguanas who like to bask during the
day on the highest branch in their vivarium. The crickets they feed on
like to spend their time on the forest floor. There is Spanish Moss
hanging from this branch all the way to the bottom of the vivarium. The
crickets find it irresistible and love to climb up it. When they reach
the top they crawl right out onto the branch much to the delight of the
iguanas who get an easy meal without much work. I didn't plan it that
way but the iguanas are very thankful!
Regards,
Demetrios