I would like to plant Irish Moss in-between pieces of flagstone. Any secrets to growing moss in hot/dry New Mexico? Thanks!

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I would like to plant Irish Moss (or another type of moss suited for the Southwest climate) in-between pieces of flagstone. Hoping someone can recommend ways to successfully grow moss in hot/dry New Mexico? Thanks!
 

Forsoothe!

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You need to collect moss from a site similar to your patio's exposure. Moss grows where it can out-complete other greenery that can grow under the same sun/climate/water supply conditions. That means a very thin soil layer, like where soil has washed onto the pavement at the edges of parking lots. Taller plants can't grow in such thin substrates, and the seeds that can root in good moss sites die pretty quickIy when it dries out. Moss needs a little more moisture than is typically available in such a situation, too, so look for a location that is at the bottom of a slight slope, like the edges of a parking lot. Moss needs some shade, too, so a site adjacent to a fence, building, line of trees, or anything else that runs north to south which provides half day shade is necessary. East to west doesn't work because the south side is too sunny and the north side is sunless.

So, on either side of a north/south fence where soil has washed onto the pavement that is pitched to the edge of a parking lot of a closed factory where the lot has not been maintained, especially not snow-plowed for a number of years is the creme de la creme site.
 

sorce

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Water it....a lot!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

Japonicus

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Don't do it. Irish Moss isn't moss.
Ditto! It's a nightmare. It thrives all light conditions, flowers then spits seeds everywhere
to the point you should wear eye protection when pulling it when it's gone to seed.
Its roots are fragile and you never get all fragments out when you pull it.

Go for local moss like Forsoothe said, but finding that golden location to harvest
may or may not be very difficult.
 

Firstflush

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Look into ruschia nana, or dwarf carpet or starts. You can walk on it and requires very low water.
 

Forsoothe!

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It can't be emphasized too strongly to proceed with finding a local moss. You will know two things when you find candidates: what it looks like performing in your environment and that you will not be importing a invasive pest, like Irish Moss.
 

Potawatomi13

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DON'T DO IT! It can't be said too strongly how invasive difficult to control this miserable plague weed is.
 
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It can't be emphasized too strongly to proceed with finding a local moss. You will know two things when you find candidates: what it looks like performing in your environment and that you will not be importing a invasive pest, like Irish Moss.
Good point. Thank you.
 
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Don't do it. Irish Moss isn't moss. Its Arenaria. If you get it to live, it will get into your bonsai pots and you will never get rid of it.

Or do it. Source is correct. Lots of water. Also, organic soil amendments.
Thank you.
 
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Ditto! It's a nightmare. It thrives all light conditions, flowers then spits seeds everywhere
to the point you should wear eye protection when pulling it when it's gone to seed.
Its roots are fragile and you never get all fragments out when you pull it.

Go for local moss like Forsoothe said, but finding that golden location to harvest
may or may not be very difficult.
Thank you.
 
Messages
9
Reaction score
3
You need to collect moss from a site similar to your patio's exposure. Moss grows where it can out-complete other greenery that can grow under the same sun/climate/water supply conditions. That means a very thin soil layer, like where soil has washed onto the pavement at the edges of parking lots. Taller plants can't grow in such thin substrates, and the seeds that can root in good moss sites die pretty quickIy when it dries out. Moss needs a little more moisture than is typically available in such a situation, too, so look for a location that is at the bottom of a slight slope, like the edges of a parking lot. Moss needs some shade, too, so a site adjacent to a fence, building, line of trees, or anything else that runs north to south which provides half day shade is necessary. East to west doesn't work because the south side is too sunny and the north side is sunless.

So, on either side of a north/south fence where soil has washed onto the pavement that is pitched to the edge of a parking lot of a closed factory where the lot has not been maintained, especially not snow-plowed for a number of years is the creme de la creme site.
Thank you.
 

Hartinez

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Hey there @Southwestgardener i would honestly not even try. I’ve attempted multiple times to ground a myriad of different “hardy” ground covers to no avail. Our high heat, low humidity does not do us any favors. Plus, here in Abq, in particular, our higher alkaline Water does not help the plants get established. They always start strong for me then fall off towards the middle end of the season. Latch on to sedums and ice plants, the BEST ground covers in my opinion for full sun locations here in NM. I’ve also had great luck with ajuga in partial sun locations.
 
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