Moss

[BonsaiGuyNJ]

I am new to Bonsai, and have acquired a number of new bonsai, and would like to know what type of Moss you use to put in your pots. I bought some Moss, but I believe it is spaghnum moss and it just does not look right - it doesn't look at all like the moss I see in most of the bonsai I'm looking at. Thanks for your help.

 

[penumbra]

You need to collect it and best if you find it locally. Moss grows everywhere; city sidewalks and parking lots to deep forest. It looks best if you stick with a single variety for most bonsai although I have seen combinations of mosses that worked well, especially on Penjing. When I apply fresh moss I use half a paperclip to pin it down until it establishes. A better way, if you have the time and patience, is to dry the moss and powder it. I use a coarse sifter. Then apply the dried moss evenly and spray it. You can spray it with plain water or you can add a wee bit of fertilizer, but my favorite methods is to spay a little buttermilk on it. I don't know why this works but I have used this method from time to time over the past 40 plus years. You can even mixthe powdered moss with buttermilk and brush it on rocks etc.

 

[Anthony]

It is supposed to be that moss is only placed on the surface
of the soil for exhibitions.

Moss can both repel water when dry and keep areas underneath
over moist.

That said every year we remove rain encouraged carpets of moss from
under the trees.
AND there are a few trees that love the over wet moss situation e.g oxy

We can also take a piece of moss and grow carpets on a piece of
porous red brick, for cutting up later if needed for an exhibition or
airlayer.
Yard moss is what we use.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

My favorite moss is ''Crack in the Sidewalk Moss'', it is fine and dense and grows locally in any area where the sidewalks are over 30 years old and on moist ground.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

I bought some Moss, but I believe it is spaghnum moss and it just does not look right

don't throw it away, sphagnum moss has various uses in bonsai (see first link below, for example).

it doesn't look at all like the moss I see in most of the bonsai I'm looking at

It sounds like you mean the green moss on the surface of the soil/substrate?

Here are two links that I had in my notes:

https://bonsaitonight.com/2010/02/16/moss-technique/

http://ofbonsai.org/species-specific/accent-plantings/moss-basics