Learning about moss

[Dorky_gearhead]

I'm pretty green when it comes to bonsai, and I know even less about moss.

With that said ive been recently attempting to grow moss either on a shallow dish as well as on a round "paver" brick. Ive been keeping the paver brick in a container of water about 1/2 of an inch from the top of the brick, in a shady area. The moss on the perimeter sprung back the quickest, but the stuff in the center is a lot slower going. Reading material and watching videos gives you knowledge to a degree, but nothing compares to practicing the methods. You cannot force moss to grow outside its comfort zone. You just have to make its enviorment suitable for growth.

What are some of the hard lessons y'all have learned, or tricks to sucsess?

Maybe one day when I'm a moss whisper' I can start selling pondering stones? We'll see!

 

[sorce]

I have seen every type of moss around me...in every situation.

Sun, shade, wet, dry.

It may thrive in different conditions...
But I'm sure it can exist anywhere if it adapts.

No fert...mist mist.

Sorce

 

[whfarro]

DG,
Did you see this thread recently?
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/moss-important-idea-to-date-date.20267

Or this one from a while back?
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/moss.12672/

Check out the search feature.
Some good suggestions in previous dicussions.

 

[Underdog]

For me it's just too easy to take a ride in the woods and stuff a bag with it. It's pretty and disperses the water without disturbing the soil. Look for the stuff which is growing in the sun if you can.

I've read of chopping it up and growing but I drag chunks home and plant it in the shade around the house for its next adventure in a pot.

 

[Cypress187]

I also just pick it up in the forest, I haven't found the best method. It grows good on dead moss, maybe make a thicker layer from it (for growing).

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have seen every type of moss around me...in every situation.

Sun, shade, wet, dry.

Decide where you want your moss, and then collect moss from the same environment. Don't put wet, shade moss on your bonsai, because in order to keep that moss alive, you will over-water and/or shade your trees too much.

Some of my best bonsai moss I have gotten from cracks in a sidewalk in the full sun. Not really what you think of when you think "moss environment".

If you want to grow sheets of moss, let your parent moss dry out (bone dry) and then put it in a blender with soft/rain water. Once you have what looks like muddy water, you can sprinkle it over growth media. I do not sprinkle it on my bonsai because I find that it grows an impenetrable sheet. Instead I grow moss separately and move it over to bonsai in pieces and chunks.

 

[c54fun]

Decide where you want your moss, and then collect moss from the same environment. Don't put wet, shade moss on your bonsai, because in order to keep that moss alive, you will over-water and/or shade your trees too much.

Some of my best bonsai moss I have gotten from cracks in a sidewalk in the full sun. Not really what you think of when you think "moss environment".

If you want to grow sheets of moss, let your parent moss dry out (bone dry) and then put it in a blender with soft/rain water. Once you have what looks like muddy water, you can sprinkle it over growth media. I do not sprinkle it on my bonsai because I find that it grows an impenetrable sheet. Instead I grow moss separately and move it over to bonsai in pieces and chunks.

I messed around with moss this past summer using different methods and the blender method worked every time.

 

[Gaston]

Decide where you want your moss, and then collect moss from the same environment. Don't put wet, shade moss on your bonsai, because in order to keep that moss alive, you will over-water and/or shade your trees too much.

Some of my best bonsai moss I have gotten from cracks in a sidewalk in the full sun. Not really what you think of when you think "moss environment".

If you want to grow sheets of moss, let your parent moss dry out (bone dry) and then put it in a blender with soft/rain water. Once you have what looks like muddy water, you can sprinkle it over growth media. I do not sprinkle it on my bonsai because I find that it grows an impenetrable sheet. Instead I grow moss separately and move it over to bonsai in pieces and chunks.

What moss do you think is better to do what you say ???

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