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Moss landscapes 9 years 3 months ago #13919

  • engwerda
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Hi,

I've been growing moss for many years now but in isolation so I've launched a kickstarter campaign and now joining a few forums to connect with some other moss fans.


I've seen moss gardens long ago, at a bonsai exhibition. The creator made tiny hills with moss and tiny white paths through them... it looked wonderful. I think there are more bonsai-growers that grow moss, like I do (on a small scale though, and not very successfully)

I'd love to hear your feedback and more than happy to answer any questions


Tell us all about how to properly grow moss :)

I have one small bonsai pot in which mos grows really well. I think that is because, unlike in my other pots, it covers the full surface - so there's not as much water that can evaporate, keeping the moss more moist. Could that be the case?

What other tips can you give us ?


Yep, full coverage helps as you say by keeping the soil evaporation lower and prevents the exposed edges of the moss drying out. In the same way some leaves have very small hairs on them, a thick mat of moss will stay moist as the airflow just belong the growing tips becomes more restricted and slows evapotranspiration. I used to grow moss in terrariums (like most people) and would always keep the water level to just below the moss and without misting it would stay alive even during dryish weather as all the water stored below the moss would have to make its way through the moss as it evaporated.

Stay tuned, if I get my ks launch through I'll heavily document the whole process I use and write up a detailed moss cultivation guide with plenty of example pictures & videos to share with everyone. There's just too much to talk about haha.

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Moss landscapes 9 years 3 months ago #13920

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what you could do is: Fill the gaps with the same substrate as the moss is on and then, using nail scissors, trim the moss slightly and use those cuttings to fill in the gaps. I'd even be tempted to dry some of the soil out (if its mainly clay which it looks to be) and sprinkle that VERY lightly over the top and then re-mist. If the cuttings are 'partially buried' (which with small cutting is only a mm or so) the propagation rate will improve. If you keep a few bits separate in case you need them for your bonsai, the wait on the rest of the moss will be well worth it, if environmental conditions remain good for you.


Thanks man... That is one thorough guide. I´ll try to do as you say.

Now, the good thing about my moss, is that since winter is almost here, it remains green all of the time without even watering it in a week or so... It´s remarkable... In summer it only takes a day at the most for the moss to start turning brown (I live in a very hot weather in summer).

Alain


Same here Alain, in Melbourne we always get 5 or so days above 40 degrees Celsius over summer. I do love summer but it makes things harder in this context. My system can survive quite easily as during the hot days I leave the fog on (instead of on its usual timer) but I wouldn't even attempt to cultivate most of the spcies I have outdoors unless I lived somewhere cooler.

I still collect a lot of moss in summer though, once irrigated it doesn't take long to pick up as you'd know.

Here's a pic of the edge of mine where some moss is cultivated using the method I described. There's a creeping moss there which grows easily anywhere but the more upright stalk moss does best with this technique. You can see its starting to grow and within a month or two it will appear be fully established.

(yes I need to do some weeding grrrr)

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Moss landscapes 9 years 3 months ago #13926

  • Judgetribe
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G'day engwerda, I think you should be called "Mr Moss". I have just had a really good reread of your site and tomorrow I am racing out to the slab to scrape off some moss to see if I can cultivate a healthy patch.

This is going to annoy the hell out of my wife.

Cheers

Robbie

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Moss landscapes 9 years 3 months ago #13932

  • engwerda
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Haha thanks Robbie,

Let me know how you go, always happy to help if needs be. My lawn at home has been massacred on occaision with a few square foot patches missing here and there

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Moss landscapes 9 years 3 months ago #13934

  • Orlando
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Maybe this is interesting for your funding
www.blwg.nl/mossen/english.aspx

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Moss landscapes 9 years 3 months ago #13936

  • SassKwatch
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Interesting stuff!

Could you be enticed into sharing any info about your 'fogger'?

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Moss landscapes 9 years 2 months ago #14163

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Absolutely,

I use standard ultrasonic fog generators (easily available online, ebay, hawrdware stores, etc.)

I have them placed under the landscapes and then pump to fog out over the moss through fog vents in the side.

I've just hit my target so the project will go ahead, if you want more detailed information I'm making an in depth ebook which will cover all the particulars, including the fogging system, with diagrams etc. Its $15 through the kickstarter page! 5 hours left ;)

Eventually I will post it here also, after a period of time to allow the people who have pledged to get it first as a sign of my appreciation :)

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Moss landscapes 9 years 2 months ago #14216

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Hi Engwerda,

Man, since you are our forum specialist on moss :) and I think I'm having a moss problem I'm hoping you might help me. You'll see, recently I left for vacations and I was forced to leave my trees with a friend. Now, the surface of my ficus' substrate was covered with a perfectly green moss, but by the time I get my tree back there was a rare substance covering the whole moss. It was a whitetish thing that ressembled a spider web and it was a bit sticky. My first thought it is that is a fungal disease, but the curious thing is that it only seemed to affect the moss because there was no other part of the plant suffering such problem. So... I'd like to know if I should be worry about it (I already removed the totality of it) and if so which would be the best approach to overcome this "infestation". Oh, and thanks in advance.

Alain

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