Growing Moss on Bonsai

14 years ago

Hello,

I have a ficus bonsai in my office which has been doing very well. When I originally got it, there was a patch of moss growing underneath it in the pot, along with small stones. The original moss looked terrible (cats were involved), so I wanted to replace it with some from under a tree in my back yard.

I took some of the moss from my yard (some dirt still attached), and blended it with some buttermilk to create a paste. My question is can I apply this paste directly to the soil under the bonsai? As I understand it, the buttermilk provides acidity the moss needs to grow, but the ficus bonsai needs less acidic soil than the moss. For the moment, I spread the moss paste onto a piece of plastic ziplock bag on top of the bonsai soil to try to keep too much of the buttermilk from getting into the soil. (A large area of the bonsai soil is covered with small stones so water can get in and out). Should I move the paste directly on the soil, and can anyone tell me how long it will take for the moss to start growing?

Thanks

Featured Answer

nandina

14 years ago

The method I have used for years...collect desired moss including attached soil. Place all on a newspaper in a hot, dry area such as an attic until dry. Using a strainer with fine holes, crumble and rub the dried moss including the also dry soil over the area where you want it to grow. This can be any done place from the surface of a small potted plant, a terrarium or large outdoor area. Water gently with a fine mist/spray until moss spores germinate and become established.

If you take the time to study a well established moss area growing in the wild, either in shade or sun, and poke down into the moss carpet carefully you will note that the soil around the moss has very fine grained particulates. Moss grows best on these fine soils that have worked their way to the surface over long periods of time. This is why when collecting moss you want to remove it in a horizontal manner just below the surface in order to also collect that fine soil.

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Comments (8)

hawks1282
Original Author
14 years ago
So I'm two days into it, and I now have a carpet of mold growing over the moss paste. Any advice on this or my previous post would be welcome.

Thanks
hawks1282
Original Author
14 years ago
The mold now totally covers the moss paste, and has begun to spread to the trunk of my bonsai, so I pulled up the plastic ziplock bags the moss paste was on and threw it out.

I will let the Bonsai dry out to try and kill the mold.

I had left samples of the moss paste on bricks under the tree where the moss originally came from and will continue to watch if that grows at all. It appears that some kind of animal has eaten one of the samples, but maybe if one of the others grows I can transplant it to the bonsai.
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jenann20
14 years ago
This might mean zip from a newbie, but I saw that you can grow moss spores (I'm getting mine from eBay) and from what I've seen those work well? However, if anyone has any other (better!:) advice, please share!! Good Luck!!
Edymnion
14 years ago
Yeah, I tried growing moss using the buttermilk formulas as well. Like you, I got nothing but fuzzy white mold. Total waste of my time.
halydean
14 years ago
Hi, Halydean here. To get moss growing on your bonsai, you need to have lots of humidity. The easiest way to do this is to keep it outside, in the shade, and water it a couple times per day, using rocky soil which drains fast. If its a ficus, you could put it on the North side of your house. Also try using liquid fertilizer on it ever time you water it to help. If you keep it really humid, the moss will just naturally start growing all over it-- on the sides of the pot, the trunk, and everywhere. To do it with the least amount of work, put the tree somewhere that you already have moss growing on the ground.
garyfla_gw
14 years ago
hi
Something that I use are several species of selaginella
live sphagnum or baby tears . I can only grow moss by accidennt lol they pop up all over my shadehouse but as soon as i "nurture " them they croak!! probably S uncinta orS martinsii give the best carpets There is also a bright red form that is a bit more difficult Scotch moss will also work but declines after flowering . gary
paul3636
14 years ago
Scotch moss and Irish moss both have roots.
Real or regular moss does not. They are air plants.