SlowMovingWaters
Yamadori
I would like to inoculate a recently planted starter bonsai with moss. What type of moss is best? Where can it be bought and what is the best method of inoculation?
Where to buy moss
- Thread starter SlowMovingWaters
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jk_lewis
Masterpiece
People "BUY" moss?
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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Use the moss that grows naturally in your yard. Remember that moss will reduce the evaporation of water from your soil...good for some trees, but very bad for others.
KayaMooney
Mame
Isn't inoculation a medical term? Not sure it fits in that sentence... Anyways, I've had the best luck with collecting moss and then growing it in flat trays. It likes moisture so check by creeks & swamps.. I've even collected some off of where my AC unit drips. Keep it somewhere that gets filtered morning light and It should start spreading very quickly. I attached an older photo of moss I had collected and put into flat seedling trays.
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Sterling355
Seedling
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I've read on other forums that you can take moss and chew it up in a blender mixed with buttermilk and some distilled water. You can then take a brush and paint the paste loaded with spores on to the area that you want this moss to grow. I haven't tried this personally so I have no personal experience with this though it is something that I plan on trying in the near future. I just bought a cheap blender to try this out.
SlowMovingWaters
Yamadori
Yes it is, however it isn't exclusively a medical term. For example the word inoculate is used a lot in mushroom and bacterial culture. It fits quite perfectly if you had known how I intended to apply the moss. Which will be to blender with a small amount of water then pour onto the soil. In my personal opinion the term inoculation fits in in this context.
Thanks for the tray tip I might just give that a try. It is good to know any local moss will work since it grows on a lot of tree/stumps around here (as well as probably everywhere else). Anyways, I figured there might be a superior "bonsai specific" type of moss.
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Sterling355
Seedling
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I heard buttermilk is a key factor for this application. I forget why but figured I would mention it if it helps.
SlowMovingWaters
Yamadori
SlowMovingWaters
Yamadori
Someone was pulling your leg. Buttermilk is not needed just water, fresh moss, and a blender.
KayaMooney
Mame
Someone gave me this "recipe" and he SWORE by it. I tried it out and it works very well. Also the buttermilk does help a lot, if you use just water and moss you're not gonna get good results.
"1-2 Cups of moss. Half cup of beer. Half cup plain yogurt. 1/4 cup fresh rabbit crap. You HAVE to have rabbit with it. Highest nitrogen and never burns. Yogurt is perfect for bacteria that feeds the moss like crazy.
Keep it moist. Make sure it's never dry.
You can feed it by just painting a mixture of the stuff on the surface. It will grow very rapidly."
"1-2 Cups of moss. Half cup of beer. Half cup plain yogurt. 1/4 cup fresh rabbit crap. You HAVE to have rabbit with it. Highest nitrogen and never burns. Yogurt is perfect for bacteria that feeds the moss like crazy.
Keep it moist. Make sure it's never dry.
You can feed it by just painting a mixture of the stuff on the surface. It will grow very rapidly."
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
There is and only I have it for sale!! All over my friggin yard! But seriously if you can't find any locally, if you want to paypal shipping cost I'll send you some of this stuff.
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Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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I've heard this as well, usually in regards to getting moss to take on hard surfaces like stone, cement, and tufa. It's not needed to get moss to grow in a pot. Usually, I'm only wanting moss to grow in a pot for a short time prior to exhibition. In that instance, I just place the moss on the soil surface. If I want the moss to become part of the planting, say with an azalea, I'll chop up some long fibered sphagnum moss and soak it in water, then apply it to the soil surface. The moss is then placed firmly on to the sphagnum moss...works every time.
barrosinc
Masterpiece
cmeg1
Imperial Masterpiece
My favorite way is described in the link below.I imagine it is somewhat cooler up there so you have a better chance of it growing.
Collect a nice low type moss from wherever(usually side of road or in driveway or sidewalk)and give it a haircut and keep the clippings.Mix the clippings 50/50 with the dry shredded orchid sphagnum you can get from lowes.You can shred it with a large soil seave.Put a 1/8" to 1/4" layer of the mixture(depending on your soil)on the top.If it is volcanic soil you will need the layer,if it is potting soil,just a thin film.
I like this method better so you do not have to infiltrate your soil with some kind of weird native soil from the moss.
Mine grew in two weeks and covered my pots.It grows quicker in the spring at repotting.
Anyway,here is the link that I learned it from. http://crataegus.com/2012/07/05/the-moss-myth/
Collect a nice low type moss from wherever(usually side of road or in driveway or sidewalk)and give it a haircut and keep the clippings.Mix the clippings 50/50 with the dry shredded orchid sphagnum you can get from lowes.You can shred it with a large soil seave.Put a 1/8" to 1/4" layer of the mixture(depending on your soil)on the top.If it is volcanic soil you will need the layer,if it is potting soil,just a thin film.
I like this method better so you do not have to infiltrate your soil with some kind of weird native soil from the moss.
Mine grew in two weeks and covered my pots.It grows quicker in the spring at repotting.
Anyway,here is the link that I learned it from. http://crataegus.com/2012/07/05/the-moss-myth/
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