fmogul;

Moss on rocks, bricks and stones. On some level of artistic perception the thought of a plant growing on a rock et al seems mysterious and breathtaking. Yes moss can grow on these three surfaces. And I suspect your neighbor is growing moss and not mold.

How to encourage?

Use a pump up sprayer, $9 at WalMart, and spray/mist every other day in the fall in dry weather with rainwater or distilled. You can find acidic fertilizer at the same store for 40% off now. This is liquid soluble fertilizer. Acidic fertilizers are recommended for azaleas, rhododendrons and other acid loving plants. Usually the recommended dose is one tablespoon per gallon for regular plants not moss. For moss on rocks use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon in your sprayer every third week. George Schenk in his book Moss Gardening does not recommend fertilizing moss on rocks because the moss will lose it's grip on the surface and fall off. But I think this very weak solution every third week will be ok.

Hanging moss or confining it to one area? Well chicken wire won't work because the zinc galvanized coating will kill the moss, guaranteed. Moss also needs to be in close contact with a surface that does not have air pockets under it. So for eaxample moss does not cover rock or wood mulch unless the environment is one of perpetually high humidity and for the same reason moss doesn't won't grow has a hanging object if it gets too little humidity. Is the brick a smooth surface or coarse? If smooth you could try using a mortar mix with one third by volume wet peat moss to cover a wall area you really want to encourage. after a week use a one quarter vinegar solution and water to wash down the fressh morta and reomve some of the alkali residue. Then blend some of the moss and some beer or buttermilk or yogurt all of which will help the moss adhere to the mortar until the moss can grow. In any case watering now in the fall will greatly encourage moss because the Fall and Spring are the moss growing seasons. When all else turns brown and withers moss perks up and glistens.

Rick